Competing with an Over-Seas Run-away?

[Marshall Thomas]

I'm in a situation that I'd imagine is quite common: playing on a huge, continents map with 17 civs. Around 1300AD, I discover a civ (in this case Korea) on an over-seas continent which is way ahead in tech, wonders and army size.

The only thing that's not in first place for them is their number of cities (they have about 7 cities -which is just one more than the average civ in this game). So they haven't been on a conquering spree. Their modest size may be my one hope for preventing them from victory.

So what can I do to prevent them from winning? An outright attack is out of the question any time soon; not only because of relative army/navy strength, but also because I'm about as far away from them as is geographically possible.

The World Congress has just been founded and for my first resolution proposal I'm voting for an embargo of Korea. Just how effective this could be, I don't know. What are the most effective things I can do to slow down Korea through The World Congress? Do these measures actually make a difference to a powerful AI? Also: should I denounce them immediately?

I'm playing on emperor difficulty, but with this mod: http://forums.civfanatics.com/showthread.php?t=504220, which makes emperor considerably more difficult; but in a different way than immortal or deity (in a more interesting, less confined way -in my opinion).

As I mention above, my main hope lies in the fact that Korea isn't the largest civ... yet. I fear that if their neighbors recognize the threat and attack, that Korea could become large quickly.

I'm sure that dealing with over-seas run-aways is a very common problem. With the mod I'm using, which makes the game less of a game of "catch up" and gives more AI bonuses (mainly per-era to science) as time advances, I'm not sure that my cause has a chance.

What advice can you offer? Thanks in advance.

 

[Tyrvos]

I would try to get his neighbors involved and DOW him, and join in and take what you can. Embargo can hurt, but he can still trade with city states so it doesn't hurt too much. Domination is really the only way to stop run aways.

 

[docbud]

Would an embargo even work? I rarely propose that. In the few times I've done it and it was successful was when the AI in question was universally hated.

 

[layelaye]

edit: nvm i asked a question but i saw u answered it allready

 

[reddishrecue]

Ive been in a similar situation.. AIs that get this powerful during isolation are best to abandon because they are most likely going to take the win. Make sure you keep an eye on the tourism screen to make sure that the AI doesn't influence all the civilizations at 100% because once the AI influences all civilizations at 100%, the AI automatically wins and it may surprise you if you don't keep an eye on the victory screen or the tourist screen.

 

[Ryika]

An outright attack is out of the question any time soon; not only because of relative army/navy strength, but also because I'm about as far away from them as is geographically possible.

Well, he hasn't taken out the other civs, so you still have plenty of time. A direct attack is the best option - especially when you manage to attack his homelands while he's trying to get rid of his neighbors. Even if your forces get wiped out afterwards, as long as you conquer and burn down as much of his core cities as possible that will be a serious problem for him - and if the distance is really that big, then he won't even (be able to) counter-attack.

The Alternative would either be to conquer your own continent to keep pace with him... or a flawlessly executed science- or culture-victory - but I guess if that was possible, then you wouldn't be asking this question... ^^ So yeah, conquer him, or conquer your continent as soon as ideologies practically remove the city-limit would be my advice.

 

[BrokTheFanatic]

Like others have said, convincing a couple of his neighbors to DOW him with you is a good choice. The main problem is the science lead because it is pretty s8 forward to decimate a AI civs unit base (as long as you only fight 1 at a time). Unless you can take at least a couple of his cities out, he'll probably maintain the science lead unless you really turn on your science output (few ways to do that but want to do them as well as goto war). An embargo will help but it seems to be more of a hinderance, banning their luxuries is the same deal. Also depends on your civ, like if you are Austria, buy a city state near Korea (be sure to send troops to it first), then attack from there. If they have coastal cities, get a new city on the coast near them and buy defensive stuff. Then send a navy to it and use it to upgrade units as you wage war on his coastal cities.

 

[zukenft]

it's kinda hard to stop an overseas runaway until you have frigate or even battleships. however, if the AI settles his capital on an open coast (room for your invasion fleet to wait outside the borders) it's quite easy to snipe the capital.
better wait until you have battleships though, even a strength 150 city will eventually fall if they can't shoot back!

 

[Callonia]

Even when teh AI is running away with the game, take your time to check who's the runaway. If its a known warmonger, then his/her armies will be vast. If its not a warmonger, then his/her armies will be tiny and puny or big but weak enough to fall to a determined all out invasion.

I learned this very well after invading China last year who was attempting to win an science victory. Her military collapsed to my invasion despite her being faraway because I was so determined and brought a vast navy plus airdropping in tons of panzers.

Plus an extremely well timed rebellion of autocrats in her order territory worked very well in my favor because it occurred at same time as her air force was striking at my navy only to be shot down badly due to -33% penalty.

I went in anticipating to lose half of my navy only to turn out having every single ship surviving because of a rebellion in chinese lands.

Then she just faded out as her lands became mine.

 

[tetley]

I think runaways are THE way you lose games. With a warmonger I will trade with them for awhile for the science catch-up, and then if the opportunity presents itself I DOW him. Either he will be also be at war with someone else, or I will hope he sends his army to me--which is what I want.

 

[LoneRebel]

Callonia has a point. Since the runaway is Korea, and not, say, Shaka, their army might not be that large. It will be technologically advanced, however. And it's only a maybe; Korea could still have a vast army.

Another thing to consider is that you can not only bribe the runaway's neighbors to attack them, you can also bribe the runaway to attack its neighbors, thus causing them to get hit by the warmonger penalty as well. Of course, you'd have to still be on good terms with the runaway to do this. And then you attack them yourself soon after, of course.

 

[Aristos]

There is nothing that cannot be solved by playing crashing cars with neutrons...

 

[Sherlock]

I just got very lucky in a similar situation. The Iroquois were runaway on the 2nd of two large land masses.

When they created a new city on my continent I DOW'd. (No landing bases on my continent, thank you very much).

Three or four turns later I got a message that I had taken one of their cities! One of my city-state allies actually took an Iroquois city. I'd never seen a city-state take a city before.

It didn't take long to be 're-taken' but by that time I had troops on the way.

 

[Marshall Thomas]

I just got very lucky in a similar situation. The Iroquois were runaway on the 2nd of two large land masses.

When they created a new city on my continent I DOW'd. (No landing bases on my continent, thank you very much).

Three or four turns later I got a message that I had taken one of their cities! One of my city-state allies actually took an Iroquois city. I'd never seen a city-state take a city before.

It didn't take long to be 're-taken' but by that time I had troops on the way.

and it's population was halved twice! It's probably a very small city now.

 

[Moriarte]

Diplomatic victory. Surely, if you can amass piles of gold and secure most city states, no way Sejong is winning faster than you will.

 

[Syailendra]

trade open border to spy his land, meanwhile you should beeline for subs. If you think that you can deter its attack force, DOW directly to detract him from optimal build, and go to defensive warfare. Later, when ideology kicks in, you should follow the most popular one. If it is not the koreans ideologi, you can further slaps him in the world congress. If it is the koreans ideology, go to peace, and conquer your continent with your experienced army.
The key is that korea usually only have a few elite army that you could block with a few subs patrolling your waters, and when your subs destroys their units they will be forced to build more units than buildings, thus ruining its progress.