Question about diplomacy

[Mizral]

Hey Civfanatics, just before I get to my post I want to thank everyone on this website. Before I came here, Noble and Prince were extremely challenging. Now I'm on to Monarch and am somewhat hitting a wall.

When I started out on Monarch I wasn't able to keep up with the rush. I've learned to defend against that now, but now my current game is maybe the most unique Civ game yet. Why? Well, my civilization while being the tech leader (barely) has been at war now from 33 BC all the way through to 1811 (current year). I've achieved a couple of important goals (wiped out a couple of middling civs and kept their capitals & best cities). Problem is that everyone hates me save one vassal. I checked out my plus/minus with each leader and I've got -11 for 'You've declared war on our friend' and while I admit I have warred, it's been on entirely different continents or islands. Why the heck should my long-term ally with a top 4 power rating worry about some middling island civ halfway around the world?

My greatest challenge so far as my Monarch games have progressed is dealing with my allies turning into my enemies and it always ends badly. My last epic game was ready and set to win until my long-pleased but now 'Annoyed' neighboor - who I granted techs to like mad all game to keep on my side - invaded at the same time as my chief two rivals across the ocean. Another game I ended up losing four cities including my capital to a quick rush by that no-good Mao + his vassalized buddy. IIRC he was 'Friendly' at the time.

Any tips? Or better yet, any guides I've yet to read that can help?

[Kadazzle]

I'd suggest you post some screenshots and a save. For easy diplo points though, give them free techs, accept their requests/demands, gift them free resources and switch into their favourite civics / their religion. There are of course other ways to obtain diplo points, but those are by-far the easiest.

[DMOC]

Make sure you open borders ASAP ... the bonus isn't that much, but it can mean the difference between Cautious and pleased. As Kadazzle said, if you're really worried about your neighbors, accept their demands.

[Bigv32]

one thing you should consider is warring in fewer wars. From the way it sounds, you are probably doing what I use to do. Declare war and capture one or two great cities and then ask for peace and rebuild.

Simply do not do this. Combine all your small wars into big ones and you will get less of a diplo hit.

[Hsinchu]

Don't war alone. Always buy war allies, the mutual military struggle bonus adds up and for the civs you can buy into war, it typically lasts a little longer than "war on our friend". Also, every DoW of a civ against another breaks their own friend status and prevent future -1.

In terms of other tactics, I "diplomatically" go to war. The relations board is my war room. I always take the least favorite civs as prime targets and generally buy war allies for more popular civs.

Also, I'm not sure about this, but I think your lead plays into whether or not a competitive civ decides that it needs to take you down a peg. Keep the lead manageable unless you have the teeth (military) to back it up.

[DMOC]

Originally Posted by Hsinchu

Also, I'm not sure about this, but I think your lead plays into whether or not a competitive civ decides that it needs to take you down a peg. Keep the lead manageable unless you have the teeth (military) to back it up.

I have never experienced this in my games, although in theory I think it should be a part of this game. Can anyone who knows the game files confirm this?

[Hsinchu]

Originally Posted by DMOC

I have never experienced this in my games, although in theory I think it should be a part of this game. Can anyone who knows the game files confirm this?

Well, if it has only happened to me, lucky me. I always have a DoW from even the Pleased (Friendlies?) when I'm diving the home stretch for Time victory or getting close to Space/Dom. I have never had this problem when conquest is almost finished, that is, since the DoWs in that VC that are made against me are by pissed AIs and not plotting ones. XD

[Mizral]

Originally Posted by Bigv32

one thing you should consider is warring in fewer wars. From the way it sounds, you are probably doing what I use to do. Declare war and capture one or two great cities and then ask for peace and rebuild.

Simply do not do this. Combine all your small wars into big ones and you will get less of a diplo hit.

I think this along with the fact that maybe I haven't chosen the best allies in the past few games has been the culprit. In the games I mentioned, the first I chose to ally myselg with Mao. The second game the backstabber was Darius surprisingly along with Genghis - not so surpsingly.

So far in my next game my neighboors are Victoria and Asoka. I'm hoping for to all be the same religion as these two the entire game and see if I can avoid them from turning on me and play more of a builder game.