[Pax]

First off, let me respond to this post by Slynky.

Originally posted by Slynky:
This is one of the grey areas that couldn't be explained well in the short span of the question. For that, I apologize.

Wronged....OK...

You are allied and your optics discover a stealth/cloaked ship from one of your alies deep in your territory. Is that being wronged? Should you drop the alliance immediately and begin an attack? Or should you tell him to leave? And should you consider this action hostile? After all, it was in stealth mode? SO, is that wronged?

That is entirely dependant on why the ship is there, my relationship with that ally, the "character"/persona of the race I am playing (I *always* RP my race, at least as far as actions, if not mannerisms and speech patterns. ) ... and so on.

It also depends on who else is in that system; if it's a border system, shared between me and neighbor A (with whom I am at peace), then Neighbor B (with whom I am allied) might want to keep a surreptitious eye on A (with whom he has almost no contact).

Your ally colonizes planets in "your" space...Is that being wronged?

Depends on the wording of our intersettlement-and-alliance policy, if any, and wether or not he ASKED first. Absent such a treaty, and absent such a request -- I issue a "request" that that ally immediately vacate thatw orld, or, offer me "sufficient" compensation for ceding sovereignty over said world(s) to them.

[b]Or, a big fleet enters "your" space. Is it headed to a destination that you can believe doesn't worry you? Did he give advance notice or just show up?[/qb]

A big fleet showing up, without notice, and which I did not expect to see ... is every bit as much MY fault as the ally's; I should have had forward observers on "his" side of our border, just as I'd expect him to have just on "my" side. One of the ways I like to best come to trust someone, is to each let the other cross one system into the other's space, and park a single, out-of-the-way satellite to give "eyes" just the other side of the border Wormholes.

If I wasn't allowed to do that, and a fleet suddenly shows up, then I make (additional) preparations for defense, and SHADOW the fleet ... but unless the fleet's intentions become crystal clear, I won't strike pre-emptively.

Well, not normally. Some of the races I play are absolute psychopaths, and they'll attack just for the FUN of it.

Did you agree on gifts of tech and he doesn't fulfill his agreements?

That's breach of contract, and a violation of the attached treat(-y/-ies); he has already backstabbed, so a comensurate response is appropriate.

In that case, immediate expulsion form your space of all unapproved assets, termination of any T&R or other higher treaties, and so on.

War, however, might be an over-reaction, depending on the scale of the theft (you should never GIFT a huge amount of tech to someone you cannot trust 110%, anyway; that's what TRADES are for -- outside of a team environment, anyway).

...

Now, with that said, my answers were:

In general, do you believe "backstabbing" is just part of the game?"

Yes; absolutely.

If you "backstab" someone, do you worry about your "reputation" in PBW?

No; anyone that holds that sort of a grudge, isn't someone I'd care to game with again, anyway.

Would you be more likely to "backstab" in a rollplaying game?

Yes ... because, for me, there's nothing BUT a role-playing SE4 game.

Would you be more likely to "backstab" if you had a T&R agreement?

No; the level of treaty has little or nothing to do with the odds of treachery happening. Only the character of the race I am playing, and the in-game history of the race potentially being betrayed.

Would you be more likely to "backstab" if you had a NA agreement?

No; see above.

Would you "backstab" if you had a Partnership agreement?

Yes, absolutely, if the action was in-character.

Do you consider it permissable to "backstab" an ally whom you feel wronged you?

Yes, as I understand your question. Then again, I don't think it's honestly POSSIBLE to betray someone who has wronged you ... only to overreact (see above).

You have 3 allies. 2 of them suggest you drop the other and attack. Do you?

No, not just because I was asked to.

When you are "backstabbed", do you remember & carry it to the next game w/ them?

Absolutely not!!! That would make me the sort of person I refuse to play with ... !

Do you find it OK to "backstab" with an explanation or a # or turns warning?

Yes; it's more honorable IMO than a surprise attack.

Besides, I try never to make treaties that don't have a built-in "warn and terminate" opt-out clause, to the effect of "this agreement can be terminated with X turns advanced notice, during which all parties will remvoe their ships from non-joint space and pursue no hostilities against the other."

[ June 06, 2003, 05:35: Message edited by: Pax ]