How to use Diplomats

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How to use Diplomats

Postby Thom » Fri Feb 27, 2015 6:30 pm

Seems like there are all sorts of questions on diplomats lately. How to use them and why use them and why can't I attack or conquer the planet after I land a diplomat.

First the main advantage currently for landing a diplomat on a planet is that you can use foreign aid to build up the planet installations and defenses. As you do so you receive RU's from the empire for doing the work, some of which can be very profitable when dealing with low tec planets, and also you build up the diplomatic level. Originally the design intent was when the diplomatic level was at a certain level you could ask the planet to do things for you. Unfortunately for the immediate future that has to be redone due to the NPC AI being somewhat better than originally intended. Yeah I know shades of SkyNet. But I'm working on separating the NPC AI from the diplomatic relations so hopefully the remaining NPC actions will be somewhat less Armageddon like.

So your best use of diplomats currently is to find the lower tec planets and build installations for them. One word of caution though when the planet says they will pay you for installations it is at their current tec level. As the tec level of the planet goes up the price per installation goes down. So build all you can before retooling their planet.

The second consideration is that once you land a diplomat on the planet you have established an alliance of sorts with the planet if not with the empire as a whole. As such you should not attack the planet in any way or the diplomatic level goes to zero resulting in them not paying for any more installations. There were limits in the code to prevent you from attacking a planet where you had a diplomat but I discovered it was not active due to the NPC AI being disabled. I'm working on redoing that so attacks on the planet you're diplomatically allied with will not go through. More as a logical limit rather than a game limit. After all you wouldn't attack an ally and expect the attack to go through.

Also because the diplomatic rules are not in the main rule book I'm including them here.

Diplomats.

But first let’s examine Diplomats and how they can be used. Diplomats are somewhat complicated so let’s go through first how to get one on a planet.

Diplomat ship. The ship cost is 500 RU’s and the build code is 254. It is a zero ton ship and players have access to them at tec level 10.

Specialty Ship Builds

Ship Build Tonnage Cargo Ship
Type Code Cost Class Capacity Abbrev.

Diplomat 254 500 0 -- DPLS
Ship

The action code for landing a diplomat on a planet is 129. It is a move and do.

Action Codes

129 – Land Diplomat on Planet

Action Code / Location #1 / Fleet #1
Action Code / Planet Coordinate / Fleet Number

However a couple things in bold print so pay attention.

First, the fleet has to be in orbit to land the diplomat. If your empire’s aggression level and the aggression level of the planet are such that it triggers combat then your fleet must arrive unarmed, i.e. zero firepower.

Second, there is no guarantee that the planet will accept your diplomat. If they are a particularly aggressive race, chances are they won’t. But you can continue to try. At some point they might allow your diplomat to land safely and open diplomatic channels.

Third, once diplomatic channels are open your fleets, even armed ones, are free to move over the planet without being shot at. This allows you to land mining centers, Ag centers, Trade Centers, among other things on the planet all without risk of damage to your fleet. However some actions are considered hostile and will trigger combat between your fleet and the planet such as scanning the planet.

Fourth, once a diplomat has landed on the planet your empire and the planet are on good terms. You are not allied with the planet or the empire that the planet belongs to. But you can conduct economic business with them. Initially your diplomatic level is low so they won’t do much for you but you can do a lot for them.

Which brings us to the benefit of diplomats.

Planets of NPC empires in Takamo are the same as any other empire’s planets. However, typically they are not as built up as player worlds. As an empire that is now allied with a planet, you can send them diplomatic messages and they will reply. The format is as follows.

Action Codes

114 – Send Diplomatic Message to a Planet Location

Action Code / Location #1 / Spec. #
Action Code / Planet Coordinate / Message Number

This is the same action code you currently use to send a message to a planet. However instead of actually sending a written message you send a message in code to the planet in the Special Number slot.

Currently there are two messages to send to a planet.

1 - This is a message asking what you can do for the planetary government. Since most NPC worlds are not fully built up they will reply with requests for installations or military or both. And they will pay you to install them and let you know how much they’ll pay. This is a good way to make RU’s and build up defenses on planets you don’t own and get paid in the process. And the lower the tec level of the planet the more they’ll pay. Course some installations are tec level dependent so you will only be able to build or land some installation when their tec level is sufficient. Kind of like selling guns to the natives. That is always profitable.

2 - The second message you can send them is a request for their empire type. They will reply with what type they are, for instance, miner, ag corp, pirate, Etc.

What does this all mean and why would I do this?

Good question. Well first you can make RU’s doing it. Second if you build them up your diplomatic level goes up. When your diplomatic level goes up they will become a worthwhile ally at some point doing things for you, like if they’re an Ag Corp they could send AG Centers to your worlds, or if they’re a Pirate they might raid other players worlds for you, or they might have information of many unknown regions of the Takamo Universe that would be helpful. There are many things that could be useful.

And now some words of caution.

Landing a diplomat on a planet is a double edged sword. On the one hand you can make some decent RU’s helping them build their world. In essence you are also helping their empire as whole become stronger by increasing their RU’s per turn by building production centers, Mining Centers, AG Centers, Trade Centers, etc. For that the empire might reward you.

But you are on good terms with the planet and along with that come all the things allies do for one another or don’t do. You cannot for instance invade the planet or attack them in any way. They certainly would consider that an act of betrayal and respond in kind. If the planet is attacked they might request help defending themselves and if you don’t come to help them the planetary government would certainly take that as a sign of diplomatic relations being broken off. In fact the whole empire might declare war on you.

Bottom line is you’ve established diplomatic ties with the planet. They expect all the benefits that an alliance with you brings. Betrayal by you or one of your allies for instance comes with the appropriate penalties such as you might expect with your own allies.

Can I attack other planets of the same empire if I don’t have a diplomat on one of their planets?

Yes. One planetary government does not really care about other planets in the same empire. However other planets of that same empire might do things for you at the request of the planet you do have diplomatic relations with. It’s a risk but not a particularly bad one.
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Re: How to use Diplomats

Postby kwll » Thu Jul 02, 2015 9:33 am

I am contemplating the idea of using diplomats. The main issue for me is to find a way to identify NPC's. Any tip for that?
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Re: How to use Diplomats

Postby REPTIMALIEN » Thu Jul 02, 2015 12:33 pm

I have come to the conclusion, if the planet owners is available you can then assume their tech level is similar to yours.
usually no fleets in orbit is a good clue. I have been working on a list of npc's. look at #of mu's if they violate the rules they are
npc's.
life must go on

MERCHETTI MERCHANTS :mrgreen:
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Re: How to use Diplomats

Postby Blackwill » Sun Aug 28, 2016 9:36 pm

"But you are on good terms with the planet and along with that come all the things allies do for one another or don’t do. You cannot for instance invade the planet or attack them in any way."

Does this include Pirate Raids?
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Re: How to use Diplomats

Postby CHARON EMPIRE » Mon Aug 29, 2016 2:05 pm

Don't know about Pirate Raids but I do know my cyber marines CANNOT invade a world with an allied diplomat on the planet! BUT, The world sure likes to shoot at my ships in orbit, what's up with that!

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Re: How to use Diplomats

Postby REPTIMALIEN » Tue Aug 30, 2016 5:22 pm

I would assume they may fail just as well.

I have learned that in some cases an ally can perform a guy attack on MU's and succeed in taking the world. Apparently, if succeed guickly you may still retain diplomatic status and be paid as your ally builds they planet up.
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Re: How to use Diplomats

Postby Blackwill » Sat Oct 01, 2016 11:43 am

Here is what I have learned using Diplomats thus far:

Holy Cow! You can earn a boat load of RUs by helping out low tec planets! 60k in a single turn is not unreasonable.

Even if you have a Pirate Haven on a world, that world may still refuse your Diplomat.

Diplomats on Pirate Haven worlds allow you to build up both the amount of cargo they accept, and the RUs per unit. And, they pay you to do it!

Missile strike MCs BEFORE you land your Diplomat, or have someone else get rid of the MCs for you....owning the MC rights is crucial to your ability to Max out the world. Once your Diplomat has been accepted, and you don't own the Mining Rights, you're pretty much stuck with what you get.

You can't scan a planet if you have a Diplomat on the surface.

Landing a high tec Military Base on a Pirate Haven with over 9000 MUs pretty much guarantees that it will nor get taken from you without a Herculean effort.


There doesn't appear to be an order for Shut Down Diplomatic Relations....so, once you have them, they are yours to keep ?

Having a Diplomat on a planet does not give you any extra data about the world on your turn report...in fact, under your world ownership report, all info is obscured by the text" Your Diplomat is on the planet". I would like to see basic planetary data, if at all possible.
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Re: How to use Diplomats

Postby REPTIMALIEN » Sat Oct 01, 2016 4:37 pm

Scan before you diplomat and keep track of the changes you make.
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Re: How to use Diplomats

Postby Tregonsee » Sat Oct 01, 2016 5:17 pm

Or have an ally scan the planet
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