Ur Lord Tedric Posted November 10, 2003 Report Share Posted November 10, 2003 Whilst it is now well known that we champion the possibilities inherent in Peace & Trade, we would like to make the case for Peaceful First Contact – fleets on ‘R’ orders. [Which, of course, is supposed to be the default setting – and there’s a reason for this.] We also believe in the analogies that Systems and Warp Points are just the Seas and Narrows of our World, where the Planets are the Islands where we live. First Contact with an Alien race is the most important aspect that will help define your relations for many months. The open hand of friendship will be seen as an expression of hope, whilst the result of having one’s ships destroyed will inevitably cause tooling for war and months of frantic diplomacy that may still come to nought. We would like, therefore, to ask all space faring races to consider the two following elements…… Firstly that, when meeting one’s neighbours for the first time, peaceful first contact (fleets on ‘R’ orders), is the rational and logical extension of your foreign policy, whether you intend Peace, or Hostilities! If you intend peace, then you would want to show friendship. If you plan hostilities, then you would want to feign peace in order to lull the potential target into a false sense of security. To act xenophobically and make war from the outset, merely results in both sides tooling for war and slowing economic expansion. In short, early war is bad for both sides, let alone if the intended victim already has other friends in contact. The hostile empire then becomes an easily justifiable target. Secondly is the issue of wanting to defend the routes to your HW. Many empires have decided that ‘shoot-on-sight’ orders are justifiable in this situation. Because First Contact is such an overriding issue, however, we believe this too to be an error. Setting ‘sentinels’ at Warp Points inside your empire boundaries is, of course, very sensible. In order to initiate combat, however, there is the assumption that you are able to detect incoming alien fleets. If you are not able to detect them, then the issue of combat is moot anyway. Therefore, if you are able to detect them, then you can apply First Contact principles as above. If the alien empire then chooses to ignore attempts at contact, it is then certainly reasonable that a few of your fleets further in can have their orders changed to ensure that notice is taken as ‘shots are fired across their bows’. There remains the possibility that one-way warp points can take you by surprise and alien ships appear unexpectedly, but we contend that the importance of First Contact far outweighs the risk. Finally we would like to leave you with a couple of thoughts and the hope that Peaceful First Contact becomes the norm. If, you are defending inside a Warp Point by ‘shooting first’, then the WP has already been surveyed and all you are telling the alien fleet is that this place is very important to you. He may well decide to find out why. Because we believe that the case for Peaceful First Contact is pretty substantial, whether Peace or War is intended, any empire that comes out shooting is unlikely to ever be friendly and you might as well not bother trying to make peace……. The reasoning behind ‘R’ orders (rather than ‘Q’ or ‘P’) orders is due to game limitations only. With ‘R’ orders it is possible to declare ‘War’ on another empire simply with one order. So if you identify a hostile empire, it is possible to change your stance to that empire with all your fleets in one go. And lastly, for all the warmongering, xenophobic, dominating empires and alliances out there – is it not more sensible to map out your potential target, learn about their strengths and weaknesses whilst feigning peace, rather than face a long drawn out campaign against their fully warned and prepared empire as you slog through defended Warp Points? Peace without Paranoia – not a chance! However, it is possible that Peace & Trade have a chance in this universe – we’ll certainly try… Lord High Seneschal to Ur-Lord Tedric Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MadMartinB Posted November 10, 2003 Report Share Posted November 10, 2003 We agree with you and have warped in peacefully to a new system! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moonshadow Posted November 11, 2003 Report Share Posted November 11, 2003 BAH! Could you Make whatever you said a little shorter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MadMartinB Posted November 11, 2003 Report Share Posted November 11, 2003 tortuga is a great port for all of us pirates. We of couse prefer to be called bucanners since we have letters of Mark from the GSL to cause havok. :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DWillard Posted November 11, 2003 Report Share Posted November 11, 2003 ......And lastly, for all the warmongering, xenophobic, dominating empires and alliances out there ? is it not more sensible to map out your potential target, learn about their strengths and weaknesses whilst feigning peace, rather than face a long drawn out campaign against their fully warned and prepared empire as you slog through defended Warp Points?....... Lord High Seneschal to Ur-Lord Tedric Only if, in addition to being warmongoring, xenophobic, and dominating, you are also a sneaky, backstabbing, untrustworthy, amoral, sinister, slime ball scumbag. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sakarissa Posted November 11, 2003 Report Share Posted November 11, 2003 Quote Only if, in addition to being warmongoring, xenophobic, and dominating, you are also a sneaky, backstabbing, untrustworthy, amoral, sinister, slime ball scumbag. Unquote *Sakarissa looks up* Someone call me? Sakarissa Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MadMartinB Posted November 11, 2003 Report Share Posted November 11, 2003 Especially when you tried to stiff us all for lunch :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sakarissa Posted November 11, 2003 Report Share Posted November 11, 2003 *in offended tones* I'm not Evil, I was created that way. Sakarissa Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Krelnett_of_Kraan Posted November 11, 2003 Report Share Posted November 11, 2003 Especially when you tried to stiff us all for lunch :-) At least we finally got her to split the check. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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