Matrix Games Forums

I think it would be handy to have the PBEM policy box "X" check be changed to a real checkmark.

Let's say I want to import ore. Does this mean I go to the ore import box and leave it empty? Or does it mean I go to the ore import box and put a big X in it?

I think a green checkmark would remove any ambiguity in the policies boxes (I have the same questions about "aggressive stance" now...and accepting cease fires).

So, does an X mean, "yes, I like this"? Or does it mean..."no, I hate this!"?

The X always mean the same thing. In your original policies you want to import and export of everything.

Go from there to figure the aggresive thingy...

So you're saying a big fat X means..."Yes! I like this idea!"
 
In an import ore box, an X means..."Yes! I want more ore!"
 
AND in an "aggressive stance" box, an X means..."Yes! I want to be aggressive!"?
 
If this is the case, this is how I have been playing.

An 'X' in a box always means that you're for something. Or, if you're an elderly Florida voter, that you want Pat Buchanan to win.

I am confused as to how the PBEM settings work exactly.

Under the PBEM settings i have 3 options for each country. Receive Alliance, Be Aggressive, and Trade With;

Now how does this influence Protectorates?

I.e. A country DOW's a minor, and the minor ask's me for Protectorate Status.

In the single player game i would get 3 options, Issue Ultimatum, DOW, Break with Protectorate. How do the PBEM settings map to these options? Does agressive mean i issue an ultimatum or go to War?

If one of them maps to Issue Ultimatum, how do the other Major Power's settings towards me influence what happens next (go to war or back down)?

Tks for any advice here

I will tell you what little I can remember off the top of my head.

Receive alliance: Means simply that you will accept an alliance offer if the nation indicated offers you one. You need this Xed to become an ally of someone.

Trade with: You need to have this Xed to allow any trade to occur between your nations.

Be Aggressive: You need this to be aggressive to receive any protectorates who come to you as a result of this other nation's declaration of war on them. But you will then be in a state of war with the Xed nation. It believe it also means you will declare war on them if they cross your neutral lands.

More than that I can't tell you. I think that about covers it actually.

hmm, so basically the whole ultimatum thing is n/a for PBEM and it doesnt take 2 too tango i.e. the inital DOW'er does not get the option to back down. That's a shame, i dont see why we can't have some more granular settings for this.

I think it would be nice to at least have the following sequence:

Player nation A declares war on minor nation X.
Player nation B has his PBEM policy set to "aggressive" against player nation A.
Nation X offers itself as a protectorate to nation B. Because nation B has his policy set to "aggressive" against A, B gets X as a protectorate.
The program then checks to see what A's policy is to B. If it is set to aggressive, A goes ahead and stays at war with X (and now B). If it is not set to aggressive, then A backs down and B ends up with X as a protectorate and there is no war.

There are some technicalities to be worked out here, for instance, we would need to figure out how to move player A's units out of X if he moved them in, etc.

yes that is along the lines of what i would like to see. Too many unintended wars otherwise.

The only problem with allowing a player to declare war on a minor nation, creating a protectorate for another player (it is often easy to guess whom it will go to, but not always a sure thing) and then backing down against the new owner, is that it would be even easier than it is now to help a "friend" out with a DoW you have no real intention on going through with.

At least now, you know you will be stuck with a war in that kind of a situation. Even if you can get out of it after a few turns.

P.S. I think the "aggressive" non-aggressive setting also determines if you will accept a cease fire from a nation if it is offered to you that turn.

ORIGINAL: Marshal Villars

P.S. I think the "aggressive" non-aggressive setting also determines if you will accept a cease fire from a nation if it is offered to you that turn.

Determines if you will accept a limited surrender as well.

Agree there should be seperate controls for a more diverse range of options. Accept limited surrender, accept cease fire, form protectorate against X, DOW if national boundaries transgressed by X, etc.

Either that or move ALL mid movement phase decision making to the beginning of the very next turn and do away with this "AI Policy" nonsense completely.

> Either that or move ALL mid movement phase decision making to the beginning of the very next turn and do away with this "AI Policy" nonsense completely.

Totally agree.

Same goes for accepting trade requests.

The receive alliance checkbox means you will accept a quick alliance through a right click on the map. If you are offered an alliance constructed and sent via diplomacy screen, you still get to decline / accept whatever your settings, I think.