[SPOILERS] Team SsS

[Square Leg]

We need a couple of spears. Forgive my NPA but do we have Hunting? If not - how long till we can get it - via trade or research?

Even 2 spears are going to hold up to as many as 6 chariots depending on defensive bonuses.

Axes will be ok if we can get into a situation where we can attack chariots with them, just not in defense.

[Sandover]

Starting off with something simple. JANK has promised to gift us three axemen and sent us a screen shot of the Mali warrior trying to make contact with us. I've sent them this message;

Dear JANK,

Firstly I would like to thank you for your gifting three of your axemen to us. We will put them to good use once they arrive and hope to one day return the favor. Please send them with due haste to our westernmost city, Scooterville, where we first made contact with each others. How soon can we expect their arrival?

Secondly I would like to request that you help guide the Mali explorer to Scooterville. We still do not know much about the lay of the land to our west and need our units at the other side of our empire, considering the recent whipping being performed by the nearby Hydra civs. Please notify Mali that we cannot help them find their way through the landscape.

We will soon update you and the other members of Heracles about our attack plans. Iron has been located and it looks like a successful campaign draws near.

Regards,
Sandover
Team SsS

[Sandover]

We need a couple of spears. Forgive my NPA but do we have Hunting? If not - how long till we can get it - via trade or research?

Even 2 spears are going to hold up to as many as 6 chariots depending on defensive bonuses.

Axes will be ok if we can get into a situation where we can attack chariots with them, just not in defense.

We do not have hunting. If nothing happens to Exploit's Alphabet research we can get it in 3 turns.

My only fear is currently for the Iron settler. Its escort won't be exposed for that long, but it's a dangerous situation nevertheless if stumbled upon by a chariot. With home advantage, a good road network and axes we can repell chariots without too much hassle, however.

I'll post some screen shots soon.

[Sandover]

Picture Update:

I will provide more detailed stuff later. This is just a first taste. First one show where the Iron is - second one is the power graph.

[Sandover]

Just had a chat with Cath Bruig. Won't make a summary as this email to Heracles pretty much explains the important stuff that was said;

Please forward to Babylon and Mali.

Dear Heracles,

This day I bring you news that are both spiced with hope and the cause for fear. I have recently returned from a meeting with Mukha of Cath Bruig, where he gave me his word that there are no current plans to send the recently whipped units (see the attached power graph) towards SsS. I gave him plenty of chances to deny that they are to be used in an attack on Tech, though he took none of them. Therefore I believe it is safe to assume that Bison Pass is soon to be the target of a Cath Bruig/DJ offensive. I will, however, refrain from making guesses as to the strength of such an assault as I am sure someone else will do a better job reading the graph.

As for the good news I am happy to announce that Iron has been located and that a settler is enroute to connect the resource. The city itself will make a nice staging area for a future attack on Cath Bruig, and will make it easier for us to establish a trade route with Tech along which we can eventually supply our spare Copper. I wish to share with you the detailed attack plans along with an estimated time frame, but that will have to wait until a later message as I had reason to rush sharing what I know of Cath Bruig's intentions.

May the defenders at Bison Pass hold firm.

Regards,
Sandover
Team SsS

[Sandover]

I need to send Cath Bruig a message later today. My current thinking is that I'll focus on the need for us to pick one of the alliances, and that we decided to make a moral choice based on;
-9 vs 7 being more fair than 10 vs 6.
-DJ's shady diplomacy.
-That CAN are the ones that started this large teching bloc crap.

Once again very truthful, though we could have told them about it a little earlier.

Other than that I'm not sure what to say. I can either make a big deal out of how we are now natural enemies or simply downplay the situation.

[Square Leg]

Other than that I'm not sure what to say. I can either make a big deal out of how we are now natural enemies or simply downplay the situation.

Sometimes people just end up on the otherside of the fence by proxy.

[Sandover]

Here's another message to Hercles. I'll post the screen shots I attached further down. As you can see I've pretty much planned what the attack on Cath Bruig will look like. I will explain why the spot I picked for the Iron city is the best option later on.

Please forward to Babylon and Mali.

Dear Heracles,

SsS are happy to provide you all with maps of what is now the hotseat of the World. Please be aware that the naming I use for screen shots are not consistest with in-game turns, but that all other information I provide to you are following the in-game counter.

The first map contains information about the Tech-DJ-Cath Bruig triangle. I took liberty to mark a hill to the west of Tech where the rare metal Iron can be mined. We have not seen any Iron near DJ though we can reveal that Cath Bruig's Iron is located to the SW of their capital.

The second map reveals the details of Operation Sand Peddler, named after the river that connects the nations of Tech and Cath Bruig. SsS will found a city on the indicated spot on turn 71 and Iron will be connected the following turn. I cannot give you the exact turn of declaration as it is yet to be established but I can tell you that we hope to launch the initial attack before turn 90. The generous JANK have promised a gift of three Axemen to aid the cause, and if those reach us in time to participate in the first strike force it should consist of around 4-6 Spraetorians, 4-5 Saxemen and 3 Axemen with a steady stream of Spraetorian reinforcements to follow.

Finally, I would also like to share with you some information that SsS have gained through diplomacy. The Hydra, or at least many of its members, are disatisfied with one of the nine heads. Mukha of Cath Bruig did not share with me the name of this head, nor why this disatisfaction has occurred, but it is a strong indication that all is not well with the beast nevertheless.

We also have reason to believe that a mini-alliance where DJ is the leader with Cath Bruig, DIM and Village Green as members are present within the Hydra. This alliance may have been made up by DJ in a futile attempt to sway SsS over to their side, but considering that DJ and Cath Bruig now seem to be coordinating their efforts the feasibility of it has certainly increased. I do apologise for not mentioning this to you earlier; it simply slipped my mind up until now.

May the mighty S protect you all.

Regards,
Sandover
Team SsS

[Sandover]

Sometimes people just end up on the otherside of the fence by proxy.

Can't deny that, though that's not the answer I had in mind.

Let me refrace;

What option is best from a meta-gaming perspective?

[scooter]

I think you hit on the three major points, but you might also consider sharing our great dislike for the alliance structure that has started up. Let them know that by far the #1 thing keeping us from working with their alliance is the simple fact that we don't want alliances that large. If we were to fizzle everything down into groups of 3-4, we would be much happier and would be willing to work with anyone. Right now, we would really like the alliances to die out, so the best option is to join the smaller group. If we join the bigger group and wipe out the smaller group (some of whom we are friends with), we have a fairly strong belief that we will be turned on as soon as Spraets are obsolete.

Unless you disagree with me (I don't think so..?) that would be 95% truthful. There is the minor detail where we were never going to join without Exploit anyways, but they don't need to know that tidbit .