[Hoplosternum]

The whole Dom 3 community usually takes NAPs as binding. In other mp games I have played treaties have been treated with less respect.

But here a NAP really is binding. Both sides should be aware of that when they sign up. It's only a game and if you have been out played in your treaties then you've been out played. No need to become a treaty breaker to stay competitive, just as most of us wouldn't break a house rule just because another player was getting the better of us.

Personally I don't like long term NAPs and would be very suspicious of signing one under any circumstances. Once I signed up for a NAP for the first two game years with a neighbour to my West (I was against the Eastern MAP edge) only to find my NAP partner had already cut off my only expansion route to the south. I should have scouted more, or even just been more suspicious of what I was signing and done more negociating. I didn't break the pact and chalked it up to experience.