Prevent Other Civs From Settling Near You

[GiantLittleDog]

Let's say I see a great spot for my second city, but I don't want to settle it yet. How do I make sure no one else settles there or near there? The "don't settle near us" demand doesn't do anything, and when another civ settles near me, the only thing I can do is declare war, take the city, raze the city, and make everyone extremely angry at me. Do I have to have warriors out there constantly to intercept any incoming settlers or what? Because it seems as soon as a city is created, I'm screwed either way.

 

[Byzantine Bomb]

Basically, if you don't have a military presence there, they'll go for it. Have you tried putting a settler there and then just waiting for the 'right time' to settle? I don't know if one's settlers dissuade the AI's settlers.

 

[Anarchist]

Yup, 'fraid that's about it. [to OP]

 

[kb27787]

You can try to block... using your units, military or otherwise.
Settlers can't pass through them.

 

[GiantLittleDog]

Well if I need units there anyway I'd rather declare war outright. I was playing with barbs off so I guess that also contributed to AI settling, if I play with raging barbs I should probably leave encampments around where I want to settle eventually, right?

 

[ahawk]

Since BNW, I've been far more likely to post military units outside my borders to prevent the insane forward-settling of the AI, and yes, a military presence is the only way to really go; simply kill the unit guarding the settler and capture the settler before it becomes a city. But I feel for the OP, as since BNW I find that I get AIs forward settling in absurd ways (i.e.: settling their 2nd city 20 tiles from their capital and only 5 tiles from MY capital). This didn't happen nearly as often in G&K.

Not sure if the newest patch tweaked this, though, because last two games (one today, one yesterday) have not had this happen.

 

[kb27787]

Well if I need units there anyway I'd rather declare war outright. I was playing with barbs off so I guess that also contributed to AI settling, if I play with raging barbs I should probably leave encampments around where I want to settle eventually, right?

on emperor- it works, on immortal+ the AI gets a ridiculous bonus against barbarians such that barbarians usually get one-shotted.

 

[GiantLittleDog]

Hm, would citadels scare settling AI off? Because I seem to get lots of generals lately...

 

[sendos]

You can try to block... using your units, military or otherwise.
Settlers can't pass through them.

This. Try this, OP. Although, it might not be ideal for open spaces, mainly rough areas.

 

[mcaswell64]

Not sure if the newest patch tweaked this, though, because last two games (one today, one yesterday) have not had this happen.

Two games in two days, did you stop for food?

 

[blackcatatonic]

You can try to block... using your units, military or otherwise.
Settlers can't pass through them.

This is my favourite tactic, but as has been mentioned, it's not always possible.

If you can predict the exact tile where they're planning to build their city (note: very often it won't be the one that actually makes the most sense), leaving one of your military units on that tile will often confuse the settler to the point that he won't even try to build the city elsewhere. Very risky though.

I'm afraid sometimes violence really is the only answer...

 

[Xiao Xiong]

If they would settle cities that make sense I would let them do it. I could always take it from them later. But when they settle one tile away from an ideal location it drives me mad. Their city is useless and I cannot settle the spot anymore.

All AI settlers must die!

 

[GiantLittleDog]

Yes, that's exactly my problem; otherwise I wouldn't mind them settling there. It's also what makes it nearly impossible for me to predict where an AI is settling next.

 

[evilcat]

Peace was never the option!
Kill it with fire, they all are backstabers or warmongels, as such deserve to die.

The only way i now is to patrol the area with your units, and if you see settler incoming, ill it.
The funny part is that killing a settler has very low warmongel penalty. ;-)
The good part is that probably hurts them more than you (however everybody else is just agead). And you can just claim the land yourself. And just have it done.

From the other side i like when AI settle riduculous close to me, since that means war. So the game is less boring.

 

[hecubus]

In my last game as Morocco I watched Brazil walk a settler into an area I had scoped out for a fourth city, but wasn't ready to settle yet. I had a couple units fogbusting in the area, but not exactly a major military presence, and not enough to try to block him.

I opened diplomacy and asked him not to settle new cities near me. He obliged, and walked his settler back into his own territory, never to be seen again. A handful of turns later, I was able to settle my own city in the area with no penalty other than the "You asked them not to settle near you" hit that lasted pretty much the whole game.

I was as surprised as anyone that this actually worked. I'd never tried using it preemptively. Then again, I'm playing on Prince so this may just be dismissed out-of-hand.

 

[Socratatus]

Sometimes he does backoff to a warning.

But yea, if he doesn`t, it`s pretty much common sense. Block him off with units. I often try find choke points where I can block in the early game then plant cities close but spaced out, so they will eventually create a territorial `no go` zone. But during that times, use troops to block.

Hm, would citadels scare settling AI off? Because I seem to get lots of generals lately...

This is also a great way to block them, but you`re limited since they have to be at the edge of friendly zones. But I used a General once to create a citadel and totally cut off an area from an oncoming enemy Settler.

 

[JHoov714]

You can try to block... using your units, military or otherwise.
Settlers can't pass through them.

This strategy also worked best for me. In a recent game, I noticed an opposing Civ's settler with an escort coming my way. It was trying to pass through a mountain range, with an opening of only 3 spaces (all hills) to get near my territory and forward settle on me.

I only had 2 nearby units to block it with, so the enemy settler and I did a shuffle dance back and forth as he tried to get by and I constantly moved to block him. We kept that up for nearly 10-12 turns until I finally got a 3rd unit up there to block it off for good lol.

Eventually he gave up and settled nearly 15-20 tiles away much closer to his original cities.

 

[livsbrand]

I already posted this in the funny screenshots thread, but it feels quite on topic...

Spoiler :

 

[aluelkdf]

The AI should be fixed to settle cities more realistically. Right now the AI settles cities extremely far away from their borders (sometimes there is even another civ inbetween). It would be like if the Romans settled Rome, and then built their second city where Moscow is.