Nice point. I will consider that the next time I play.

Also...

Trade Contracts As An Alliance

Trade Contracts are the closest you get in TI to forging a permanent non-aggression pact with a neighbor. If you have a bunch of valuable systems close to you, but between you and a powerful neighbor, try to exchange both your contracts with him/her to discourage his attack. This will allow you to keep a bare minimum of your warships on that side (to act as a deterrent and to slow an assault) and focus on taking down your other neighbor.

Of course, this tactic falls apart if you and your "ally" both seek Mecatol Rex.

My mistake, I have just read the portion of the rules that say you can't make both trades with the same player. Spot the newbie! I guess then you just make an unfair trade in their favour (you give 3, they give 1). That way, it's not in their best interests to attack.

Zen said:

That's how the Hacan do business!

And rightly so. One can't afford to be greedy if you want to keep your borders safe. If stuck with two aggressive neighbours and one 3-TA, buy one of them off.

I have a friend in my gaming group that has a code of ethics that he lives by. He never backstabs and he never ever breaks his word.

Ever.

Period.

In the past 10 years I have been playing with the dude this has held true 100% But he would make an awesome lawyer because he is a master at crafting agreements that he is able to find subtle loopholes in. You think the agreement is unshakable (and it is) but when you made the agreement you made assumptions that are foolish and leave you open for his tricks. He does not trick you everytime, only when it REALLY serves his purposes. I have a lot of respect for him and his play style. It always makes for a very interesting game. And half the time he ends up winning.

I'm new to 3rd Edition, but ISTM that 'The Seven Habits of Highly Effective Pirates' is a fair place to start.  I'll post just the ones that seem to fit.

4. Close air support covereth a multitude of sins.
6. If violence wasn’t your last resort, you failed to resort to enough of it.
8. Mockery and derision have their place. Usually, it's on the far side of the airlock.
9. Never turn your back on an enemy.
12. A soft answer turneth away wrath. Once wrath is looking the other way, shoot it in the head.
13. Do unto others.
16. Your name is in the mouth of others: be sure it has teeth.
21. Give a man a fish, feed him for a day. Take his fish away and tell him he's lucky just to be alive, and he'll figure out how to catch another one for you to take tomorrow.
27. Don't be afraid to be the first to resort to violence.
29. The enemy of my enemy is my enemy's enemy. No more. No less.
30. A little trust goes a long way. The less you use, the further you'll go.
34. If you’re leaving scorch-marks, you need a bigger gun.
35. That which does not kill you has made a tactical error.
37. There is no 'overkill.' There is only 'open fire' and 'time to reload.'