Banana Embassy

[binTravkin]

The thing is we don't want to provoke any suspicion we are preparing for attack.

If you think that such announcement would look like we're upset about them not talking to us (and thus make them think we're peaceful), it could be good.

I personally think that if they choose to silence it would be only logical to be silent too.

At least it doesn't involve us in tricky talks about border agreements, tech trading, etc, where they might guess our intentions

[PJayTycy]

I fear impaler will be closest to the truth: complete run-out of the banana team.

Maybe we should ask platypus_rex personally if their diplomat even showed them our last message. Maybe he's the only "active" one on their team.

[PJayTycy]

I don't know what exactly happened, but our war threats in our private forum have payed off:

Impaler,
Thank you for your thoughts and kind words regarding our fallen warrior.

All these things you discussed in previous communications are good in deed and spirit. Though infrequent, our letters speak of a growing friendship.

You offered to trade marble as need be. This is good. The marble in your lands is of course yours. Note that we of the Mighty Banana lay claim to the stone that is found in our lands. Maybe we can one day trade our stone with you.

This talk of trade is fine and good but for effective trade our nations should set forth to build a road that joins our lands. Do you have any thoughts on where this road should be built, when, and by whom?

Our people will not take up animal husbandry (not that there is anything wrong with it), it has been strickly forbidden by our elders. In our case we will stick with marrying women.

I pledge to communicate more often with your nation.

The Diplomatic Banana

Building a road to their city might help our axemen getting there too (although, as opposed to smac, we do not benefit from roads in their country).

[Maniac]

Do you have any thoughts on where this road should be built, when, and by whom?

Each could build towards their side of the river?

[binTravkin]

Our people will not take up animal husbandry (not that there is anything wrong with it)

Didn't really get this one.
I thought there were horses in their screenie traded before..

Each could build towards their side of the river?

We're starting to build a road very soon - to join our two cities, so we might express something along the lines:

"A road forming trade route is indeed a good idea, we have been thinking of building a road towards the marble (don't need to mention copper here, I think) found to the north, we can make it reach the river, whereupon it would meet the borders of your land (not sure, was it agreed that river is the border?)"


EDIT: the response shouldn't be too speedy - aligning with their style a bit won't hurt us as a delaying tactic and will be only logical..

[Lacero]

They've specifically said they don't want to negotiate borders, so it might be best to build it further than the river, and then slap a city as far east as we can at the end?

[binTravkin]

Okay, then we simply say that we're gonna connect the road to the river and then we can extend it as needed once our road builders get less busy..

[-SafaN-]

what about just parrying with "roads are not needed, if u build a city on the shore our vessels can trade"

i'm also confused by the AH remark

[PJayTycy]

It's a joke: animal husbandry => an animal as a husband (=> they willl stay with their women).


Took a while till I got it too...

[binTravkin]

what about just parrying with "roads are not needed, if u build a city on the shore our vessels can trade"

Doubt they're gonna believe it, especially knowing we're gonna build a road to hook up marble anyway.
If they learn where our copper site is it will be even more suspicious.

[PJayTycy]

I do think a water-based trade route will be faster to pull of. We already have water-acces, they need to build a road to a river and then we have to sail along the shore from our capital to where their river flows into the ocean. Trading over water is enabled with sailing.

Anyway, if you're looking for delaying tactics etc, we could ask them their opinion about an ocean-based trade route. Not as something we would like better than a road, but "just for asking". Asking that will give us some idea about wheter they are interested in fishing and sailing or not.

[Lacero]

We could also take offence at the implication we take animals as husbands

[binTravkin]

Anyway, if you're looking for delaying tactics etc, we could ask them their opinion about an ocean-based trade route. Not as something we would like better than a road, but "just for asking". Asking that will give us some idea about wheter they are interested in fishing and sailing or not.

I think we are looking for delaying tactics, aren't we?

Good idea
Is Impaler our official diplomat (sorry, haven't been following)?

[Impaler[WrG]]

I guess I am untill someone else wants to carry the tourch, I'll send a reply soon with much empty gubilation and eagerness for road building between our nations.

I'm asuming we want to conceal our MetalCasting advantage and the fact were headed towards IronWorking next. I'll try to milk them for information.

If we are going Forge/Collosus in the Capitol should we do Oblisk/Ax/Settler in the second city?

[Maniac]

Re AH, how about we tell them we understand they wish to stick their banana elsewhere?

Originally posted by Impaler[WrG]
If we are going Forge/Collosus in the Capitol should we do Oblisk/Ax/Settler in the second city?

IIRC we mentioned building a warrior first as second city garrison. (Or at least I did - can't remember what people thought of it )