Sarantium or Horde?

[UnOrthOdOx]

We're now at peace, and are going to be faced with a decision:

Sarantium or Horde.

Take some time, think it over and read the diplo threads before voting.

Sarantium, we have had stressed, but peacefull relations. They did aid us with information against the Horde, but were furthering their own gains just as much by that. They have made no qualms about mentioning outright they are not comfortable with us as neighbors.

Horde: Declared war over us beating them to a pony site and then not adequately defending. In all honesty, I may have done similar in the same situation. Their recent chats seem to suggest they understand the Merc concept and how to utilize us. But, is it just a show?

[Octavian X]

Seems straightforward enough. I'm reasonably convinced that the Horde could be honest with us in our business dealings - it took the war to show them we were serious. That said, it's just a question of who offers us the best deal.

[polarnomad]

Let's follow the merc philosophy and take up contracts!

[OzzyKP]

I'm not sure they really do 'get' us. Their offer in the diplo thread was just for a long term alliance against the Sarantium. They just put their request in merc type language. They basically suggested the two of us carve up Sarantium.

PLATO says:
Now, we have a neighbor in the neighborhood that we would both like to see removed and we are going to shortly be discussing some contracts to remove that joint threat

Obviously we wouldn't want to see Sarantium removed, we want to keep both of them alive and fighting each other (and contracting with us).

So I don't think the Horde get us any better than Sarantium does and I don't see any reason to trust them any more. I agree that we don't favor either and stick to the merc concept.

We really need to be neutral here. Uno, you told Plato that we don't hold grudges, and then you said you still remember Sarantium's opposition to the merc concept. It certainly seems like there is a grudge there.

[UnOrthOdOx]

Uno, you told Plato that we don't hold grudges, and then you said you still remember Sarantium's opposition to the merc concept. It certainly seems like there is a grudge there.

I was more fishing for information with that. I don't have any problem with Sarantium, but it's obvious the Horde does. May as well play into that when talking to them. Just like I've played into Sarantium's hate of the Horde from the get go. We want them both fighting each other, not us.

For the record, I favor first come first serve, that is the foundation of the idea. Hire early, hire often.

Horde is willing to cover our backside while we go do contracts off shore, that is something worthy of consideration, and I wanted to run it by the team. I don't like to make decisions unilaterally. The fact that they are willing to put things in merc contract terms is quite a step for a lot of folks, and shows they at least understand our needs in that area.

As to the future of this land...Sarantium is going to decimate the Horde unless we help the horde, IMO. A combination of our choke and their lack of developement have left the horde with fewer cities, lousy production, lousy research, and a soon to be outdated army. At the least, Sarantium would beat them to catapults and then it's game over.

Then, I'm hearing there's been some internal drama over on Sarantium. Don't know how well they'll pull together in it's aftermath. Some teams lose interest in the wake of things like that and make mistakes.

[OzzyKP]

Well if the Horde get taken out we can make a similar deal with Sarantium where they watch our back on the continent so we can sell overseas too.

Either way I don't think we should be helping Horde, but prepare for the eventuality that they will need our services and be able to supply them.