Appeasement

[plumsmugler]

Is there a diplomatic trick to appeasement?

For instance, if Rome is sitting next to me is there a way for me to give him enough gold or resources to keep off of my back? From what I can tell the AI has a binary system for diplomacy. It's either "His country borders mine; invade him" or "his country is not near my border; we're best friends."

No matter what trade or research agreements we have in place my aggressive neighbors will always invade me. It would be nice if there were a more concrete way to stay on at least neutral terms with your neighbors in this game. At the very least, if there is another civ bordering my aggressive neighbor I could at least convince him to invade that civ first.

 

[ampmclock]

I've wondered the same thing, this is something I hope they change in the expansion. Certain civs I can understand not ever being happy with just holding me as a pseudo vassal, but when India invades me, I'm just face palming. It's not even a smart move, considering his UA.

 

[joncnunn]

Appeasement doesn't work in real life (re: Chamberland England right before WW II) nor Civ V.

Your neighbors always hate you in Civ V; if they are instead showing they want to be friends you instead have one of the ones that like to do the "pretend friendship" thing.
Instead you should sell things for full value up front to them so when they DOW you you'll get it back early to sell to someone else. And if your really cash strapped and see such a civs armys on your border you can "borrow" their money knowing full well their about to DOW you so you won't have to make any loan repayments.

 

[Gucumatz]

Divide and Conquer, never appease!

Keep the enemy weak by bribing others against him. Never pay to the aggressor.

Seriously though when I play builder games even on higher levels (Immortal/Deity) I am often further behind near start and I can get a nearby Civ or two to help war a neighbor. I then have the choice to war my neighbor or wait and make a few trades (since odds are he will want to be friendly) and when strong move in for the kill.

Realpolitik!

 

[smallfish]

Is there a diplomatic trick to appeasement?

For instance, if Rome is sitting next to me is there a way for me to give him enough gold or resources to keep off of my back? From what I can tell the AI has a binary system for diplomacy. It's either "His country borders mine; invade him" or "his country is not near my border; we're best friends."

No matter what trade or research agreements we have in place my aggressive neighbors will always invade me. It would be nice if there were a more concrete way to stay on at least neutral terms with your neighbors in this game. At the very least, if there is another civ bordering my aggressive neighbor I could at least convince him to invade that civ first.

Free their workers or settlers from barbs more than once.

Sell open borders and other lux trades consistently, unless you have a good reason not to.

Do not make friends with their enemies. Maintain a DOF with the biggest top dog aggressive neighbor at all times.

More importantly, you need to show that you are a sovereign nation - and the simplest way of doing that is to maintain an effective military force.

 

[joncnunn]

Free their workers or settlers from barbs more than once.

Sell open borders and other lux trades consistently, unless you have a good reason not to.

Do not make friends with their enemies. Maintain a DOF with the biggest top dog aggressive neighbor at all times.

More importantly, you need to show that you are a sovereign nation - and the simplest way of doing that is to maintain an effective military force.

#1 works because the AI gives large bonus for this. But even with aggressive barbs on, its uncommon for me to run across this.

#2 AI doesn't really care about (the "we've traded recently" only lasts 1/2 a turn). AI will happily DOW you the turn you sold open borders, luxaries, or even borrowed a large amount of money.
Also, when it looks like an AI would actually start to use your roads, best to close the borders to keep that one to keep their kids off your lawn.

#3 That will make some points with that AI [and other other civs they are DOF with], but if their army is already at your door, they'll DOW you anyway. Also the disadvantages or you've just caused the enemys of the top dog including their neighbors to be mad at you and also opened yourself up to having to give them a gift or suffer a value point larger than the number of points granted by DOF.

#4 On lower levels this works. On higher levels, merely delays the war declaration. It does however eliminate the downside of a war as long as you didn't sign an RA with them.