Senator Norrefeldt,
I applaud your republican principles in asking for an election that at present does not look favorable to your positions. This appears to be a central issue in keeping our vital trade routes to the Orient open.
Let me rephrase your proposal so it is according to the actual options that our Republic has. If anybody finds the options don't reflect our posible actions, let me know and I will change them.
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ELECTION 8. BYZANTINE EMPIRE POLICY[/size]
Read carefully all the options and their feasibility and consequences. Consider also their probability of failure and the consequences that it carries. The options are ordered from more to less aggressive against the Bizantine Empire alliance. For every option you should take a decision:
(F) Favored. That is the course of action you propose. Only two or less of the options can be favored by one senator.
(A) Acceptable. While not favored, you find that policy acceptable to your position. Only five or less of the options can be acceptable to one senator.
(O) Opposed. You strongly feel that Venice should not follow that path. Only four or less of the options can be opposed by one senator.
The reason to limit the options is to force senators to take an active posture in favor and against the policies.
- 1. Declare war to Morea, annex Byzantium and help Athens annex Morea (7BB)
- 2. Declare war to Morea, help Athens annex Morea. Reach peace with Byzantium and afterwards rise relationships with them, so when their vassalage is canceled, they can be incorporated to our alliance and perhaps protected (1BB). Some minting will be required.
- 3. Rise relationship to Byzantium. Declare war to Morea (hopefully Byzantium dishonors), help Athens annex Morea. Keep relationships high and when their vassalage is canceled, they can be incorporated to our alliance and perhaps protected (1BB). Some minting will be required.
- 4. When the Ottomans declare war to Byzantium, declare war to Morea. If Byzantium joins, try to snatch Morea and Byzantium from the turks (1BB, 7BB or 13BB depending on success). We should be aware that the Bey of the Ottoman Empire usually commands his troops.
- 5. Wait until the Ottomans annex Byzantium and declare war to them with that CB. Try to reconquest Thrace and request it at peace (3BB). Of course, failure is an option here.
- 6. Rise relationship to Byzntium and fund them. Hope that they are able to hold the turks on their own, and if not, too bad. Some minting will be required.
- 7. Do nothing. Our interest lies somewhere else.
The following example, as always, is not my opinion, to prevent influencing the election. I remind senators that I have voice but not vote.
A vote should look something like:
Election 8
1O, 2A, 3A, 4F, 5F, 6A, 7O
RESULTS: Favored policies receive a +1 value, acceptable policies receive a 0, opposed policies receive a -1. Given the limitation in number of each type of policies, the system is tilted towards negative values to make it easier to interpret the results. There has been 8 votes:
1) +4
2) 0
3) -2
4) -3
5) -7
6) -7
7) -7
Given that the options were ordered by decreasing aggressiveness towards the Byzantium-Morea alliance, the senate clearly favors an aggressive stance.