Keeping the Peace

[Eclectic99]

I thought it was interesting that in another thread here titled "Thoughts" two of the first three responders thought "Peace" was best. After always being a warmonger through Civ I to Civ3, I've tried to be a peaceful builder for several games. But every time, I've been attacked and forced back into being a warmonger to keep in the game.

How do you play this game in peace?

Here are some things I've tried as ways of keeping AI from declaring war on me:

1. Going out of my way to make trades, even when disadvantageous.
2. Making small gifts of gold to all contacts and repeating this.
3. Being careful about not letting my guys get into AI territory.
4. Giving in to outrageous demands. (Usually by Bismarck.)
5. Making deals where I'm committed to payments of gold for 20 turns, hoping this would deter my creditor from warring against me.
6. Not getting into MPP agreements.

But always, I am attacked anyway.

Are any of these considered effective? Anything else I should be doing? (I play unmodified Civ3 but am going to buy PTW patch this afternoon.)

 

[phizuol]

When war is declared on you just get as many big civs to ally against your agressor as you deem practical. Generally this will throw the world into war as more and more allies are brought in on both sides. After the 20 turns are over declare peace and mind your own business. Usually the AIs will be so busy with fighting each other that they won't have time to bother you. Since you never declared war or took cities nobody is going to dislike you.

 

[danwhit]

You forgot the main way to keep that AI from picking on you. Build a lot of units and defend every one of your cities with 2 or more units. They can see who is defending each of your cities. T

 

[Lord Arius]

Last game i was playing, i did most of what you said Eclectic99. But when Bismarck declared war (because i refused to give him 200 gold +2 per turn) every other civ (including many civs that were polite torwards me) declared war on me =(

 

[Adofl Lundgren]

An article on AI attitudes was recently posted in the War Acadamy...might give you some insight.

 

[wilbill]

Originally posted by danwhit
You forgot the main way to keep that AI from picking on you. Build a lot of units and defend every one of your cities with 2 or more units. They can see who is defending each of your cities. T

I second this thought. Also, are you establishing embassies and signing ROP's?
I find you're far less likely to be attacked by civs with whom you have ROP's. If your military is strong and you're not leaving cities lightly defended, the odds of being ROP raped are small.

 

[Trev]

Military strength is absolutely essential to avoiding wars. You must have enough cities and enough armies to act as a deterrent to attack

Enough means that you must be at least a middle ranking power compared to the other civs in cities and in units

Some trading of techs, resources etc and keeping agreements for the 20 turns will improve the other civs attitudes also, but these are useless without military strength

 

[WillJ]

Originally posted by danwhit
You forgot the main way to keep that AI from picking on you. Build a lot of units and defend every one of your cities with 2 or more units. They can see who is defending each of your cities. T

Just what I was going to say. The best defense is a good, um, defense.

 

[Eclectic99]

Thanks for the helpful comments here. You all have given me a little different idea of what it means to play as a peaceful builder.

My policy has been that as soon as the land grab time slows down to try to have 3 of the latest tech defenders available to me in every city, plus an extra one or two in my Great Wonder cities, if any, and in border or remote cities that might be especially subject to an AI attack. This has not seemed to deter AI (especially Bismarck) from attacking me.

 

[YNCS]

One other thing you can do is chose your opponents. Militaristic or expansionist opponents are more likely to initiate wars.

 

[wilbill]

Originally posted by Eclectic99
This has not seemed to deter AI (especially Bismarck) from attacking me.

Oh, the Germans ! Why didn't you say so? I don't think you can keep the Germans (or the Zulus and often the Aztecs) from attacking at least once if they're near you early in the game. I'm pretty sure it's hard-coded into the game, lol. I just try to be ready for them, blunt their attack, maybe take one or two of their cities, make peace and keep an eye on them for the rest of the game

 

[Scyphax]

quote:
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Wilbill:

Oh, the Germans ! Why didn't you say so? I don't think you can keep the Germans (or the Zulus and often the Aztecs) from attacking at least once if they're near you early in the game.
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Not true I have been playing the OCC at monarch level alot lately and I have no trouble with anyone until Fussion including the Germans, Aztecs and Zulus.

The Germans do make a few demands that I give into.
But generally if I have something they want I trade it quick before they demand it.

I understand that surprise attacks depend on the shield value of the defenders - so to stop surprise attacks have a a high shield value of defenders but don't worry about veteran/elite levels.
To stop premediated attacks give in to every demand and trade with them.

 

[wilbill]

Scyphax, you're right, of course. I was being somewhat tongue-in-cheek. My point really is that (except for OCC or other peace-oriented variants) the agressive civs usually get around to making an unreasonable demand that the human player won't want to give in to.

 

[Moulton]

Well, I can't claim to have been peaceful in my current game. My goal was domination on a huge world.... long campaign. I curerently have 745 units in the field, mostly on the american continent, and America and Aztec have only a few small villages left. China has been an ally, mpp and ROP forever. Not herself strong enough to send units across the world. Japan has been MPP for a long time, but not ROP. My choice.
I am looking at the world, and in 1896 I still have only a little over half under my control... a long ways to go. so while I am thinking, maybe I'll just conquer them.... while watching Japan send carriers and troop ships all around my continental coasts.... Japan decides I need to be taken down a notch, and declares war. No apparent reason.
Not because I am weak. Not because I have ever broken a treaty, not because I do not trade with her.

She has 20 tanks. I have 16. Plus 156 Modern Armor. she has 20 bombers. I have 16. Plus 36 Stealth bombers.
I think it was her strength assessment... seeing light forces on my home continent, all my force far away -- 4 to 8 turns by
transport -- Since I only had 12 MA on our shared continent, I could only take 4 cities the first turn, while sending my BBs and Cariers back, and transferring 5 units by airlift (only 5 airports on America)

There has been much comment about "The AI know where all your troops are" and it does seem that way. But I think if she knew I had enough to take four major cities the first turn, and airlift for 5 per turn, plus production for 10 per turn, I don't think she would have attacked.

BTW, I have already won this world by Spaceship, UNvote, and Culture -- playing as a peaceful builder as GErman and Japan.

The same principle applies: Peace throught Strength.