Re: MEPBM...Fiendly Fire

From: Patrick F. McGehearty <patrick@convex.COM>

Date: Tue, 19 Nov 1996 00:00:00 +0000

In article <3291CBE8.4F72@dnaent.com>,
Rick Fletcher  <rfletche@dnaent.com> wrote:
>I have a question/complaint for all you MEPBM's out there. I'm in a game
>where one of our players has gone rouge. He's influencing hard earned
>pop centers from us that we played in blood. The problem is that the
>only way to take them back is by influence. He can even influence while
>my army sits there. Because of the rules I can never downgrade lower
>than neutral so I can't use military to threaten or even attack. It
>seems to be a flaw. I know this "shouldn't" happen in any game, allies
>turning on allies but it does. The rest of my group is bearing down on
>the rouge but that seems little satifaction to a serious oversite. If I
>want to roll up to his capital because of his treaterous actions and
>raze everything is site, I should have that option. If that reducing to
>hated, that should be my decision. Ok, I feel better now. What are your
>opinions?
>
>Rick Fletcher...

I learned about this situation when a neutral "joined" our side late
in the game just to cause us trouble, after it was clear that we were going
to win.  In our case, we had enough emissary power to knock him out in 3
turns or so (it took that long because he was the Corsairs).

I also consider it a flaw in the rules, but then I'm inclined to team play.
If you talk to GSI, I'll bet they suggest you try out the 4th age game where
there are no such limits on attacking members of your "alliance".

For your rogue, I would recommend that you coordinate with others on your
side and focus all your emissary and agent power to take him out as quickly
as possible, even if it costs you game position.  Such intra-team action
needs to be punished.  With 9 to 1 odds, you should be able to overwhelm him
quickly, provided you work at a team.  Then, if the other side has not
taken too much advantage of the situation, you can return to the main game.
Of course, if most of your nations have been ignoring emissary development,
you will have more trouble.  Send agents in to try to steal him blind, and
start developing those emissaries.  Meanwhile, keep up the pressure on the
enemy with armies.

Let us know how it comes out in a few turns, would you?

- Patrick McGehearty

References

MEPBM...Fiendly Fire
Rick Fletcher <rfletche@dnaent.com>
Tue, 19 Nov 1996 00:00:00 +0000