What do NAPs mean to you?

[Lazy_Perfectionist]

What do NAPs mean to me? Well, I'll mention an alternative treaty I've used maybe twice.

I occasionally make a border treaty instead of a full-fledged NAP or peace treaty. It does not exclude later war, but it does prevent unwanted early conflicts.

I say that you have such and such territory, I have such and such. To move into that territory is a declaration of war. After setting up one of these, I often have a year of peace before something happens. When I make such a border treaty, I don't expect a warning before someone invades, but I do expect a declaration of war to arrive when they attack me.

I don't consider the inevitable invasion dishonorable unless this border treaty is paired with a non-aggression treaty. It exists simply to ease the early expansion game. I suppose if they broke this treaty quickly, i would be annoyed. But I generally set up this border treaty so both our nations have a strategically comfortable border. To delay conflict, not prevent it. For instance, if certain provinces are on the wrong sides of chokepoints or are uncomfortably close to another players' capital.

Most often, though, I do go with Non-agression pacts. I also always assume that both sides have different ideas of what the NAP is, and either iron out the differences or maintain caution.