Team Info and Contacts - Templars

[Sullla]

In light of the above...

Dear Templars,

Your unit movements and your diplomatic messages do not agree with one another. We're on to you lying bastids We would like to give you the opportunity to explain yourselves before relations deteriorate any further.

Team RB

Do we want to send something along these lines, or should we just give up with Templars altogether as a lost cause?

[Dreylin]

I think some variation of that, coupled with taunting that Imperio ran away...

[ruff_hi]

I think we should also call them out publicly for agreeing to a 3-way tech deal and then immediately reneging on it. And further, to treat falsely with us while planning war.

The down side of this is that it might start a flame war in the main forum (not much of a down side).

Alternatively, we could just tell PAL and Banana of the treachery that is Templar!

[sunrise089]

My draft

Knights of the Templar,

While we were happy to see your very reasonable and cordial recent emails and PMs, your actions in the game are proving harmful to our relationship.

We were upset when your civilization pulled out of the three-way tech deal with RB and Banana, but we felt we could still come to a happy agreement to trade techs. We were were happy to see you were open to a NAP, but cautious that you moved troops to our borders. Now you have brought many more troops.

It still puzzles us that your civilization feels to differently about natural lines of cooperation than we do, but in the interest of peace please know that Imperio has withdrawn their stack into their city and is now several turns away from being able to attack us. Every turn you delay allows us to further hurt the long-term success of our civ (and allow PAL to win the game even easier) BUT also grow better able to resist any military threat. Please consider the potential gain and potential loss of such brinkmanship.

-RB

The stuff about weakening us long-term is to paint the picture that we can smash their units but also sow the seeds of doubt about the reason for any Templar attack. If I just said "we grow ever stronger" they would have even more reason to go for broke and hit us with everything.

[Dreylin]

Looks good to me.

[ruff_hi]

sunrise - way too 'nice'. We should also call out their 2 units on the road network and say that pillaging that will be seen by us as an act of war (even thought it is in neutral territory).

[Sullla]

Usually I want moderation in diplomacy. Not this time. Templars are being complete jackasses, and lying through their teeth in every message. We absolutely should send them a blistering message and pass on their duplicitous nature to every other team in the game. Aside from Imperio, their willing partner in crime, of course...

[ruff_hi]

We should also mention to Templars that Imperio basically said that their plan declare war against us.

[ruff_hi]

draft email to Templar ...

"Honorable" Knights Templar,

Team RB grows weary of your double dealing, of your underhand tactics and of your dishonesty. On the one hand, you agree to a 3-way trade deal with us and Banana that you break in a matter of days (it is arguable that you treated with us with full knowledge that you would break this deal). You further make no move to acquire the tech that was to be your leg of this trade deal.

Further, you marshal forces along our border and move aggressively promoted forces onto our road network. In earlier communication, your team has acknowledged that we have the right to maintain land based contact with our North Eastern city. The land route that you now seek to control (or to destroy?) is this contact that you seeded to us. Be aware, if you pillage this road network, Team Realms Beyond will treat this as an act of war. It matters not that it is in neutral territory.

Finally, Imperio informs us that they are planning an attack against our sovereign kingdom and imply that this attack is with your full knowledge.

Your relationship with Team Realms Beyond has deteriorated consistently from the outset of this game. We have tried to keep the lines of communication open but you repeatedly fail to respond to our messages - even with a simply acknowledgment. We had to learn of your 'acceptance' the 3-way tech deal from our friends, Banana rather than from you.

I have done some research into the Knights Templar and located the following:

Knights of the medieval era were asked to "Protect the weak, defenseless, helpless, and fight for the general welfare of all." These few guidelines were the main duties of a medieval knight, but they were very hard to accomplish fully. Rarely could even the best of knights achieve these goals. Knights trained, inter alia, in hunting, fighting, and riding. They were also trained to practise courteous, honorable behaviour, which was extremely important.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Knight

and ... http://knights-templar.us/

Perhaps you can share this information with your team and really earn the title 'honourable'!

Team Realms Beyond

[Zeviz]

I like Sunrize's message.

Sending insulting messages might feel good, but it gives us absolutely no benefit.

I would much rather send a nicer message to Templars now and then tell them how we really feel when 20 Oromos approach their capital. Think about it this way: An angry message now would be seen as a temper tantrum. An angry message with a stack of 20 Oromos would tell them not only how we feel, but also that we can more than whine about the situation.

"Speak softly and carry a big stick."

EDIT: Please don't send Ruff's message without removing quotes around the word honorable in the address. Once somebody reads that insult, the rest of the message will be lost. You can not convince anybody by throwing insults at them.

[ruff_hi]

The other approach is that we take a leaf out of Templar's book and simply do not talk to them. Their last email to us was on March 4th.

Or we could just go with Sullla's version (slightly modified) ...

Templars,

Your unit actions and your diplomatic messages do not agree with one another. Please explain.

Team RB

[sunrise089]

Without trying to be too biased, my order of preference is my email, Sullla's, and Ruff's. I think Ruff's email does a lot well, but I find myself agreeing with Zevis that certain things said via email will just close down lines of communication.

[ruff_hi]

... that certain things said via email will just close down lines of communication.

I can understand what Zeviz and Sunrise are saying ... but ... close down lines of communication ... come on ... they cannot be any more closed than they are now.

I'm happy to wait until we can actually do something about it ... but I don't want to appear scared of their units on our border.

I think mentioned PAL to Templars will not work ... as they will be thinking "no way do we want to see you win either"

[Zeviz]

Ruff's latest brief message would also work, but I prefer Sunrise's. (So my order of preference is same as his.)

[ruff_hi]

let me take a look at Sunrise's draft ..

Knights of the Templar,

We are pleased to see your recent and cordial communications. However, your in-game actions are obviously damaging our relationship.

We were shocked by your actions when you reneged on the three-way tech deal with RB and Banana. We remain confident that we can come to an agreement regarding NAP and tech trades. Unfortunately, we are forced to caution now that you have moved troops to our borders.

It still puzzles us that your civilization feels so differently about natural lines of cooperation than we do, but in the interest of peace, please know that Imperio has withdrawn their stack from our border (into their city) and is now several turns away from being able to attack us.

-RB

Every turn you delay allows us to further hurt the long-term success of our civ (and allow PAL to win the game even easier) BUT also grow better able to resist any military threat. Please consider the potential gain and potential loss of such brinkmanship.

I just don't get this last part. They aren't playing to let us win.