What would make you go to war early (under 50 turns)?

I see unguarded settler?

FREE SLAVES! Then my barbarian hordes descend upon whoever country that unguarded settler came from and pillage n junk.

If Ethiopia is nearby, saves a lot of faith points spent on Inquisitors later on, and/or having to spend ages each turn trying to block their three or so Great Prophets walking around my lands...

I would be happy to war over a Great Prophet that can be planted. I wish there was a way to tell before DoWing!

I DoW the closest civ to me as soon as I can move in and start taking workers without losing my own units, and stay farming workers until I have as many as cities I plan to found (usually 4, dat Tradition). Sometimes it takes longer than others. If I'm getting archers out while I'm still at war I'll send them over to get some xp. Oddly enough I find that once I make peace the civ I DoWed, as well as others, are instantly friendly and often even DoF a turn or two later. This holds particularly true for warmongering civs, almost as if they respect me for showing some balls or something.

My favorite answer though was "if my computer is on."

jrwh said:

I DoW the closest civ to me as soon as I can move in and start taking workers without losing my own units, and stay farming workers until I have as many as cities I plan to found (usually 4, dat Tradition). Sometimes it takes longer than others. If I'm getting archers out while I'm still at war I'll send them over to get some xp. Oddly enough I find that once I make peace the civ I DoWed, as well as others, are instantly friendly and often even DoF a turn or two later. This holds particularly true for warmongering civs, almost as if they respect me for showing some balls or something.

My favorite answer though was "if my computer is on."

Click to expand...

Heh, heh...I guess that's a good way to explain it...

The game certainly seems to reward you if you show "intestinal fortitude" early in the game....

I suppose in reality what is probably going on is a simple algorithm....you have whittled down their army to the point that they are "afraid" of you.....

It is amazing what a strong army will do for you......with some civs such as the Aztecs it even seems to offset the warmonger penalty.

In one of my current games as Venice I have a huge army...I think the largest I have ever had and I've totally wiped out the Russians and have wonder-stuffed Moscow....and I also took wonder-filled Rome....all the while being behind both of them in technology and also having inferior military units....

The key was a hugh cash flow, 500 and up to 600 GPT, the ability to buy Landsknechts, the ability to make purchases in puppet cities and having bought a strategically placed CS....

All through my "rise to global dominance", Monty, who is quite strong himself, has been my steadfast friend....though, of course, I'm always expecting to be BACKSTABBED...