Taking advantage of an AI war

[texico11]

The two big guys in my current game, the Celts and the Ottomans, just declared war on eachother, and there's fight right across there borders. I'm playing on Deity, so I want to take advantage of the situation as best I can. These guys are pretty tough, so the loser will probably get eliminated.

Is there any way I can use this situation to benefit me? taking sides or pulling off trades etc? I've already sent in a few Galleys to settle any land that gets destroyed, because land is very scarse at the moment (seeing as there's so many civs)

Details:
24 civs
Huge map
Middle Ages
The tech range is spread out. Lower end civs are still in Ancient times, and the Higher end civs are in the middle of the Middle Ages. I'm just starting Middle Ages so I'm bang in the middle.

So, is there anything I should know?

 

[vmxa]

If you are not in position to attack one of them, then I would stay neutral. Have settlers ready to grab any land that is vacated and is not going to be too far out of your domain.

If you are too weak and jump in you risk being the one to bear the brunt of the attack. I doubt either will eliminate the other, unless it is much stronger. Number 1 vs number 2, should be a whole ot of nothing.

Towns razed and units lots, but no big winner. The dange is if one has a middle age UU like Rider's and the other has AA one. Then you could see it get the upper hand. Still they tend to make peace after a bit of shoving.

If you see one of them is getting swamped, then you can jump in and gain some browning points with the big dog and maybe some land, possibly even get some shots at a leader.

 

[ecuwins]

settle any land that gets destroyed, because land is very scarse at the moment (seeing as there's so many civs)

I'm no Deity player, but it sounds like you got the right idea here.

 

[Spoonwood]

I agree with VMXA that putting settlers where towns get razed might work as the best idea. Can you post a save for us? Do you have Astronomy yet? If so, explorers might help here (I haven't used them like this)... see here: http://www.civfanatics.com/civ3/strategy/explorers.php

 

[texico11]

Okay, here's the save that you asked for. I only played 10 or so turns since yesterday, so there hasn't been any city swapping, but the Ottomans have gone global and tried to recruit everyone to fight the Celts. There's one Celt city on my island that I might crush out if they start losing badly, and I've already got galleys on there way to hover around the front line.

I'm assuming I uploaded it right. Oh, and if you're wondering about the title, I was pissed off at the start when the Ottomans beat me to the GL by 1 turn.

 

[Decebalus]

If they are equally matched they probably will fight it out a bit and then give up with not much change in the power status quo as it exists now. I wouldn't get involved now because as vmxa mentioned you might just be the one getting the brunt of the attack of whoever you attack.

I would however start cranking out some more units and arming because one of two things can happen if the war lasts a while. Either of which is a good opportunity to become stronger yourself.

1. Both will be building units, and in the end, regardless of who wins, or if it is a draw, one or both of them will end up being a lot more powerful then you and will have a lot more units then you. Especially on Deity and if you're a quite reserved player not going for conquest. This is never a good thing if they ever decide to turn on you next so having built up during that war will be beneficial to you.

2. It might be that one gets the upper hand and begins to win. This will mean that you suddenly run the risk of the winning civ becoming bigger and better and stronger then you. Can't let that happen without somehow you growing as well.

Here you'd have two options depending on where your borders are with respect to the two that are fighting it out.

If you have a decent border and opportunity, I would declare war against the strongest. This way you offset the balance. The stronger would have offset the balance once, beating one opponent of yours back, and you now offset the balance again and bet them thereby increasing your power at the expense of two others.

If you have only access to the weakest, I would declare war against them and at least grab some land and cities for yourself. Whatever you have isn't in the hands of an opponent and will help you out in the end.