I was playing a game earlier that made me think about my early game strategy a bit. It was a standard size Immortal game on a Hemispheres map, where I started on a continent with Mao as my only neighbour, I was playing as Mansa. His capital was a long way from mine, so I assumed I'd be fairly safe (my 1st mistake? I don't count him amongst the ultra aggressive AIs). I had 4 cities, with enough military to keep the barbs out and for a bit of defence. He declared on me at around 1400 BC, at the time having a power rating of about 3.5 times mine (I'd have had to strech to get copper and was relying on Skirmishers to keep me safe), without even demanding tribute. It took me completely by surprise as his closest city was about 8-10 tiles from mine.

I lost my most vulnerable city, but fended off his stacks, which mostly consisted of chariots with a few axemen and spearmen, using the whip a lot. The real problem wasn't the military threat, but that fact that I had to devote so much of my production towards getting a defence up that my science output remained fairly static for a long time. I might continue with it, but I expect I'll be too far behind the other AIs by the time I meet them to trade my way back into the game, the demographics screen puts my GNP as being half the average. The question is, what should I have done differently? Put up with the maintenance costs of streching to get copper? Not let my power rating be so low relative to his in the first place? Or is it just something you have to accept on the higher levels occasionally? If I'd started next to a known warmonger then I expect I would've gone for the copper and built up an army, I think it was mainly the unpredictability that got me.

Since there's no WHEOOHRN* to check when you've only got one neighbour, and because even getting them up to Friendly won't guarantee your safety (since they might already have decided to attack by then), I think it best to assume you will have to fight, and take the necessary precautions.

In most cases, that means kill your neighbour nice and early.

*For those wondering what the hell I'm talking about, 'We have enough on our hands right now' is a message that sometimes appears when you mouse over a redded out 'declare war' request. It tells you that the civ in question is planning a war. Note, however, that WHEOOHRN does not guarantee that an attack will take place, and that civs can stay in WHEOOHRN for a very long time before attacking.

I would suggest that if you are playing against an AI which you aren't familiar on in terms of warmongering tendencies, that you look up his or her's AI info and see probability of war, etc.

I would suggest that if you are playing against an AI which you aren't familiar on in terms of warmongering tendencies, that you look up his or her's AI info and see probability of war, etc.

Definitely what I should've done, I'd just mentally grouped Mao into a 2nd or 3rd tier of most aggressive leaders, above the peaceful ones, but on about the same level as Augustus or maybe Bismark. I generally only encounter Mao either further away or on a different continent for some reason.

Did you have Open border with him? Have a warrior stationed near his border city and check for his Large stacks, if he is building up in his border city, attack is imminent.

In this case though all you need is 4-5 fortified skirmishers to fend him off. If you had just a little time to prepare.

Hi

Of all the things you described the biggest was probably "Not let my power rating be so low relative to his in the first place" A lot of factors can go in AI's decision to attack you. But power rating is one of the biggest. It is a different threshhold for diffrent leadres but even Ghandi or Hattie will take a crack at you if their power rating gets way above yours.

Also high power rating can help becasue even IF an AI decides "ok Im gonna go attack him as soon as I think I have a shot at winning" and goes into "wheooh" mode what they are doing is building up enough troops until they are at point they feel like attacking. So if you power is always waaaaaay higher than them they wont get to that point or at least not as soon.

It not 100% gurantee since guys like Monty seem to jump even when they are lower in power but for most AI's it can help.

If cost of keeping big army an issue remmber things like walls, barracks, and even military techs like BW or archery and wonders like great wall all add to your rating without costing maintanance.

Also once you start building units like archers and axes dont be afraid to obsolete your warriors. Like say city has a garrison of a warrior and then builds axe or archer- go ahead and disband the warrior. Warriors dont up your power rating as much as the stronger units but DO cost equally as much maintaince wise so obseleting them will help cut on mainataince without lowering your rating.

Kaytie

If cost of keeping big army an issue remmber things like walls, barracks, and even military techs like BW or archery and wonders like great wall all add to your rating without costing maintanance.


This, and the rate of early expansion are two of my biggest problems on the highest levels. I tend to end up neglecting either military or economic development, whereas I seem to be able to balance them quite well on Emperor. I might try a few Pangaea maps to force myself into a more aggressive mindset, which will hopefully then transfer to other map types.

ABigCivFan: I didn't have OB, which was another mistake, I just checked an old save of the game and I discovered Writing in 1675 BC, and got declared on in 1475 BC (Epic speed, so an 8 turn difference). Not sure why I didn't have fogbusters out though, at least I'd have seen him coming, even if it was only a couple of turns warning.