MAKIN' IT INTERESTING

by Jeff Tonelli

Strategy and tactics play an important part in WC, but one must never neglect diplomacy. How one interacts with neighbors greatly effects how long one remain in the game. Many people dislike diplomacy because at times it can be boring; they would rather pound an empire with artillery than actually communicate with it. Diplomacy does not need to be monotonous; with the right amount of spice, it can be downright fun. All it takes is a bit of effort and imagination!

The revitalization of diplomacy can be enacted in three steps. The first step one must do is decide on what kind of empire one wants. One can create a noble empire that only attacks if the cause is just and will help others in need. One may wish to have a neutral empire that only gets involved if forced or threatened. oNe may even create an evil backstabbing empire that thrives on lies and exploitation. Of course, these are only examples; many other possibilities are there for the imagination.

The next step is to find a model for your empire. This factor is closely related to one's decision in the first step. Hundreds of models can be found throughout history-the Romans, the Byzantines, the Holy Roman, the hordes of lawless barbarians, etc. Fiction is a great source for empire models also. For example, I once used the source material for House Kurita (Battletech) for the base of one of my WC empires. Again, the possibilities are limited only by one's creativity and imagination.

The final step is to decide on a persona. The first two steps influence this step greatly. If one decided on a Roman-type empire, then the name should reflect that. One's persona serves as the medium for diplomacy and should reflect the outlook of the empire- noble, neutral, hostile, backstabbing, obnoxious, etc. All in all, one's persona can be the most enjoyable element of diplomacy.

By following these steps, diplomacy can be all that much more enjoyable (and nasty!) In one of my games, I had the pleasure of fighting against the Holy Roman Empire. Even though that empire and mine made the land and see flow with blood, I enjoyed role playing with his empire. I used to taunt him about sacking Rome and enacting another fall of the Roman Empire. It is my hope that even though we were enemies, he enjoyed the game as much as I did. I hope I get a shot at the Holy Roman Empire again soon! (Message From Player C: Ya hear that Player L?)

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