What to do when a powerful civ decides to bum rush you and declare war very early?

Yes, denouncing them can help a lot!
The AI seems to want the element of surprise and this action seems to make them think twice. It probably has some relation with their personality as well, so It might not work on Shaka, because nothing does.

Before you do this, take a look at the global politics information.

1) Do you have a DoF with them? backstabbing is bad, so maybe dont do it.

2) Have one or two leaders already denounced them? Adding your voices together can often prevent the attack, or at least delay it. once the other leaders see your agreeable stance, maybe they will become more easily bribed into DoW-ing the aggressor, and then you can sit back and build units for a while, which should put the whole situation to rest.

Interesting, I might just have to try this. Although you say it take multiple denounces from more than 1 Civ. I'm not sure if that would help you if you spawned in jungle and you had Rome 16 tiles away with iron who immediately covets your land?
 
AI early rush? That means early ranged, logistics archers! It'll be all right.
 
Your production is too low. I only find myself in this situation usually when I spawn on a small or tiny map and I bump the opponent too early. Warmongers are good, but there is a problem. Early game they will put the Carpets of Doom on you but late game they tend to lag, 'sometimes'... The Terrain is bad, Spear and Pike fortified will stop them. The real estate is good, a few Mounted, mixed with some spear and a ton of CBs will get them. Though you have to place those CBs cautiously not get mowed down by accident.

What you want to do is build a couple of mines on a few hills around your territory before you start building Farms you don't need or adding Lux Resources to go above happiness 4ish... and get the Hammers to smack out 5-10 CBs...If on Deity, you may not get to 10 but still prevent a Carpet of Doom with Hill Cities(which provide better protection) and Walls on your vulnerable cities. Chop forests in the rear to provide extra Hammers.

You should be able to pump out 3-4 CBs and with your initial Scouts, expect that an attack is coming and like a boxer dance around the suspected AI's lands. DOW a CS before you meet too many other Civs and steal their worker and bring him home.(or just 1 CS and make instant peace) You can steal 2 or 3 workers from the AI and pillage a few tiles if you're not in range of their Cities/Units. Why not get one up on the AI in this way, that way he will not likely be smart enough to improve his Real Estate as quickly and get needed resources like Iron to come after you later. So long as it can be done without losing a unit, it's not a bad idea. I did this VS Gandhi and it worked out well, he had half his resources undeveloped and then England saw him as weak and DOWed him with a Carpet of Doom behind me.

Forward settling(#1 pee off of the PC)
Total Warmonger Civs(don't care where you settle if you're close and weak your toast)
Any sort of the Diplomatic motions can be important and I have never mastered them


Anyone can fight off a Carpet of Doom, that's not what matters. With practice it will be done, so reload 25 times till you get just the right arrangement. Though then going on the offensive and burning that Civ to the ground.......on Deity, that's not quite as easy

P.S. Bribing a Civ to go to War against another does not always work. If the other Civ is not a Warmonger and doesn't covet anything the other guy has in cases I have watched them not launch more than 2 or 3 units at the cost of 30 turns of my Lux resource for nothing. It's a last ditch thing to do .... unless that Civ is Loathed, then it seems the AI gets personal.
 
The best defense on higher difficulty is a good offense ideally. Until you are ready to be the aggressor, pay a Warmonger off to War with everyone else...to give them massive Diplomacy Hits to stall their Trade/Happiness. Answer Carpets of Doom with Archers/Composites/Crossbows where your priority is to fall back to your city and destroy units until the Carpets of Doom slow to a trickle. Then press forward and wreak vengeance on your foolish neighbor :)
 
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