Trade Federation Role Play for Neutral non AI Player

[Gryphin]

The paranoid race could cancel the treaty but it would probably cost them more in trade and research than it would be worth.
This will surely add a new dimension to the game.
I better get these "Ideas" fleshed out.

I wonder how many others it apeasls to.

[ June 12, 2002, 12:26: Message edited by: The High Gryphin ]

[dmm]

Originally posted by The High Gryphin:
...there would have to be a self imposed agreement not to use / abuse the TF's "Diplomatic Imunity" to move through war zones. The TF could however deliver said ships to a clients "Zone of Control" even if this meant moving through said warzone.

Yes, I think so too. There's a big difference between ferrying stuff through a war zone, and ferrying stuff into a war zone. The latter is an obvious act of war; the former is "just doing business." Perhaps even the rule could be that combat ships are not subject to immunity. But you still would have to watch your back. Maybe that noncombat fleet being ferried to the system behind you has a lot of minesweepers and spaceyards. Or maybe it has a colonizer and cargo ships filled with mines/sats/platforms. So people would be wise to have a ship with good long range sensors stationed in each system. Perhaps people could be allowed to attack "immune" fleets but be forced to pay a hefty war indemnity -- especially if the fleet turned out to belong to someone with whom they were not formally at war.

[Gryphin]

Not all of the following apply directly but they do involve respecting territorial rights, weapon sales and transportation,
I’m thinking of the Barbary Pirates who demanded tribute
The Lusitania.(sp)?, (Passenger ship sunk by the Germans who claimed it was transporting weapons)
The Patrol boats paid for by Israel, built by but not delivered by France for political reasons, (Israel sent in commandos and “Picked them up at the Factory”
The “Pueblo Incident” where an admitted spy ship was captured by North Korea because it was “Inside Territorial Waters”
Our enforcing the “Three Mile Limit” off the coast of North Africa
The mining of Vietnams harbors
Being forced to fly around the Air Space of several European nations when attacking targets in the Middle East. I have forgotten what war.
Our boarding of Frieghters and fishing trawlers in the name of “National Security”
I guess if you were to move “innocent looking” BattleCrusier size ships through my star system clearly going to my enemy, I would object.
After considering the above and the points below:

Perhaps an even stricter rule should be used.
Since no Empire should allow their rightful territory to be used to transport weapons to their enemy
Since to prevent the TF from doing so would force them to declare war on the TF
Since declaring war on the TF would be economically detrimental
The Trade Federation must respect the “Sector Space” and “Warp Point Limit” in star systems controlled by all players. To attack such a convoy would force a player to declare war on the TF. That would be realistic but not “fair” in game terms as it would weaken the player declearing war.

[geoschmo]

Yeah, that's probably a good suggestion. Perhaps the TF should not be ferrying ships at all. THe only movement of TF ships would perhaps be to move them from where they were picked up to the nearest repair/resupply facility, where the TF will either dispose of them, or return them to the original owner.

[Gryphin]

Another possible job for the Trade Federation

Enforcing “The Galactic Convention”
It is in the TF’s best interest to prevent the “Glassing of Planets” the “Closing of Warp Points”, “Exploding of Suns” etc. as these would reduce the income from those sources or cut off communication with other races.. The TF could make very clear that “Sanctions Will be Imposed” in the event of a violation.

Random Thought
Using Stock SE IV Gold
Is it possible to create a ship damaging storm?
If so,
Is it possible to create a ship damaging storm? in a warp point?
If so,
If so, if you created one on a ship damaging warp point would it be cumulative?

[dmm]

Grrrr, I see what you're saying about having to break treaty with the TF in order to attack their ship. We're being limited again by SEIV's diplomatic model. You should be able to attack any ship you want -- enemy, neutral, allied, partner -- without being forced to change the diplomatic status. This happens all the time in real life, and countries don't necessarily declare war. Sometimes the neutral is embarassingly exposed as a gun runner and apologizes. Other times the agressor is shown to be in the wrong; sometimes he pays reparations, sometimes not. But it doesn't always lead to war.
Example: Chinese fighter pilot critically damages US surveillance/spy plane that was flying in what most countries consider international air space. Chinese fighter and pilot are lost. US plane lands without permission at Chinese air field, thus violating their territory. Chinese refuse to give plane back and hold US crew prisoner. Net result? Everyone yells. A few months later the US even lets China join WTO.
Regardless of your viewpoint on these events, they prove that SEIV's diplomatic model is too simplistic.

[dmm]

Originally posted by The High Gryphin:
Using Stock SE IV Gold
Is it possible to create a ship damaging storm?
If so,
Is it possible to create a ship damaging storm? in a warp point?
If so,
If so, if you created one on a ship damaging warp point would it be cumulative?

I know that you can make ship damaging storms. The damage accumulates and will eventually destroy a ship. I know this because I have seen it. I've never seen any map objects except planets sharing a sector. Maybe you can do it with the map editor. But I'm sure that SEIV is programmed to prevent it from generating maps like that.

[Gryphin]

Now that you mention it, you could say we are designing a Mod where instead of text file “code” we are working on “Honor Code”. Part of this thread could be viewed as ideas for a richer political environment.

[Gryphin]

We have started a new test game:
Medium Galaxy
Spiral Arm
5000 Racial Points
5 Planets
5 Human Controled Players
1 Additional which is the Trade Federation
No AI

The TF is set up with:
Natural Merchant
Ancient Race
Advanced Storage Tech
Maxed out Research
+20% to Savy
-65% to Organic Production
-65% to Rad production
Drats, I forgot the exact amount but:
minues to:Agressivnes, Deffensivness,Intel
I'll update this around 8:00 East Coast time