How do I overcome my reluctance to start a war?

Tony.Uk

Tony.Uk

TonyUK
Joined
Jun 22, 2007
Messages
217
Location
Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, UK
I have this shocking habit of not being aggressive enough! Only ever attack if a civ has attacked me previously, or I see a clear opportunity. In any case I rarely do so until I have dynamite.

This has always been my problems since I started playing CIV IV and V many years ago, and I cannot break this habit. I guess I am not strictly a warmongerer, but just building by itself is getting pretty boring. Also AI is quite poor in battle, and I still cannot DOW.

The problem is I can win on King but now trying Emperor and I think this incapability on my part, is holding me back. There is always one civ that runs away with wonders and science, even if next door to me I should be building up my army ready for attack
even if we are friends. Trouble is I never have a big enough army to do and on Emperor level money is tight even when trading for this.

Maybe I should stick at King. How would you suggest I solve this mental block? When
I am in a war I am Ok, it is starting one that gives me a problem.
 
Well, for a start this isn't holding you back from winning Emperor. I've won many peaceful games on Emperor difficulty.

I used to have a problem declaring war, because I used to like playing the "good guy" and I like to find peaceful outcomes to every situation. The way I got around this was to actually role play slightly in the game, and make up things that wouldn't be covered in the game mechanics that the oppostion civs are doing.

So the Dutch for example are next to you and you have a strategic reason to DoW... Make up a story that Dutch officials have been secretly torturing some of their citizens who have found out about some government secrets they shouldn't have. You main reason to DoW is to liberate those citizens.
 
Just press that big red button!
 
When the city state couping starts, that is when I decide diplo time is over. My "friends" trying to ban my luxuries is another way the AI decides to suicide by human.

"I enjoyed being friends, but you guys need to die, all of you."
 
Waiting until dynamite isn't a terrible idea but I do find later wars with artillery and air units are sort of boring because the AI gets worse at war once those units are introduced.

Late medieval/early rennaissance is probably the ideal time for fun early wars. Classical is still possible but the logistics can be rough until you've got your strategy refined. The medieval era is usually when you have resources and infrastructure for war. So the first step to getting into the mood for an earlier war is to pick a civ with a UU in the medieval or Rennaissance or an earlier one with nice carryover promotions. China, Arabia, England, Mongolia, the Ottomans, the Zulu, and America are all good for this. The Aztecs can be fun too since they can get good benefit from war without capping cities and have a solid early UU with nice carryover promos. Just make sure to build a few jags before researching metalcasting. Indonesia might be another choice, build a bunch of Kris swordsmen early and gift away the bad ones before the war starts. The good ones can potentially be the best units in the game.

The second step is finding a reason. If it makes you uncomfortable to DoW a friend and you need a reason just think about all the negative modifiers the AI has with players. Who's violating those with you? Who's sending unwanted missionaries? Who's settling too close? Maybe they settled a city that claimed one of your regional luxuries, that's too close. Who's stolen CS allies from you or beat you to a wonder you wanted. Maybe there is already another warmonger to attack. Pick that person out and denounce them. Hopefully you can get some other civs to jump on the band wagon. Bringing allies into the war with you is a good way to keep a few friends after you start your conquest.

In early war use your infantry, prefferably from the warrior line since they can absorb more damage, to act as meatshields for your ranged and siege equipment. Make sure there's always a wounded infantry unit for the AI to target and your ranged units will stay safe.
 
I once remained good friends with Mongolia despite him taking another City State and causing everyone in the game to turn on him. I was loyal to the very end...

...until I found out he stole techs from me. Goodbye Genghis. It's been a real pleasure.
 
Tony.Uk said:
I don't see a big red button anywhere?
Click to expand...

He means the button at the top of the list of options to the lower right on each leader's main diplomatic screen. The on that says "Declare War!" glows red if you scroll over it.
 
Huh, you are a bit too late on this, on Vanilla you could go swordmen rush, in g&K you could go crossbow rush. The earlier you can go war now in order to get some advantage is medieval, but waiting until artillery isn't a bad idea either. Both the new limits on gold/happiness and the absurd warmoner penalties makes warmongering more of a hassle than not.

Anyways to go war you have to plan ahead and mass a decent army to do so, is not like building units form time to time until you have enough to start a war. Is better to focus on other things, and when time comes, build some barracks/forges/stables and start poping units from the most developed cities.
 
TheGrandWazoo said:
Make up a story that *insert a country with oil* officials have been secretly torturing some of their citizens who have found out about some government secrets they shouldn't have. You main reason to DoW is to liberate those citizens.
Click to expand...
Are you by any chance an American living in London:lol:
 
Try playing as the Mongols or the Huns....if you don't decide at the beginning of the game that you are going to take on everyone around you, then there's no point to the game.

It can be fun....in my last game as Genghis....I decided to fill out the Honour tree first....which wasn't too hard to do....the barbarians give you lots of "culture".... The main problem is falling behind in techs, but you sort of beeline...more or less...to Keshiks...and then it's "showtime"....:)

Happiness was an problem for a long while, but I eventually got that under control.....I razed all cities except those I couldn't.....

But eventually it does get a bit tedious.... I've put my last Mongols game on hold....with three capitals captured on my continent and one left to go..... Then it's the next continent....and I think I'm not even at the Cannon tech yet....

I've started another interesting game as my favourite...Spain....[Madrid has Kilimanjaro within its borders]. But the Mongol "bloodlust" is still there....I'm plotting the best way to capture a nearby CS with KSM inside its borders....something I want to do ASAP, of course... :)
 
I am in the same boat. I regularly win games on emperor without DoWing anyone. In the past I have won games without getting into a single war, although that is pretty rare. I generally do a good run a pretty peaceful regime and rarely go for dom victory. At least that has been my trend lately.

Generally, even when it makes sense to go to war, I will delay as long as possible before I get serious about building my military. My thought is, why have a bunch of units that are just standing around soaking up gold?

TheGrandWazoo said:
So the Dutch for example are next to you and you have a strategic reason to DoW... Make up a story that Dutch officials have been secretly torturing some of their citizens who have found out about some government secrets they shouldn't have. You main reason to DoW is to liberate those citizens.
Click to expand...

Bwahaahaahah!
 
TheGrandWazoo said:
So the Dutch for example are next to you and you have a strategic reason to DoW... Make up a story that Dutch officials have been secretly torturing some of their citizens who have found out about some government secrets they shouldn't have. You main reason to DoW is to liberate those citizens.
Click to expand...

Interesting enough, this works. I've many times said to myself, "That evil gandhi plans to nuke the innocent maritime city-states! I must destroy him before he succeeds in his evil plans!"
 
When Alexander is next to you sweeping up all the City States for delegates, has some nice, resource rich land, and has a less technologically advanced army than you.

ADD to that, SIX other AI's have asked me to join their war against him and I also need more land and population to boost my population and science to have better Literacy than the semi-runaway Bismarck.

The above is the current situation in my Portugal game.

If you found yourself in my position I'm pretty sure you couldn't resist going to war.

Can't wait to steamroll Alex with artillery tonight after work :lol:
 
Beer.

Works for me... I play better if I'm tipsy rather than sober lol.
 
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