[Stone Mill]

Very interesting topic. very interesting questions.

I suggest you all become a bit more familiar with Machiavelli.

This game is about war, really, (unless someone has defined other game purposes). And good players play to win.

It's really difficult to feel like anyone did anything unjustly during a game (a.k.a "backstab"). Almost all examples you illustrared are valid.

It is somewhat the player's fault for allowing them to happen. With experience, It's up to you to do your best not to be put in these positions.

Believe it or not, there are preventative measures to enforce security for most of the examples you've mentioned.

When a player does "backstab," you better believe it is remembered, and even carried over into other games. That player will get a reputation for being "dirty" or maybe "ruthless." You will think twice before exposing yourself to them again. That is human nature, no matter how hard we try to be objective.

That is the unwritten rule that ties us together as gamers; we don't want to get a bad rep for being deceptive and sneaky (some would say clever)... yet it is very much part of the game. So we do it with some sort of honor.

Bottom line: everyone in the game is your enemy (unless your game has special rules). Get ready for war from turn #1. Alliances are temporary and pragmatic, and policy is worthless without force to back it up. Let it echo throughout known space...