The only thing that annoyed me is that good play and good diplomacy gets punished.
We have 1 neutral who basically joined the DS “against his better judgement” and who stated to us that he joined because he didn’t want the game to end so quickly…I guess that is point 1 in your post Caradoc.
Very honourable and should be praised but most annoying to the other side that worked hard to try to get that neutral’s declaration.
That’s just 1 neutral that I know about, I don’t know about the others. Rhudaur of course has every right to join DS as we didn’t talk with him so fair enough on that. I don’t know about the other two but the fact that all 4 joined on the same turn led me to believe the DS used the old “join us or we’ll drop…” trick. I’ve no idea whether this is true or not but you must admit that with the info at our disposal (i.e. the pdfs), it certainly easy to suspect such actions.
As for the neutrals being insulted…well I certainly don’t want to insult anyone or get into any personal arguments or whatever. However to the neutrals I say what do you expect ? You can’t exactly expect us to over-whelmed with joy at your decision ?
>Get a grip.
haha. Suggest you practise what you preach.
Anyway, whats done is done…now to get on with the rest of the game.
I, too, do not wish to insult anyone, or get into personal arguments.
If I have insulted anyone, I apologize.
Perhaps I am overly sensitive about neutral-bashing. I think it is detrimental to the game, and leads to more of the type of play it decries.
I do understand that the 4 on the same turn looks suspiciously like the result of the old “join us or we’ll drop” trick.
I may not be privy to all communications from our team. I do not use the “join us or we’ll drop” trick. There are others I should expect to not use that trick. On this, I cannot speak for all.
I, also, do not like to see good play and good diplomacy punished. I should like to think that the 4 on the same turn reflected good diplomacy on our side. That is what I should like to think. In at least one instance, I know other factors were involved.
There was a thread on neutrals a while back. I said my piece on that. If there is more to be said, perhaps that is the place.
So, again, if I have insulted anyone, I apologize.
Back to the game.
Would you lot please hurry up and take Sarn Goriwing, your delay is disrupting my plans.
To my knowledge, no one on the DS team used the ‘join us or we’ll drop’ strategem, if indeed such a strategem exists. I freely admit that I had little visibility of the Arnor situation and discussion but here, in the South, I have communicated freely with the three neutrals. Being given honest reports from ourselves, you may well argue that the neutrals drew their own conclusions wrt to the longevity of the game, given the Free’s early successes but as a team, let me assure you, no-one has raised the possibility of a capitulation. Indeed, exactly the opposite! The fact that several of the neutrals were privvy to our discussions, and our list, should have made them aware of the team’s stance.
However, having experienced exactly the same scenerio in G32, the free gutting Mordor (more successfully than in this game I might add), and then having four of the five neutrals declare DS, I do sympathise with your apparent frustration. However, I do accept Ian’s point here, that the actions of the neutrals provide a variable and challenging game, and in this respect I think that the declarations should lead to an interesting, and hopefully long, game (ala G32).
Having played a neutral myself, my choice of alliance was primarily based upon which declaration would provide me with an interesting and challenging game. Communication was a factor, but NOT the be-all-and-end-all. To be honest, my experience is that communication between alliances and the neutrals is usually fairly balanced.
Just my ‘two-penneth worth’… probably of little relevance, but I felt that I should answer some of your concerns (and, having been comrades-in-arms, I hope that you believe my comments to be honest and true-felt).
Lets all get back to beating each over the head with pointy sticks…a 4 nation newt swing is a bite in the a#$ but whatever…the game just got really interesting…
Now I have to figure out how to get down to the QA…forgot you were in this one Mike and I figure I can repay all those pop centers you gave me from G32 with burning some of yours in this one!! :>
Nice post and thanks for taking the time to write it. For once I actually agree with Fletch in that it’s made the game very interesting and it should be fun so in that regard I think the neutrals have already succeeded in making the game more fun and challenging.
Oh and I don’t think the neutrals are fools, just make foolish decision like supporting Liverpool FC!!! points elbow at Ian
Anyway, good luck gents and good game…back to normal insults now then please.
If I was a neutral in such a game, such a blatant misuse of diplomacy and subversion of the spirit of the game, would more than likely make me switch to the other side :rolleyes: Perhaps I would be atypical, but I cannot believe that such a strategem would be persuasive. Quite the reverse .
Ian, You talk a good game, do I believe you can play a good game…that will be seen. As for the Emmy action …do you think we forgot to make them?
I admit since you all failed to kill my commanders, I do not have as many as I usually have…sigh but thats okay I now have a few Gothmogs for our side…fun fun fun.
As for not burning out Mordor as well as I should have…I agree…I made a few poor moves…but not to worry I am coming …question is do you have enough dragons? I think not.
As for all the neutrals…I say the same thing I did on that thread …who cares…if you join me great you can help me burn if not prepare to die.
Ah well perhaps now that you have 4 extra teammates this thread will get interesting?
Well, if the Easterlings take the Eoplex, I can always move to Rohan!
Sorry Mike, I cant let you come and influence my stuff, although you are more than welcome to 525 any of the pop centers the Easties might take off me.
Besides, dont start assuming you can take anything…I may yet have a few tricks up my sleave and it may be the Easterlings who find they dont have any pop centers to play with…lots of empty hexes out there…I wonder if any of them contain a nifty Eothraim pop center or two…hmmmm…a short march with HC to Sturlurtsa Khand maybe??
Why Rohan? Why not further away where you would be safe?
Please come and visit Sturlurtsa Khand, I promise you a surprise. It might just be the 2nd wave coming north or something else
Anyway thanks to a little detective work I know where your pc’s (camps) are. It’s sure gonna take you several (many) turns to recruit HC to upset me in any way.
By the way, i’ve underestimated how many cavalry I would now have…I have more, lots more
I am wondering if I’ve joined a grown ups game or not!
Of course the WK used the “help me or I’m dead” line. Anyone know a game he does not? Because if Roo and Duns both go Free he IS dead. As to the whole DS saying the same thing, I certainly was not given that message.
As a neutral (former) I agree it is galling to do really well, and then see neutrals “balance” the game back. But that is the way the cookie might crumble. Neutral’s have a very boring time to start with, so a little excitement is to be welcomed. Maybe I have chosen the wrong side, maybe not. However, I think things will be exciting.
As to the timing, I personally put that down to DS diplomacy. Despite what it might seem like, all the neutrals did not know what each was about to do, and indeed there “may” have been a certain amount of misinformation going about between them.
Finally, from my point of view, choosing a side is not easy. I am not that experienced so I try not to mislead with false promises. Any info I give is accurate, and I really do not make up my mind, finally, until late on.
And just on the subject of experience, and wishing to insult a lady 9well everybody elsde seems to!) just how old is Vanya!!! (I’m working on the basis she is so busy attacking everyone else she’ll leave little old me alone!)
Anyway, let’s get down to killing everyone. Oh, and Merry Christmas all!
Yes on this friendly note I agree, let´s take out our knifes and kill each other.
The armies are marching to the shopping malls, assassins are hidding behind xmas trees, and friendly emies are promissing presents to enemy pop centers for changing allegiance.
How old am I? As old as the hills of Gondor…and as young as the newest camp…giggle
As for attacking everyone…of course I am attacking everyone… with nearly 30 recruiting bases I have to attack everyone…wait until the WK sees what I have instore for him rofl
Anyhow Merry xmas, or Chanukah or Kwanza or whatever you happen to celebrate at this joyous time of year…(making up for all my unpolitically correct remarks smile) and Happy New Year! (just in case, I can actually keep my big trap shut for a whole week and two days).
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