Can you anticipate an AI backstab?

[Puhi]

In a recent immortal game I ran into trouble when a 'pleased' ai was apparently bribed into attacking me, and I was wondering if there is some way to see this coming?

The situation: large pangea, everyone is buddhist except for Pacal, everyone is 'pleased' with me (including Pacal) and no one is in WHEOOHRN. Pacal seems like a good target, so I draft a bunch of rifles and attack. The very next turn, Stalin (who was pleased with me and not planning a war) declares and moves a very large stack into my territory. The only explanation I can see is that Pacal bribed him.

I completely failed to see this coming. Any advice on how to prevent this?

 

[lymond]

You need to pretty much expect that when you DOW on some AI after Alpha/Currency, that there is a chance that the AI could bribe in anyone he is mutually pleased or better with. The best way to handle this, if you are pleased or better with his allies, is to beg 1 gold off them to create a 10 turn peace treaty.

If the enemies ally(ies) are not pleased with you, then you need to be prepared for the possibility of them getting bribed in. Just beef up defenses near their border or if they are further away, be prepare for them sneaking in a small stack. Also, note that if your power rating is rather higher than these allies then you can demand gold or techs of them which will also create a peace treaty. However, if they are not much of a threat anyway, that ploy might not be worth it, especially if you might befriend them later.

 

[Mylene]

You can see it coming by checking the techs the AI you attack has, assuming Pacal with FIN was fairly advanced so he had enough to bribe others in on you. What you need to do here is wait with begs for small gold sums until you need 10 turn peace, beg it on the turn you attack.

Oh and if Stalin was a neighbour, scout where his stack is
If near you, you shouldn't have attacked if that stack is a danger, Stalin can go to war at pleased even without bribes (i think? lazy to check ~~)

 

[MarigoldRan]

Ask for 10 gold from every pleased AI that you're not planning to war with.

This stops them from backstabbing.

 

[Keilah]

I really feel like the gold-begging is an exploit and hate that everyone advises it :|

 

[kossin]

I really feel like the gold-begging is an exploit and hate that everyone advises it :|

It's no worse than the 'here, I will vassal to you in exchange for your DoW' mechanic. It's poorly implemented so there's a poor workaround.

 

[Keilah]

It's no worse than the 'here, I will vassal to you in exchange for your DoW' mechanic. It's poorly implemented so there's a poor workaround.

That one infuriates me as well but i think it was how the game was intended to be. What there should be, is a system where you voluntarily pay an AI for ten turns of peace, like when they make a demand from you. Then they can choose whether or not to accept your peace offering. Oh well.

 

[CaF]

I think Pacal is exactly the AI that has the highest chance to bribe someone on you if you are in a war with him.

There are some ways to avoid those bribes. Begging gold is one option that gives you a time window. Another one is starting a chain war. You declare on Pacal, you bribe someone on Pacal, then bribe another one on your war ally etc. Once everyone is in a war they won't be bribed on you.

You have to know the candidates who can be bribed on you at pleased. Here is a list:

All russian leaders (Cathy can be bribed at friendly on you)
All french leaders
Alex
Bismarck
The Khans
Izzy
Julius
The Chinese
Mansa
Pacal
Monty
Shaka
Sulei
Sury
Toku
Zara
Vicky

 

[MarigoldRan]

Back-stabbing, no-good Russians.