 |
| |
|
|
Master Zen
|
 |
of naughty
Jan 2003
time: 23:27
|
|
Well now since the attitude of this team seems to be more favorable towards "evil plans", here's the best one I can think of at the moment. 
Many people are advocating a more pro-active foreign policy, something which I totally agree with. I think we have reached a point in which we must seriously consider how we are to shape the diplomatic world to our liking and that involved a careful assesment of the threat we face, and the optimal solution to it.
Part I: Threat
Our obvious short term threat is CDG if only because of the offensive power of the Immortals (and I was dismissed as paranoid because of this about a month ago...). Of the three known civs including ourselves, it is CDG which has the potential for greater offensive power.
This threat may come in three forms:
1) The first thing that comest to mind is a CDG attack on us with GCA on the sidelines. Presumably such a conflict may not necessarily lead to our destruction especially since our GA will be triggered (so will theirs thought). However, it would proably lead us into such a weakend state that we may never recover. Personally I'd rather die than to be someone's vassal state.
2) A more frightening possibility is a combined CDG-GCA attack. I do not conceivably find a way we could acually even survive this. This is defenitely the worst case scenario.
However, the most likely thing to occur IMO is this:
3) CDG launching a war against GCA. Why? Step into CDG's shoes for a second. There are various inherent advantages in this strategy. First of all, your foe will lack a +3 defensive unit in the near future. vs. Immortals means that disadvantage is even more magnified. Second, CDG by taking over GCA effectively blocks us from the south while expanding its own land. Seeing all that empty space south means that CDG would eventually turn into a continental superpower against which we will really have no defense to go against alone. Third, it may be probably depending on the timing, that we may be unable to intervene decisively in the conflict if their Immortal army is too massive.
From a rational PoV, this course of action brings the greatest benefits to CDG while also being the easiest. They avoid the diplomatic waggling since they could easily take on GCA alone. They avoid facing a +3 defensive unit which would be the only hope of blunting their immortals. In the end it would leave them perhaps even more powerful than if they successfuly defeated us.
an even more extreme approach but one that may work is:
4) CDG-GCA alliance against us, and later CDG backstabbing GCA All too obvious. This is what I would do if I were CDG. Take out two foes with the same stroke.
Part II: Diplomacy
CDG's likely "cuddling up" with GCA is an attempt to either ally them against us, or to try and catch them off balance if 3) happens. It does not take an idiot to realize that CDG represents as grave a danger to GCA as we are, so perhaps GCA's attitude is a childish sucking-up to them in the hopes they will be the small companion of the big bully.
That must change.
I suggest our diplomacy from this point onward be geared towards getting GCA in our camp as a faithful and trusted ally. They have less to fear from us than from them. They must realize that only us 2 are capable of balancing out CDGs power, while at the same time realizing that our 2 civ's characteristics create a balance of power in itself. We are not a threat to each other as CDG is.
How to swing them towards us? We must feed their paranoia. We might start by lightly suggesting if they have ever thought what a menace CDG would be with a legion of immortals, and that the menace might be mobilized against them. More than that, if Poly gets crushed who will be next against a hyped-up CDG? It will be their chance to secure dominance in the continent taking us out one by one. If I were CDG, that's what I would try to do.
GCA must me made to understand that there exists the possibility of a lasting friendship between our two teams, and that together in a war would only serve to reinforce that bond. We can also split up the continent in a rather even way without much trouble. Anyway, this will be discussed by the FAM as soon as possible.
the manner in which we conduct our diplomacy may be one or two:
1) Defensive - wait till CDG strikes either GCA or us, and try and defeat them
2) Offensive - if GCA seems willing enough (too early to tell) we take the war to their own home land. I doubt they could defeat us if we prepare well for it.
These are simply outlines for possiblities of further action. The details will be worked out slowly. We are still waiting for GCA to reply about the tech deal, when this is done we may begin talking to them about these other "doubts".
Again, I would like to hear the opinions of you guys. Remember, if diplomacy is to win this game as some of you have said, we have definitely reached the point (or soon will) in which we will have to take a more active approach to the situation on this continent.
-MZ
|
|
| |
|
|
|
Trip
|
 |
Hunt Valley
Apr 2002
time: 00:27
|
|
I think you guys are neglecting the most important factor in this equation:
GCA will act independently of us diplomatically.
What would you do if you were in GCA's position?
Two option:
A) Get friendly with CDG. Say to them "Look, we're close to each other, you have Immortals, we have more cities. We appear to be natural enemies, and if we fight, everyone else gains and we lose. Instead you can have everything north, we'll have everything south. Let's be good friends and we can accomplish this."
B) They can start courting Apolyton to split CDG.
Either one is possible, and if GCA is scared enough of CDG's Immortals, then they could very well go for A. Apolyton is no threat to GCA, and even if we went to war with them, all they lose is a bit of trade and gain a free hand elsewhere, and get a leash on a very destructive team.
If they don't look at A or B, then they're complete fools, and are asking to be destroyed. However, if we see GCA doing nothing, we can only assume the worst, and that they've chosen A.
One of these two outcomes will occur. I agree with Zen... we must make sure that GCA sees the merit in B before CDG enthralls them with the possibilities of A...
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
|
Thrumble
|
|
MasterZen, our in house Evil Plan factory.
|
|
| |
All times are GMT. The time now is 05:27.
Apolyton Time is 00:27. |
top of page
|
|
|
Forum Rules:
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts
|
HTML code is ON
vB code is ON
Smilies are ON
[IMG] code is ON
|
|
|
|
|
|
06-04-2003 15:14
). CDG will be eyeing GCA's land, it's just a matter of time; I'd say just about when they have a stack of Immortals waiting for something to do! 
Try to work it into regular conversation. Say, you're talking about the tech deal, then you can ask them if they know what CDG is up to. Discussion goes to Iron Working, then you can ask if they know anything about what Persia might do with Immortals when they get them. That's still way too obvious, but I'm sure you can think of something better. 
|