Surprising surrender... and crafty sneaky AI Leaders.

Well after getting my ass kicked by very aggressive AI, I started my fourth game since the Patch with a new philosophy: Build faster and protect better!

I didn`t build that many cities, only 3, but I had them protected by 2 units each with a couple exploring. I met a few Civs, France, Rome, Persians and Spain. I was very wary of another out-of-the-blue surprise attack. I had the random personalities on so no idea who was likey to attack first.

Well for about 30 turns all went well, I noticed a few Spanish units near my borders (pretty Spanish pious lady says hello), but nothing to worry too much about. Then that Spanish religious lady pops up and says, "Please join me in a war against France because they`re annoying."

"No thanks," I said, "I really don`t need a war."

"A pity," she said. I went back to my Civ managing feeling ok.

Next turn she declares war on me, declaring her deception. Wow, that was sneaky. She must have decided to attack me several turns before, had her units get near me, then pretended she wanted me to join with her in a war just to surprise attack me! I was impressed.

It was a bit touch and go, but I managed to fend her off (having those extra units were really useful) and pushed her back. she then retreated back to one of her cities up North. Riled, I followed and started attacking one of her cities (looked like she only had 2, maybe 3 at most).

She asked for peace offering a little gold. I rejected. It was actually hard trying to take her city and I had to pull back while waiting for newly recruited units to arrive.

She asked for peace again, offering slightly more gold. No. you attacked me sneakily, you pay.

Then a third time she asked for peace offering a CITY. that surprised me. I didn`t think she was that threatened and I was still far from even sure if I`d take her city. I accepted and took the city.

Nice way to get an extra city and interesting situation, I thought. Surprised me though how quickly she folded compared to some of the other Civs I fought in previous games.

Hmmm. I'm guessing the AI had a equal choice between attacking you and France, and when you turned down the opportunity to attack France, the minor diplomacy hit was enough to turn the tide against you. Does sound pretty sneaky the way it happened, though.

The patch introduced new levels of peace negotiations. I'm often getting offers of a city post-patch, at least after taking down a city. I'm not sure that's a good thing (unless they're being absolutely crushed, I can't see a human offering a city, since taking the city is only more work for and more cost to the attacker), but I'm glad the AI isn'y offering *every* city like it did at some point in the Vanilla patches.

bcaiko said:

Hmmm. I'm guessing the AI had a equal choice between attacking you and France, and when you turned down the opportunity to attack France, the minor diplomacy hit was enough to turn the tide against you. Does sound pretty sneaky the way it happened, though.

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But the interesting thing is, she had Units piling up on my border ready for the strike. France is also pretty far away. This means she was already planning to attack even before asking me to join her in a war. It really seems to me like it was a move of deception.

bcaiko said:

The patch introduced new levels of peace negotiations. I'm often getting offers of a city post-patch, at least after taking down a city. I'm not sure that's a good thing (unless they're being absolutely crushed, I can't see a human offering a city, since taking the city is only more work for and more cost to the attacker), but I'm glad the AI isn'y offering *every* city like it did at some point in the Vanilla patches.

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I do agree, most people wouldn`t give a whole city away so easily. However, one could say she panicked when she realised what she had started and quickly caved in. She might also have been at war with someone else, but I`m not sure. Also, previous AI leaders have been much more stubborn, so this could even be a personality trait. But yea, they shouldn`t so easily do it unless rare- It`s like letting down an entire part of your own society, you just really wouldn`t do it.

bcaiko said:

The patch introduced new levels of peace negotiations. I'm often getting offers of a city post-patch, at least after taking down a city. I'm not sure that's a good thing (unless they're being absolutely crushed, I can't see a human offering a city, since taking the city is only more work for and more cost to the attacker), but I'm glad the AI isn'y offering *every* city like it did at some point in the Vanilla patches.

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Playing the waiting game in these situations can gain you a lot. If you are stable and not in a hurry to end the war (or just ticked off at them for jumping you out of the blue in the first place), refusing several (or even many) peace deals from your opponent can get you exponentially better deals by the time you finally agree to one. Especially if you are continuing to decimate the units they send your way, and maybe even lobbing some ordinance into one of their cities to keep the pressure on. You can go from straight across even deals, to eventually getting cities and luxes and mass gold from an AI, that way. Especially if they have another civ hitting them from another direction.