Team Blood Oath Horde Diplomacy

[UnOrthOdOx]

I suppose warning them that if they do not send HBR next turn, we will find them in violation of payment and cease moving.

[polarnomad]

Sounds good. Sending to the Horde:

Horde,

We request that you provide us with HBR this turn as per our agreement. Failing to do so will find you in violation of payment, and we will cease moving your stack.

Also, we are waiting for your orders.

polarnomad

[polarnomad]

Received from the Horde while I was at work:

my apologises for not sending it

was doing the save and t5rying to get to a client, and forgot about the HBR....
I will send as soon as we get the save

have you all decided if you want the hired stack to hold and heal while awaiting your troops to come along and join in he attck of ocala?
I am quite happy to wait there in the woods, allowing the troops to heal while yours come up and then we all march forth on ocala and crush it, or even capture it

please advise

Paddy

[polarnomad]

Received from the Horde this evening:

Greetings Lords of the Mercs

I hereby request that you march the hired forces south and take battle with all haste upon the sanatarium city of ocala.

I have spoken at length with my team mates, and with the intel we have on the troops dug in around the sanatarium capital, and their other forces that we have chasing us to the south, well we feel the time to strike is now, not allowing them to see any troops coming up, not allowing their troops in the south to regroup and march into reinforce ocala, and definitly not allowing them to send any reinforcements from there capital.

Also we believe that our keshiks can slip that knot in the south and rush up onto ocala for that battle.

Paddy

[UnOrthOdOx]

Wow. Can't wait to see the graphs. Sarantium may just be about to have their asses kicked.

[polarnomad]

Received from the Horde:

I see that you have played your save, but we have heard no word on what actions were taken. Looking forward to your report.

Cheers

Paddy

Sent to the Horde:

Horde,

My apologies for the delay on your stack report. RL had me rather tied up last evening, and my priority was to get the turn moving.

Your stack was moved 3. 3 screenshots attached: 1 of the local area, 1 updating you on the status of your hired units, and 1 displaying current troop presence in Ocala.

Team mercenary will contact the Horde on the specifics of extending your current contract.

polarnomad

[Slade Wilson]

25% for hill, 20% for culture and maybe 25% for having been fortified long enough. A 70% boost to defence. One of the archers has an extra 20%. A 7% chance for our unpromoted axes to take out the fresh archer. The CR+c1 axe has about 20% odds to win when healed and 16% now. A keshik with a C2 promo will have about 1% chance of win versus one of those spears.

Now i could be wrong, but this looks like suicide. Without catapults the only way to take the city is via attrition.

Combat sim, BTW. Handy tool

[UnOrthOdOx]

You're very correct.

Unfortunately, there's little we can do other than breaking our founding principle. If Horde has units near as they claim, it's quite possible to take that city via attrition. And, in the larger picture, worth doing so. This is Sarantium's troop center.

If this is just another manufactured battle and Sarantium and Horde are playing out a fake war to weaken us. I tip my hat to them.

In the mean time, maybe we best switch off that granary in foxtrot for more troops for the time being. A wall might help too.

[polarnomad]

We have yet to draw up a agreement for the extension of the current contract, so we could pull out from attacking for the moment. This is their last turn of the current contract.

EDIT: In any case they need to pay for continued usage, and they owe us a settler at the end of 325 BC for the current contract as I understand. If the settler doesn't show up then it can void the option to extend.

[polarnomad]

Received from the Horde:

many thanks for taking the time to put this together

trust that all is well with you and yours

Paddy

Team Mercs

as per previous correspondence, please move straight in and attack that city with all of the might and power that you can muster, crush it.

we have keshiks riding to the area

HBR will be transfered with the oncoming save

Paddy
of the Horde

So here we go... another order to destroy our units in a useless attack with an empty promise of reinforcements.

[OzzyKP]

Originally posted by polarnomad
We have yet to draw up a agreement for the extension of the current contract, so we could pull out from attacking for the moment. This is their last turn of the current contract.

EDIT: In any case they need to pay for continued usage, and they owe us a settler at the end of 325 BC for the current contract as I understand. If the settler doesn't show up then it can void the option to extend.

I think that could help us delay the attack (and build up more troops for ourselves in the meantime). We are at peace with them now, so there is no excuse to delay payment. Whatever payment we agree to for extending the contract should be in our hands before we move those units any further. No more promises about payment or late payments. If we are suspecting a double cross lets abide by the letter of the contract.

On the other hand, if we strongly suspect a double-cross and our initial contract has expired, then maybe we could just opt not to accept a contract renewal and bring the troops home.

[UnOrthOdOx]

I looked it up to relieve any confusion:

Here's how the deal worked:

Horde Hired: 4 axe, 2 spear, 4 chariot

Cost: 260 gold

Option included: Option to renew contract for surviving units.

Payment:

HBR: 357 gold (260 for rental, + 100 ish down on option) paid up front. (delayed payment due to the whole Sarantium contract)

Settler on COMPLETION of contract: 200 gold via standard pricing.

Total paid: 557, max merc troop supply value: 520.

_______________________________________

Lesson learned:

We really need to ask for payment on the extensions before they take place, not on completion in the future.

That's one of the bad things about Team Merc: We're all trying to figure out the best way to actually make this work as we go along.

[polarnomad]

I might add that we still do not have Sailing, and the Horde agreed to give it to us along with Masonry for the sacking of the first Foxtrot. Shall I request it too before attacking Ocala?

[UnOrthOdOx]

They're still researching it. IIRC it won't be done for about 5 turns. But you could ask for a turn count.

[polarnomad]

Sent to the Horde:

Horde,

Moved units with attacking range of Ocala. Screenshot attached. Could we get an update how Sailing is coming along?

polarnomad