The Bunch Diplomacy

[Blake]

Originally posted by Hot Mustard


You mean they slipped up?

Well I was thinking they're just roleplaying bumbling incompetent idiots, but if you want to make horrid puns that works too.

We should send them that... heheheheheh . I mean the "You slipped up?" comment in reply to their Vox stuff.

We do need some kind of response because just pretending we didn't get it isn't very honest. Maybe a response to AC also, informing them that the loose-lips of Banana are causing us much frustration and that under no event would we ever consider trading another teams map data as Banana had done with the AC core.

[Hot Mustard]

Originally posted by Blake
We should send them that... heheheheheh . I mean the "You slipped up?" comment in reply to their Vox stuff.

That's a good idea. I'll leave it to NYE though - we don't want me fiddling with diplomacy.

By posting the communication I'm just trying to expedite things and give everyone the maximum amount of time to read and consider the exchanges. (It would seem that I'm usually the first to see things arrive, now that I have the account setup in Thunderbird.)

[notyoueither]

This is not so good.

Unfortunately, ACen have not replied to my suggestion to resume discussions.

Assuming we hear nothing from them this evening, I will send Banana and ACen a message tomorrow, including Blake's shot.

[notyoueither]

My message to Banana and ACen waits pending observations on today's eventful chats.

[notyoueither]

Proposed message to Nana.

Hello to the People of the Banana

We have had some productive discussions with the Alpha Centaurians very recently. Unfortunately, it seems your desire for a totally open technology agreement is unlikely to meet with their approval. Meanwhile, they seem genuinely interested in an arrangement where tech is traded using beakers as the basis for calculating even trades. Assuming this is so, Gathering Storm would be pleased to trade on the same basis with Team Banana.

Part of our discussions with Alpha Centaurians focused on basic terms whereby all three of our teams could be assured of a long and equitable trade relationship. To this end several principles were raised and discussed. These principles would begin to form the basis of an agreement to promote peace, trade, and technology exchanges among the Alpha Centaurians, Team Banana, and Gathering Storm. There have been four points raised to date:
1. technology would be exchanged among the three teams on an even exchange basis
2. each of the three civs agrees not to retrade any technology acquired in trade from one of the three
3. trades arranged are kept even if a tech to be traded for is acquired by other means
4. each of the three teams agrees to an embargo on the team known as Vox. Technology will never be traded with Vox and borders with them will remain closed forever.

Please let us know how Team Banana feels about these proposals. We at Gathering Storm feel that they are a beginning in efforts to establish an era of peace with prosperity among the Alpha Centaurians, Team Banana, and Gathering Storm.

To aid in planning for possible technology exchanges, Gathering Storm has the following technologies: The Wheel, Agriculture, Hunting, Mysticism, Mining, Pottery, Archery, and Bronze Working. We are pursuing Mathematics via Writing (which will be complete soon). We also have Polytheism for all practical purposes since we are less than 1 turn from completing research of it. We are very interested in Team Banana's Animal Husbandry. Additional trades could be made for Meditation and Priesthood.

To encourage efforts for trade, and because we appreciate your recent forthcoming messages, I am sending you a shot that will show the land that seperates Team Banana from Gathering Storm. We feel it would be productive to establish a border between us and welcome Team Banana's feelings on this topic. Please see the end of this message. The rice near Splitsville is at the top of the shot. The outer ring of our capital is visible in Blue and of Vox's capital in red at the bottom.

Finally, a word on the civ known as Vox. Gathering Storm has been at war with this civ since shortly after contact. We would have preferred to avoid war since building things is much more productive than destroying them, however we felt we had no choice given their early behaviour that featured deceit and a laughing disregard for reasonable requests we made of them. Seeing as the possibility for peaceful coexistance with this civ is gone, Gathering Storm is fully committed to their complete destruction. As this message is read by you, several of our skirmishers are fortified in land that could be useful for their single city. There is no evidence of even a single worker in Voxian lands. In short, they seem to be doomed. The reason we tell you this is by way of letting Team Banana know that we would find it difficult to accept a civ friendly to us giving any aid or other support to the civ known as Vox. Thus we request that Team Banana take our concerns into account in contacts with Vox.

We look forward to hearing from Team Banana at your earliest convenience.

Regards
nye

[Blake]

The Vox paragraph reads a bit unwieldy but not unbearably so

As this message is read by you, several of our skirmishers are fortified in land that could be useful for their single city.

My attempt:

As you read this message Vox's single city is being choked by Storm Skirmishers, denying Vox the use of their most productive tiles.


Looks good overall.

[notyoueither]

About relations among civs on our continent

Hello to the People of the Banana

We have had some productive discussions with the Alpha Centaurians very recently. Unfortunately, it seems your desire for a totally open technology agreement is unlikely to meet with their approval. Meanwhile, they seem genuinely interested in an arrangement where tech is traded using beakers as the basis for calculating even trades. Assuming this is so, Gathering Storm would be pleased to trade on the same basis with Team Banana.

Part of our discussions with Alpha Centaurians focused on basic terms whereby all three of our teams could be assured of a long and equitable trade relationship. To this end several principles were raised and discussed. These principles would begin to form the basis of an agreement to promote peace, trade, and technology exchanges among the Alpha Centaurians, Team Banana, and Gathering Storm. There have been four points raised to date:
1. technology would be exchanged among the three teams on an even exchange basis
2. each of the three civs agrees not to retrade any technology acquired in trade from one of the three
3. trades arranged are kept even if a tech to be traded for is acquired by other means
4. each of the three teams agrees to an embargo on the team known as Vox. Technology will never be traded with Vox and borders with them will remain closed forever.

Please let us know how Team Banana feels about these proposals. We at Gathering Storm feel that they are a beginning in efforts to establish an era of peace with prosperity among the Alpha Centaurians, Team Banana, and Gathering Storm.

To aid in planning for possible technology exchanges, Gathering Storm has the following technologies: The Wheel, Agriculture, Hunting, Mysticism, Mining, Pottery, Archery, and Bronze Working. We are pursuing Mathematics via Writing (which will be complete soon). We also have Polytheism for all practical purposes since we are close to completing research of it. We are very interested in Team Banana's Animal Husbandry. Additional trades could be made for Meditation and Priesthood.

To encourage efforts for trade, and because we appreciate your recent forthcoming messages, I am sending you a shot that will show the land that seperates Team Banana from Gathering Storm. We feel it would be productive to establish a border between us and welcome Team Banana's feelings on this topic. Please see the end of this message. The rice near Splitsville is at the top of the shot. The outer ring of our capital is visible in Blue and of Vox's capital in red at the bottom.

Finally, a word on the civ known as Vox. Gathering Storm has been at war with this civ since shortly after contact. We would have preferred to avoid war since building things is much more productive than destroying them, however we felt we had no choice given their early behaviour that featured deceit and a laughing disregard for reasonable requests we made of them. Seeing as the possibility for peaceful coexistance with this civ is gone, Gathering Storm is fully committed to their complete destruction. As you read this message Vox's single city is being choked by Stormian Skirmishers, denying Vox the use of their most productive tiles. There is no evidence of even a single worker in Voxian lands. In short, they seem to be doomed. The reason we tell you this is by way of letting Team Banana know that we would find it difficult to accept a civ friendly to us giving any aid or other support to the civ known as Vox. Thus we request that Team Banana take our concerns into account in contacts with Vox.

We look forward to hearing from Team Banana at your earliest convenience so that we may continue moving forward towards a productive relationship.

Regards
nye

Thanks, Blake.

I will probably adopt a less formal tone in the interests of a more rapid exchange of messages in future. Not being able to chat with these guys is a major pain, and we need to beat Vox to the punch with both Nana and AC so lower turn-around and faster progress are important.

[Arrian]

Good message, NYE, although I'd also mention the proximity of the Voice and EotS as one of the causes of our war. Not that it matters overmuch.

As for their message that appears to have been intended for Vox...

-Arrian

[Hot Mustard]

Emailed by The Diplomatic Banana
NYE of the Gathering Storm,

We are discussing the terms. Things look favorable for a deal between our three nations. Stand by for an answer.

Yea BANANA!
-The Diplomatic Banana

[notyoueither]

Reply sent

Thanks for the prompt reply.

I expected a few questions. Perhaps if I adopt a less formal tone and cut down on the word count by a factor of 10 or so we can 'talk' more easily.

Cheers
nye

[notyoueither]

Received from Nana.

Hail friends,

We are very pleased that there is so much interest in the equitable exchange of techs and the building of our nations friendship. NYE of Gathering Storm sent us tenative terms for an ongoing trade deal among our three nations: Alpha Centuri, Gathering Storm, & Team Banana. These are as follows:

1. technology would be exchanged among the three teams on an even exchange basis
2. each of the three civs agrees not to retrade any technology acquired in trade from one of the three
3. trades arranged are kept even if a tech to be traded for is acquired by other means
4. each of the three teams agrees to an embargo on the team known as XXXXXXXX. Technology will never be traded with XXXXXXXX and borders with them will remain closed forever.

I blocked out XXXXXXXX because I am not sure if AC knows of who we speak.

Team Banana has the following minor suggested changes:
1. Technology trades will be based on beakers with equality being the goal.
2. each of the three civs agrees not to retrade any technology to a non-member party acquired in trade from one of the three; without prior agreement of all three member nations.
3. trades arranged are kept even if a tech to be traded for is acquired by other means
4. each of the three teams agrees to an embargo on the team known as XXXXXXXX. Technology will never be traded with XXXXXXXX and borders with them will remain closed forever.
5. tech trade arragements among member nations will be common knowledge to member nations - ie. when a trade deal is finalized all 3 members will be notified even if only 2 parties are involved in the trade.

We three neighbors are forming the basis for a long term bond. We should not use the fruits of this friendship to strengthen other nations or for short term gains of of own.

Alpha Centuri recently offered Team Banana an exchange of (Iron Working and Writing for Meditation, Fishing and Sailing) to be followed the next turn with (Priesthood for Archery).

Knowing that we can come to some terms for the Tech Trade Treaty. Our friends the Alpha Centurians can consider this a deal.

Gathering Storm, I am sure that as soon as we come to terms, we can stike a deal to get you Animal Husbandry. The Wise men of The Great Banana (whose name dare not be uttered) are looking into options now.

Our three nations are so close to terms for the foundation of this Tech Trade Treaty that it is safe to say that we just need to dot the "i's" and cross the "t's".

These are great days!
The Diplomatic Banana


33

Anyone know of any significance for the '33' at the ned of Nana messages?

[notyoueither]

and then...

NYE,
As you see some bananas can run at the mouth, too. Agreements between nations take high word counts. No worries.

Team Banana said what it needs to say in the 3T email about techs. We are so close to an agreement there.

Concerning the borders. We are looking at that now. For now, know that we respect the ingame cultural borders and hope that you would do the same. Do you have a proposed line-in-the-sand to draw across the screenie that you sent us? We are open to discussions.

Yea bananas!

[notyoueither]

Concerning Borders

Reply sent

I am cutting this out so that we may easily focus on this issue apart from larger, 3-way issues.

On 12/20/06, The Diplomatic Banana wrote:
Concerning the borders. We are looking at that now. For now, know that we respect the ingame cultural borders and hope that you would do the same. Do you have a proposed line-in-the-sand to draw across the screenie that you sent us? We are open to discussions.

I was thinking that the midway point between our capitals would be a good place to begin discussing borders. That point would be around a tile SW of the Splitsville rice.

We would be pleased to respect your cultural borders. Please let us know how we may do so other than staying out of them prior to open borders being agreed to. Unfortunately, your borders seem to grow all on their own and we may need to move by with our scouting woodsman, or leave him stranded somewhere. Please let us know if there are any no-go zones that are not yet inside your culture. I will take your concerns to GS. We are generally inclined to abide by the wishes of our friends.

Cheers
nye

[Randolph]

Standard negotiation theory would state that it would be better for them to put forward specifics on the border location, but you can only throw the ball back and forth so many times before it becomes ridiculous. I don't think making an offer is a problem, as long as we stand firm. We don't want them coming back with a "reasonable offer" when what we first suggested was what is ultimately reasonable.

[notyoueither]

You are right, Randolph.