Johnarryn I think it only fair I do the same. I am sorry for taking your in-character comments the wrong way. I myself like a bit of casual in character bantering in the game as well. You were absolutely correct in your definition of what I meant. The problem is that your attempt to grab as much territory as you could meant I had no choice but to attack you or sauromatia if I wished to keep expanding. And as I had already planned to expand to the west that meant attacking you.
I did not mean to imply any bad faith on your part, but if I had agreed to your NAP of 12 turns I would have been stuck. Not wanting to expand east or north and incapable of expanding west due to the NAP. Which meant you would have had 12 turns to fortify and prepare yourself and grab all the provinces closer to your capital.
Was this an intentional ploy using a NAP to cordon off a huge number of indy provinces you could then conquer at your leisure? Only you know that, but I assumed it was and so rejected your NAP and prepared for war.
Sorry if there was any confusion and I also am enjoying this game, despite not being able to work out how to stop a horde of rampaging burning ones
. Those men of marverni are just way too flammable.