For the most part I have avoided reproducing here any private diplomatic correspondence. I see that as both polite, and as being in Ironfleet’s interest.
However, I have and will make exceptions, especially if the correspondence isn’t diplomatic. The ones that open with some version of “are you tired of losing yet?” and offering to accept my surrender? Well, that’s borderline; I could go either way. Those of you sending more respectful diplomatic correspondence will know that I have honored its privacy completely.
The most recent one — from a member of INDY whose role in the alliance is not known to me — will remain private, except for one rather interesting sentence. Remember, I’ve had INDY folk tell me that INDY had nothing to do with Chebri’s war, and there have been unpersuasive arguments to the effect that AC-ME didn’t have much to do with it either. So this, from an INDY person not part of AC-ME, is rather telling:
I must admit, that Chebri can be a little abrasive, but she’s one of us I’m afraid, so we’re duty bound to hunt you down.
Oh really?
I guess Ironfleet’s declaration of war against INDY wasn’t as badly aimed as folks would have me believe.
Whatever was wrong with my internet connection yesterday seems to be just as wrong today. Impatient as I may be to carry the war to the enemy, it looks like patience is being forced upon me. Luckily, the war chest is deep indeed, so I can afford to bide my time.
Entries (RSS)
January 6th, 2008 at 2:46 pm
Oh come on M, its sunday, dont keep me hanging in midspace!
January 6th, 2008 at 3:10 pm
Complain to my internet service provider, then — the Jovians know I’d rather be in game right now.
January 6th, 2008 at 4:01 pm
I don’t think that anybody is denying that there are feelings of support amongst some of AC-ME/INDY for Chebri. I think the denial coming from us is that INDY or AC-ME induced her to start the war. Huge difference in that….
January 6th, 2008 at 4:24 pm
As for roles in the alliance. There is currently a CEO of Colonial Fleet (Winter Steel), and Director of Colonial Fleet (Gulletsplitter). Only the two of us can war dec for the alliance. Neither of us was asked to dec your corp by either Chebri or AC-ME. That should simplify things in that regards.
There is no question in my mind that you did what you had to do when war dec’ed by Chebri. I don’t think anybody is denying you the right to defend yourself from what you perceived as a “third party” hostile organization.
But enough from both sides on justifying who’s “fault” it is. Who cares at this point. You guys just go blow each up some more so that we can come to whatever it is that we’re going to get to.
It’s a “publicity war” for god’s sake. It’s not like there is a winner in these things. Sure..there will be some losses on both sides. Both sides will claim disruption or not…and in the end all we’ll have to show is some blog entries and somebody with bad feelings. Not necessarily you Marlenus…just invariable somebody ends up with their “feelings” hurt.
If you want to claim victory for disruption…here’s an easy one for you. I was planning on recruiting this week for the alliance. But backed off due to the war dec. There! Disruption complete. Your goal is met! Can I have a cookie now?
January 6th, 2008 at 4:32 pm
Oh yeah…I have a splitting headache from to much scotch and Rome: Total War. Instead of a cookie….either aspirin or more scotch would be greatly appreciated.
January 6th, 2008 at 4:40 pm
Gulletsplitter, thanks for the basic INDY org chart info, I do appreciate it. My only point in making this particular post was to point out that somebody in INDY considers Chebri “one of us” and considers that relationship reason for hunting me down. It tells me that Chebri has stronger ties to INDY (perhaps an alt?) than I was previously aware of.
No cookies for you, until you get disrupted enough you decide to try and convince Chebri to cancel her war dec. ;-) But I’ll deny no man a drink of Scotch, not while my own supply is holding out.
I’m actually growing a bit tired of the talking part of the war, myself, but I’m not willing to let Ironfleet’s blog be freely used to shape the enemy’s propaganda. Which means I’ll continue to respond when people (not you, of course, your views on the war aren’t that different from my own) come here to try and tell me how pointless my efforts are.
January 6th, 2008 at 8:22 pm
When I sent you that mail, I did so in the full knowledge that you’d probably chop it up and quote bits out of context, which you have done. It is interesting that you didn’t publish the part saying that if you wanted to discontinue this senseless war, then all you had to do was contact me and I’d get Winter to speak to you about the terms of a truce.
Of course I consider Chebri to be one of us, she’s in the alliance. I may not know chebri, and I might find her a little trigger-happy, but that’s irrelevant. I am the ultimate carebear – I find NPC rats to be a bit trigger happy. The point is that when someone in the alliance or corp asks for help, it is given, no questions asked.
The purpose of the evemail was to give you a way out of the ridiculous war you started with the alliance without compelling you to grovel to Winter up front. That is the whole purpose of back-channel diplomacy, but you rendered any hopes of this happening by publishing excerpts from the message. There’s a reason that diplomatic packages are immune from inspection and highly classified in the real-world, but that seems to have escaped you.
It appears that you really aren’t interested in an end to this, and wish to involve anyone who has ever spoken to Chebri in this pointless situation. I think I saw her talking to someone from Goon Swarm the other day – better wardec them just in case.
As for my role in the alliance, I am but a drone, and my relationship with Chebri? I can honestly say that I don’t think I’ve ever spoken to her, let alone taken a plane to wherever he/she lives to sit in a bar and plot your downfall.
This war is a waste of your money, and it is pointless. You were given a chance to end it, but instead you’ve chosen to perpetuate it. Oh well, it’s your money.
Naz.
January 6th, 2008 at 10:57 pm
So Poetic, I love reading this Blog, Such a change from the norm. Keep up the Good Work Ironfleet.!!
January 6th, 2008 at 11:06 pm
As I said in the post, I respect the confidences of polite diplomatic correspondence. Yours, Naz, sadly wasn’t, due to excessive condescension. Nonetheless, I respected your confidence as to the bits that had diplomatic intent.
You’ve made me laugh by insisting that Chebri is a member of the alliance. She isn’t — on paper — because she hived off from AC-ME into her own corp, which has not joined the alliance. However, it’s been my position all along that she was still de facto a member of the alliance, and of AC-ME. Your insistence that she is one of you — even though on paper, she isn’t — only supports my initial position. It also tends to support my belief that the split from AC-ME was a tactic, intended (by someone, her if not AC-ME) to allow her to attack me in AC-ME’s interest while sheltering AC-ME from retaliation.
Meanwhile, your condescension baffles me. Why would I want out of a war I started, and why would I have to grovel if I did? All I have to do is stop paying the war bill.
If AC-ME or INDY wants out of this war, the leadership knows what it needs to do. Trying to convince me the war is pointless while Ironfleet continues to score kills (the latest with a kestrel!) is just entertaining.
January 7th, 2008 at 8:15 am
What kill are you reffering to m? We want the story if there is one!
January 7th, 2008 at 10:43 am
The story is coming! Blogging it now. Sometimes, I’d rather game than blog, which can induce delays.