If they cannot ever be at peace with anyone...



a) why would they even be allowed to talk with another faction



b) if allowed to talk why would they ever ask for a cease fire or better yet, grant one?

Tactically, there might be an off circumstance where it benefits both empires to back out of a war and redirect their focus elsewhere, and then it might be a last ditch effort to cease hostile actions for the losing side.



Lorewise, Cravers are capabale of communication, and very predatory in nature. A predator devourers the weakest target available. So using that small advantage in a certain situation is plausable. Their single minded focus to devour however is quite blatantly overwhelming. The other races know there can never truly be peace with them, and the Cravers themselves only view others as food. So a cease fire treaty is feasable, but long term peace is simply not possible.

Cease fires or cold war states are the only way in which the mechanic of being able to pay tribute to the Cravers is possible - if it was a constant state of war it would rule out even this sort of diplomacy. It doesn't seem too far-fetched to me that the Cravers might accept technology or or tribute from the food in return for sparing them (for a while). Besides, the current AI would be incapable of handling always being at war with Craver factions; any Craver player would get swarmed and overwhelmed as AI players from all over the map would be sending fleets against it nonstop.

Apheirox wrote:
). Besides, the current AI would be incapable of handling always being at war with Craver factions; any Craver player would get swarmed and overwhelmed as AI players from all over the map would be sending fleets against it nonstop.

To me that would make the 10 point trait worth while then, as in you know what your in for,

Shivetya wrote:
To me that would make the 10 point trait worth while then, as in you know what your in for,

And what you're in for would be... total and utter defeat?

n18991c wrote:
And what you're in for would be... total and utter defeat?

Sure, if your always at war there are only two possible outcomes

The Cravers are relentless in their search for food, but they aren't the least intelligent creatures in the universe. Even the mafia would consider sparing you if you offered enough money. It's all about what the Cravers need most; like Rudest said, predators hunt the weakest target, so if they can intimidate the larger target into paying them for a cease fire, it becomes a win-win situation. Also, if they're losing a war, or simply can't afford to maintain the war, it would be a tactically sound decision to call a cease fire and potentially live to fight another day.