I thought democracy units can't be bribed--what gives?!?

[allan]

Well, I'm starting to play in king level, and I switched to democracy, and a few turns later the enemy bribed my musketeers. One of the big advantages of democracy is that your forces can't be bribed. So HOW THE HELL did they do that? That is just plain WRONG.... They had BETTER not have those kinds of inconsistencies in CivIII. Is there any way to go into the rules.txt and eliminate those kinds of cheats? I don't mind the production and science bonuses that the AI gets on hogher levels, but basic rules of the game should still apply....

I'm PISSED, and totally disillusioned by this....

Sounds a bit unusual it was probably a computer glitch or something. Try backing up your save games and reinstalling.

[Bud2998]

Hmm... that's weird. You say you were playing king level? I thought the AI only bribed at Emperor and Deity. Correct me if I'm wrong, but there's another problem.

[Duke of Marlbrough]

I just replied to the same question that you put in the General Discussions Forum , so I'll put the same answer here as well.

It seems the bug that allows them to bribe your units with any unit is the loop hole that allows your units to be bribed while in a democracy.

To clarify:

Although they can bribe single units while you are in a democracy, I have yet to see them bribe a stack of units or a city while you are at a Democracy.

[allan]

Is there any patch or something that gets rid of this blatant rule-breaking? I say, if I can't do it to them, they shouldn't be able to do it to me. Or do I have to relearn my whole strategy to play on higher levels? What OTHER rules don't apply to them? It sucks, because I based a critical defense of one of my cities on a musketeer on a mountain at a choke point, in a fortress. When I went to democracy, I COUNTED on its immunity to bribery--and found it wasn't there. That doesn't make the game "fun"--it makes it REEK.... The programmers HAVE to know the effect of their code. So why did they make it that way? One thing gamers like is consistency--they expect rules to be followed, and to reap all the rewards (as well as consequences) of a decision such as to switch to democracy. I'm VERY disappointed in the programmers right now....

[Duke of Marlbrough]

From what I have read about it, some seem to think it is basically a 'bug' that was never fixed. Others think it is part of the 'cheat' allowed to the AI intentionally.

Either way, I agree with you, it reeks. The first time I 'discovered' it was just as you had; playing a game, defending a choke point, and then the unit being bribed.

[goodbye_mr_bond]

I've never seen this happen, and I always play in democracy. Could it be because I've been playing FW for several years now, and the bug's been fixed in that version?

Isn't it impossible to bribe a stack of units? i tried once but it didn't work, so i doubt AI units can, but who knows?

[allan]

"I've never seen this happen, and I always play in democracy. Could it be because I've been playing FW for several years now, and the bug's been fixed in that version?"

I have the MGE (gold edition), which I think came out after "fantastic worlds" (since it includes it). Has anyone else played MGE and had this problem?

[Smash]

Yes it is an ai cheat.I have had units bribed by crusaders,partisans.pretty much everything at one point or another.
They can't bribe cities and it happens quite rarely so don't fret.
The ai has access to several units we don't.Like crusaders with dip abilities.

[Peteus]

The AI cheat that really gets my goat is the stealth bombers, missles, etc. that fly all over the map with absolutely no concern for range restrictions! If I had a dime for every time a stealth appeared as if out of thin air a zillion miles from home, bombed a mech inf out of an interior, walled city, and then ushered in a paratrooper who flew over a channel and then ran along my railway system... Great strategy - just not possible within the rules that I'm bound by!

Please make the AI a challenge by making it smarter, not by letting it ignore rules! Speeding up comp production I can stomach, but I don't want to need an anti-computer strategy that's different from my anti-human plan!

[WUM]

AI does cheat and bribe indeed. I never had a unit bribed during democracy on king-level though. But when anarchy is there, after 2 turns of an angry city..., the AI is ready to bribe as soon as possible!

Besides i think Smash is wrong. AI can bribe cities. It happens to me quite offen that AI bribes cities that i had conquered, but i´m usually playing in Fundamentalism then. Don´t know if that makes it different.
The bribing of cities is VERY frustrating because of the lack of battle and because the city they bribe back is way better defended by then and i usually lose a lot of strong units!

[Smash]

Wrong?...never

I meant when a non dip/spy bribes a unit.Yes it happens.These particular units cannot bribe cities...I guess I had the wrong cheat.

The ai begins using dips and spys to city bribe at Emperor level.

Don't think the support of a unit matters when it comes to bribing - would be kinda stupid.

I know the AI cheats like crazy but in your situation is it possible the unit was a non?

Or better yet, can a non unit be bribed in democracy?

RJP

actually if there from some weird village "patriotism" would meen nothing to them, but thats not how it works...

[starlifter]

The home city (or "NON") status does not affect the AI bribe "cheat".

The way the AI bribes your units is based on probability at the moment the AI unit comes "face to face" with yours.

To be clear, the AI does not need a dip/spy to bribe any single (unstacked) human units. The AI does not care if you are in democracy... the bribe will occur anyway.

The odds of a bribe seem to be increased if the AI has been attacking and losing to your unit, or if your unit is in a heavily defensed position (like fortified on a mountain choke point). I've had/seen dozens and dozens of bribes, and they rarely occur in the open field.

Also, the amount in your treasury is irrelevant... as is the amount the AI treasury. When they "bribe cheat" is used, there is no cost to the AI civ. Your unit simply switches sides. It is strictly an "odds" issue (in the Civ II programming), and the normal distance from capital, cost, etc. rules do not apply.

The way to prevent this is to have a dip, spy, caravan, etc. double up with the unit that is defending the critical spot. The AI will not bribe a stack. Also, a non-dip/spy will not bribe a city...

[PinkyGen]

It's happened to me MGE, a couple of times, usually in crucial places I am defending.

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... I'm off to join the riots now.