My brilliant suicidal scheme:

[Natmus]

First, a little background information:

I belive, like other do, that the Blue Meanies (my term for the big aggressive players) are getting bored and are looking for fights. Our alliance is just what they may be looking for, not big enough to be dangerous, not small enough to be a complete walkover. So we can either prepare for the assault, or try to deflect it.

Obviously, it would be far far better if they could exert their aggresive tendensies on somebody else, but how to do that? Then I got this dangerous, unfair, illegal brilliant idea: We create a number of dummy accounts, one each for those involved, and then we figure out where we are located in relation to the Blue Meanies.

The account and isles will have typical ST names, and we will use ST language on out public text and our messages.

We slowly begin to message them with stupid questions, requests for resources, and generally annoying stuff. Randomly, so they don't get suspicious about this being organised. I hope they finally will snap and attack the irritating newbies, and thereby get some of the aggresion out of their system. And it can distract them from looking for likely targets, as one presents itself.

Best of all, finally we can use these accounts as loudspeakers, sending insults to BMs like avinalaff, chaos and perhaps even Dorklady in the fullness of time, after their usefullness as ligthning rods are at an end.

Comments? Too risky, too stupid, not gonna work anyway?

[sparrowhawk]

One word: multis

[inyati]

So youre a multi for how long now?

[sparrowhawk]

An option: ask some non-IK m/mu players to set up the accounts and act as hecklers. Maybe that would be ok. Some would enjoy it!

[Natmus]

thecreator said:

One word: multis

So, are you in?

[sparrowhawk]

Nope. I ain't cheating.

[sparrowhawk]

To clarify: our alliance is based on honour and fair play. If we cheat, we lose any legitimacy, and we also are bound to lose any friends that we have if we are discovered. That would be very unfair on those more experienced players who have offered their support to [Morkin].

[sparrowhawk]

Incidentally Mads, I'm not having a go, just stating my position. The plan, other than the multi-element of it, is very good. I would prefer legitimate sacrificial lambs rather than multi-accounts though.

[inyati]

Multi account is quite tempting! But I think its too risky.
Inspired by the dialogs between Natmus, Ashimar and Orange I beleive our strongest weapon at the moment is psychologic warfare. These teens are week, unstable, and with low self estime. So they hide behind their big guns and use that as pressure! Who hasnt received a message along these lines: "Shut up or I´ll farm u" (See how strong I am, well Vaffanculo! or I´ll hit you). They have no grasp on deeper diplomatic issues.
The frontal aproach that Natmus and Ashimar had on Orange is quite efective. I tried it out in another online game. After suferring unprovoked attacks I asked for recompensation. I received the classic answer (you-will-be-my-farm-if-you-dont-shut-up). I wrote back basicly saying that I wasnt scared.
What I´m really getting at is that these youths have clay feet. When you bark back they shake a bit even if the odds are in their favor.
Now psychologic warfare would be easier with multi accounts but I´m not for this. If we could create rumors, legends, make them clash, confuse them in another way would be better.
I really think we have the capability to out smart them!

[soiram]

Outsmarting the STs would definitely be most rewarding to me!

I think that we can find dome people (not necessarily MMUers) who can undertake the role of scapegoats. I am not however sure that this plan would work.

IMHO, what we desperately need now is reliable intelligence, if this is possible at all. If we can get some info from more experienced players, if we can cross-reference the rumours and if we get an idea of what has happenned in the past, then a new strategy might be more apparent. For example it might make sense to stay low, or choose a side and just go for it with all we 've got!

[ashimar]

I guess this is where I'll kick in, not knowing where else to put this intelligence:

Message
Date: 30.08.2005 07:51
To: fearless
Subject: All alone in the night
is ready and waiting Neil.

Unless you've changed your mind ?

Another IK related question now: do you have any idea what is going on right now in L-E ? They seem to have lost a lot of members overnight, amongst them one of their diplomats I have negotiated with, silentassasin although he seems to be a friend of Nomad who is still in it. They dropped from 10th to 13th place while Sohei is hovering between 8 and 6th, Corsairs dropped in favour of LSD and VI recaptured the number 1 place from Wraith. Some rumours say there is a build up for a big war going on, what do you think ?

Marc

Date: 30.08.2005 11:07
From: fearless
Subject: secrets
Lots of questions, and im afraid i cant tell you much. If i revealed wot i knew it would end my account.

You will have to see lik every one else.

Date: 30.08.2005 11:29
To: fearless
Subject: RE: secrets
That's all fine by me, as long as it does not end *my* account or [Morkin]'s for that matter, if you see my point ;~)

Date: 30.08.2005 11:31
From: fearless
Subject: RE: RE: secrets
just steer clear of all the top players and alliances for the forseeable future, if people want your colony and tell u to hand it over ull need to choose wether to fight for it and loose everything or just loose the colony but besides that u shouldnt get too much trouble.


And to Nomad, admin of The Last Eclipse, individual rank 6:

Date: 30.08.2005 07:38
To: Nomad
Subject: Mae govannen -1
Goodmorning admirer of Tolkien,

At least that is what I assume, based on all those isles you've given names from all over Arda. Have you ever had the delight to meet and talk to Priscilla Tolkien and marvel at the stuff she has gathered all over her now much too small house, given to her by admirers from all over the world of the works her father has given the world ? have you ever heard "the French fairy" Denis Bridoux sing "Namarië" at the grave of "Beren & his Luthien" at wolvercote Cemetery in Oxford ? I'll bet they could use John Ronald Ruel Tokien as a generator, judging from the rate at which he undoubtedly turns in his grave, at this somewhat embaressing yearly ritual taking place, but then, some of the fans insist on it... Yes, I have been in one of those Tokien societies of which the one in Oxford was the first. Myself, I am Dutch and while in the Dutch "Unquendor" I liked to go under the name of Angmar. Not really a name, but that hardly diminished the fun I had. Enfin...

Date: 30.08.2005 07:39
To: Nomad
Subject: Mae govannen -2
>>

I write to you, partly because I found all those Tokien names striking enough to warrant a message in the old style (meaning: long and tiring no doubt) and partly because I have two new reasons to do so. For that I need to burden you with some extra written introductions. Really, it's an inability, I can't be verbose !

Two weeks ago I used my newly acquiered diplomatic license to contact your friend and (former) diplomat Silentassasin about the possibilities of a peacetreaty between Last Eclipse and Morkin, the alliance I'm part of. After some time the man from Cymru decided he would honour the request, much to our delight. Yes, I can say it differently, but this is more esthetic.

However he added that we should not feel offended if he had to cancel it. So far I have not been able to extract from him why he said that and under what conditions that would come to pass for example. Other than what would be obvious, that is.

Date: 30.08.2005 07:40
To: Nomad
Subject: Mae govannen -3
>>

I take my role as diplomat seriously (for as much as you can be serious in a game like this), afterall, everything is relative...) and monitor the ones I have contacted and their alliances and so I noticed that there is a lot of 'movement' in the top 15 at the moment. But what surprised me greatly was to discover a lot of the L-E members seem to have set up shop elsewhere, silentassasin as well. I could have written to him (as well) but considering the time it takes for an answer to arrive and the verbosity of his replies when he chooses to reply, I decided to try someone else to ask what is going on. I hope you don't mind.


Morkin is a 30+ group, so in principle we are not here to wage wars on others unless absolutely necessary, but someone recently did point out to us that the nature of the game let's us not have "peace in our time" for very long. There are rumours of a build up for wars and conquest and quite frankly, we would like to know who opposes who and why ?

Date: 30.08.2005 07:47
To: Nomad
Subject: Mae govannen -4
>>

Some low ranked alliances set apart who seek our protection instead, Morkin tries to align itself with likeminded, not too unscrupulous, players and alliances, like Templar, Sohei and such or the less warlike members of other groups who might be able to shield us a bit from hyperagressive individual members of alliances like [Wraith] and [Corsairs] and I like to think of Last Eclipse as likeminded as well, but the recent change and especially the ominous new text you've come up with, makes me want to know for as much as you're willing to disclose, what the heck is going on !

Although we are in comparison small and probably insignificant, we could be pursuaded to fight or lend other kinds of support if it is for the right cause. At least I would. But we need to know why and what for.

I will leave it at this for now, the third reason can rest on the shelve. It would be a long story anyway ;~)

Namarië,

Ashimar (Marc)

Date: 30.08.2005 12:20
From: Nomad
Subject: RE: Mae govannen -4
Greetings to you too Ashimar,

Firstly may I thank you for taking the time to contact me. What a pleasant change it is to read fully formed English sentences rather than the text-messaging format most players annoyingly tend to employ.

I must admit I am merely a casual fan of the Tolkien works who found his rich and varied fantasy land an ideal hunting ground for island names.

Regarding the ebb and throw of the top 15 alliances, there is much more going on than I have been able to decipher in my six months playing time. However the basics of our present situation I will happily share with you.

My previous alliance disbanded after a damaging war with Wraith, the reason for which is still something of a mystery to me.

After the attacks subsided we found new alliances, although, perhaps foolishly, several of us came together in the Last Eclipse. We have been steadily growing over the past few weeks and as soon as we entered the top ten we became aware of wraith’s growing attention.

After a number of small incidents we took the decision to disband in order to avoid a war which many of our members would not have been ready for.

...

Date: 30.08.2005 12:20
From: Nomad
Subject: RE: Mae govannen -4
I must assume at the time you contacted silentassasin we were already discussing our future. As an alliance we voted on if we should limit our treaties and pacts with top 20 alliances.

This is after all a wargame and it makes no sense for everyone to be friends with everyone else even if they are ten steps removed.

However our aim was to be a fair alliance, not warmongers – there are plenty of those in wraith. We would not bully other alliances or players and would only respond to attacks on us or our friends, not start conflicts ourselves. Our first course of action was always diplomacy.

It is a shame how things turned out for it would appear our alliances had much in common. Perhaps future events will bring us into contact again. Until that time I wish you and Morkin the very best of luck.


Regards
Nomad

Last Eclipse Administrator

[Natmus]

Marc, first of all some karma for your diplomatic work. Secondly, I think it's time we all begin to consider our defences, and keep low. Don't think about points, just on walls and Britneys.

The Blue Meanies are awakening, and I think we must try to stay as low and unremakable as possible. Maybe we even should consider the old idea of splitting Morkin in smaller parts to avoid detection.

[inyati]

Exactly what I´ve been doing lately. All factory output has been concentrated on military!
Karma for Marc. Very good work!

[SkulkrinBait]

"ebb and throw"

Yeah we need more Britneys, "baby, hit me one more time!"

[soiram]

excellent work Marc. I think we have some good intelligence on our hands.

I will try and contact my friend on higher places, although I think he is on holidays :-(

I have maintained a rather friendly relationship with Raul (he sent me non-IK related messages while I was on holidays). Do you think I should also contact him? To tell you the truth, I have some small reservations, but on the other hand he might be a reliable source.

On to the spearfighter factory...