Timid response yet again from CA's Wikiman

[Trajanus]

Why the need for all of these "strategic units" anyhow? The game doesn't need diplomats. Once you've made contact with another faction, you should just be able to call up an audience with that faction, like you can do in Civ. Diplomats just clutter up the game.

Most of the functions of these strategic units could probably be abstracted in a similar way. IMO, they add nothing but tedium to the gameplay.

Realism over ease-of-use. They didn't have phones back then (although it would have made things easier ) So diplomats had to be sent everytime they wanted to make contact. Although perhaps a better way would be to send a messenger with a message.

"I will be attacking Isle-de-France next spring please support me" etc. Sending automatic messengers that do not clog-up the map would perhaps ease the micro-management.

[screwtype]

Realism over ease-of-use. They didn't have phones back then (although it would have made things easier ) So diplomats had to be sent everytime they wanted to make contact. Although perhaps a better way would be to send a messenger with a message.

"I will be attacking Isle-de-France next spring please support me" etc. Sending automatic messengers that do not clog-up the map would perhaps ease the micro-management.

It's not realism. They didn't have telephones, true, but then it didn't take them five years for a diplomat to march to his next door neighbour and ask if he wants to be an ally.

It's the height of absurdity for a diplomat to take literally years to consult his neighbours. When turns are measured in years, of course you should be able to just "dial up" the opposition and put your offer to them.

Adding further insult to injury is the way in which your diplomat actually has to search for the other faction leader. Apparently, no-one can tell him where the leader is actually hanging out, so he has to go on a "Where's Wally" headhunt. I found it extremely frustrating in MTW trying to just FIND the opposition leader, let alone the tedium involved in marching my diplomats around in the first place.

At the very least it should work the same as in Civ - you can contact a faction leader just by initiating an encounter with any of his units.