[SPOILERS] Team SsS

[Sandover]

Turn 49-50:

The border pop at Scooterville made us discover a quechua belonging to the Mexican Apple Thieves (Inca). I have forwarded an initial greeting.

Smash the Lion Killer will make contact with DJ next turn.

Granaries and cottages are currently under production. The granary at Sandograd will be 2-pop whipped once the city grows while Scooterville will build its granary from scratch and save the first whip for a saxemen. We're making good progress so far.

[Sandover]

Time to post some correspondence with Exploit. Village Green is Ruff, btw.

Him;

Dear Sandover,

Village Green has swapped their research from Archery to The Wheel, which is due for completion Turn 57. There was no rise in their score last turn so I do not believe they have completed Archery.

Based upon the borders that I now see, DJ is my southeast neighbour and not my eastern neighbour as I was originally led to believe by Ruff. This little deception adds to my suspicions that the DJ alliance has hostile intentions towards me. I will wait to see their reponse to my diplomatic overtures but I am formulating a contingency plan just in case.

Regards,
Exploit

The borders of Tech and DJ are almost touching already and Exploit is taking a detour to Archery to secure his position. He wants to go for a NAP with DJ, which I've agreed to.

Me;

Dear Exploit,

A lone quechua bearing the banner of the Mexican Apple Thieves appeared in the west when the borders of Scooterville expanded. I have dispatched a message to their leaders, hoping to establish dimplomatic contact. Smash will reach the DJ borders next turn.

The questionable accuracy in the words of Village Green is troubling indeed. If there is an alliance of evil plotting against Tech in the dark, it makes even more sense for SsS to deliver a crippling blow to them by striking at Cath Bruig. We have finished pottery and are currently building cottages to fuel the research of Iron Working, so things are moving forward nicely. Keep in touch, and do not hesitate to call for SsS assistance if necessary.

Regards,
Sandover
Team SsS

The next week or so is going to be vital in getting an idea of how the diplomatic blocs are forming. With a western neighbour finally having showed up, our options in the diplomatic game should increase beyond trying to figure out what Cath Bruig is up to.

[scooter]

Well this is interesting. I think Exploit is reading into things a little too much with the whole issue on Ruff telling him that India is to his east instead of southeast. I get the feeling Ruff was just talking generally.

It seems like CBE seems pretty set on not sharing info with us unless it's beneficial to them (a.k.a. NAP). I'm holding out hope that India will be more helpful.

Wow Inca is to our west, that's interesting... I wonder if they are directly to our west, or if they just happened to swing by from far away. Personally after PB2, I trust that team about as far as I can throw them. Regardless though, I'd like to hope that they are friendlier than CBE has been so far.

[Sandover]

I think Exploit is reading into things a little too much

He's probably just trying to build some suspension.

[scooter]

Yeah probably. I can't remember, does Exploit have copper? Or do we even know that?

Are we going to try to time the completion of a settler with the finishing of Iron Working? That way, if we have iron nearby we settle it, otherwise we can plop down Square Leg's city on the Srhine river like we originally planned.

[Sandover]

He haven't found neither copper nor horses yet, hence why he's going for archery.

Yes, the intention is to time a settler for iron working.

[Sandover]

Cath Bruig just sent us this message;

Hi Team SsS,

Sorry it's taken me a while to get back to you after our chat. So you wanted to know a couple of things

I'd like to know what the intended max size is of this alliance, whether it's supposed to last until the endgame, whether wars will be a joint business within the alliance and preferably also which civs are already in it

Ok, so the max size is intended to be 10 teams. I remember that you said that you were sceptical of large alliances as it limited options, but you should know that we have no intention of including any of your other neighbours in the alliance giving you free reign to expand. We'll have to see how things play out, but I imagine it won't last until the end game. Wars are up to the individual members, wars within the alliance would not be beneficial to anyone so would not be viewed kindly. It's not a war alliance but you are free to form whatever military alliance within the alliance to help you against outsiders.

If you tech IW and are willing to trade it around, then you can have access to any tech you may want. A strong Rome on our borders benefits us all.

I think you'll have contact with India within the next few turns and then it might be best to head south to find Krill of Egypt. India might have a better fix on an Egyptian scout so they should be better able to direct you for contact.

I hope this answers some of your corcerns.

Mukha & Dantski

Not quite as informative as I wanted it to be but at least they are opening up a bit. Sent a quick notification that we got the message and would get back to them once we've discussed it. I have some ideas on how to handle this, though I'm in bad need of sleep due to staying up all night (olympic ice hockey ftw!) so that will have to wait until tomorrow. What's your take on the situation?

[scooter]

I would say I'd be interested in this if we can get Exploit included. That might be a big if though... We could accept this, and turn our attention to the southwest/west/northwest instead (Inca or whoever is there). My gut says to lay it out to them as - if Exploit is in, we are in. If Exploit is excluded, then we will not be in. We also need to keep Exploit informed.

Also, I think we need to verify that this isn't some game-long commitment. In other words, we acknowledge that probably mid-game this "alliance" will be mostly dissolved. If whoever is to our west is excluded, then I can deal with that.

Another thought - see if they know who is to our west.

Edit: also might want to find out who is teching alphabet, and what their ETA is. Exploit is already headed that direction...

[Sandover]

Diplo will have to wait until later today, since I need to get some studying done. Here comes the next turn report though.

Turn 51:

Smash has made contact with DJ. A message has been sent.

Stitch is still working his way south along the Cath Bruig border.

Our first cottage is completed at Sandograd. More to come during the next few turns. My guesstimated ETA on Iron Working is turn 70-75.

[Sandover]

Email chain with Team JANK (Inca). We're pretty much only sharing some map information so far.

Me;

Dear Mexican Apple Thieves,

Your Quechua Chicken Wing has stumbled upon SsS lands. Are you a peaceful people or shall I dispatch our city garrisons to meet you in glorious battle at our borders?

Regards,
Sandover
Team SsS

JANK;

Dear team SsS,

Though Chicken Wings are a nice appetizer, we come in peace.
You've found yourself a nice second city site!
Our Capital is located West.

Have you met anyone else yet on this enormous map?

Regards,
Nakor for JANK

Me;

Dear Team JANK,

So far we have made contact with Dantski&Mukha of Cath Bruig and Exploit of Tech.

We are glad that you come in peace, as there is much to talk about. We think that this is a toroidal battleground map, what do you think? How far have you traveled to reach SsS and what civs have you met thus far? Maybe you want directions to Cath Bruig and Tech so that you may establish diplomatic relations with them?

Regards,
Sandover
Team SsS

JANK;

Dear Team SsS,

We have met Ruff (Napoleon of Aztec) to our west and since meeting you have bumped into Team Kysit (Pericles of Babylon) to your north. We haven't yet hypothesized over the map so your guess is as good as ours . Directions would certainly prove helpful if you're happy to give them.

Athlete for Team JANK

Me;

Dear Team JANK,

Cath Bruig is located to the SE of SsS and Tech is located to the NE of SsS. Both of them are located some odd 15 turns away from our capital Sandograd. Is your capital directly west of SsS and Ruff's capital directly west of you? And is Kysit located directly north of SsS or rather more towards the NW? We are trying to stitch some sort of map together, so any additional information you are willing to provide us with will be appreciated.

Regards,
Sandover
Team SsS