                             Command : RELATIONS

NAME
   relations - Shows diplomatic relations between countries

Level: Basic

SYNTAX
   [##:##]% relations

The relations command displays your diplomatic status with other nations.   If
the  optional  argument  is  specified,  the  command  displays that country's
diplomatic status with other nations.

The data displayed by the nation command is formatted as a single page report.
   [##:##] Command: relations

           MGM Diplomatic Relations Report       Sat Jun 17 23:24:46 1989

           0) POGO                  Allied    Allied
           1) 1                     Neutral   Neutral
           2) Groonland             At War    Hostile

   [##:##] Command: relations 2

           Groonland Diplomatic Relations Report       Sat Jun 17 23:24:46 1989

           0) POGO                  Neutral   Neutral
           1) 1                     Allied    Neutral
           3) MGM                   Hostile   At War

Relations are: Allied, Friendly, Neutral, Hostile, Mobilizing, Sitzkrieg,  and
At War. Each has certain ramifications.

Allied  Your ally is someone you trust deeply, and are willing to make  sacri-
fices  for.  If you are allied with someone, then your forts, ships, planes, &
artillery will support them in battle.  Also, they can over-fly you,  and  you
will  not  be  told.  (I.e. an ally can map you out easily).  When you use the
"wall" command, it sends a flash message to  all  of  your  allies  (see  info
wall).   If the ALL_BLEED option is in effect, then you will benefit from tech
produced by your allies.  Allied nations are assumed to have "friendly"  trade
relations.

Friendly  When you accept a country as a trustworthy trading partner, then you
establish  friendly  relations  towards  them.  This allows them to sail ships
into your harbours, load and unload goods, fuel, and have their ships repaired
there.   You  are  allowed  to  "tend"  and  "follow" friendly ships.  You are
allowed to cede sectors to a friendly nation, and may send them  "flash"  mes-
sages  (see  info  flash).   You will be warned, however, if they overfly your
territory.  And if they do it enough times, your diplomatic relations  towards
them  will  be  automatically  downgraded.  You may "spy" on a friendly nation
with no consequences.

Neutral  You start out neutral towards all countries.  It  simply  means  that
you  are ambivalent towards them.  If they overfly your territory, you will be
warned and your relations will automatically downgrade.  Caught spies will  be
deported.

Hostile  If you are suspicious that a nation may be planning  to  attack  you,
but  you  are  not  committed  to an all out war against them, then you should
declare hostile relations towards them.  This will  ensure  that  your  planes
will intercept theirs if they try to over-fly you, and your forts will fire on
their ships when they sail within range.    Also, your a-sat's and abm's  will
attempt  to  intercept their satellites and missiles independent of the target
sector they have launched them at, and your ships with anti-missile capability
will  attempt  to intercept any incoming marine missiles within range.  Caught
spies will be shot.

War  If you are committed to expending major resources against a nation,  then
you should declare war on them.  This will cause all of your ships, artillery,
planes and missiles which have been put on a mission to react to  enemy  move-
ment.

The following paragraphs apply only if the SLOW_WAR option is used.

Mobilizing  If you are Mobilizing, it means that you have  declared  war,  and
are  getting  ready  to attack. You cannot attack someone's land until you are
actually At War. At the next update, you will automatically move to Sitzkrieg.
Your interdiction of the enemy will be the same as if you were hostile towards
them.

Sitzkrieg  Sitzkrieg is the same as Mobilizing. You still are unable to attack
their land. At the next update, you will automatically move to At War

When you are At War with someone, you may attack them willy-nilly.

Note that if the SNEAK_ATTACK option is enabled, you can  make  an  attack  on
someone  you're not at war with (not shelling or anything else, just an attack
or assault). For this privilege, you are charged  $5K.  Once  your  attack  is
over,  whether  successful  or  not, you automatically declare war on them and
must wait through the normal SLOW_WAR procedure to  attack  again.   (In  this
case, the $1K fee for declaring war is waived)

Also, there is an automatic  progression.  If  someone  you  are  allied  with
attacks  you,  you  become hostile towards them. If someone you are neutral to
over-flies or attacks you, you become hostile towards them. Neither  of  these
progressions can lead to war, however, they both stop at hostility.

SEE ALSO
   Diplomacy

