Diplomatic Victory?

[Abaddon]

Ok.. I have never even TRIED to win via a Diplomatic Victory... how do you go about doing it?

 

[del62]

What level and map size are you attempting?

Basically dont destroy cities, trade with AI, and when you get to modern age build the UN, trade with and gift other civs, before UN vote sign ROP and even Mutual Protection Pacts with other civs and the vote should be yours

It is prefereable to choose a scientific tribe and choose scientific opponents, on low levels and standard and above map choose Russians and pop huts, gift you scientific freinds up at age changes and trade with them.

 

[ChaosArbiter]

One method I've read is to find out who your competition is, declare war on him shortly before the election, then get everyone else to declare on him as well. Of course, bribing the voters typically works wonders as well.

 

[Raliuven]

Also, assuming you have captured/built the UN so you can call the vote (the AI won't call the vote so you can't win), figure out who will be your opponent in the vote - there are usually only 2 candidates, but I've seen three (including myself). If you can clearly determine your 'enemy', then you can bribe every AI into a war with that AI. Since the AI will not vote for someone they are war with, if you have been even a little nice to the others - and if you have a military pact against the other AI they will be more favorable towards you anyway - you will win.

Some may see this a bit of a 'cheat', but then again, so is gifting techs and gold 2 turns before the UN builds . . .

Be careful though - the AI with the highest score may not be your enemy. It is driven by population and territory (and the UN, obviously ). I don't use assist programs and I have stumbled over this distinction before.

**Edit - cross post with ChaosArbiter - sorry about that**

 

[Ataxerxes]

What level and map size are you attempting?

Basically dont destroy cities, trade with AI, and when you get to modern age build the UN, trade with and gift other civs, before UN vote sign ROP and even Mutual Protection Pacts with other civs and the vote should be yours

It is prefereable to choose a scientific tribe and choose scientific opponents, on low levels and standard and above map choose Russians and pop huts, gift you scientific freinds up at age changes and trade with them.

Careful about MPP's. They might hurt you more than help you because everybody else likes you less. The most important thing, already mentioned, is to give gifts to everybody except your rival shortly before the vote. I'd only sign ROP right before the vote - I don't trust the AI.

 

[GamezRule]

I got a diplomatic victory once and the only way I could get everybody to be nice was signing MPP's with them.

 

[CELTICEMPIRE]

I never win diplomatically, although I have lost with it.

 

[CKS]

To get the AI to vote for you, they need to be polite or gracious. The AI attitude article in the war academy explains how to make them like you. ROPs, alliances, killing mutual enemies, monetary gifts, and resource deals are ways to get the AI to be happier with you. Unless you raze a lot of cities, gifts at the end coupled with an alliance against your opponent will work. If you raze a lot of cities, it may be a lost cause.

Many years ago SirPleb played GOTM 32 as always war until the turn before he completed the UN, whereupon he made peace, held the vote, and won a diplomatic victory. His write-up is very interesting. (The third spoiler, with links to the first two, is at http://forums.civfanatics.com/showpost.php?p=1971268&postcount=14)

 

[GamezRule]

I thought somebody you were at war with would never vote for you?

 

[ChaosArbiter]

I think you're right, but:

until the turn before he completed the UN, whereupon he made peace

 

[GamezRule]

I mean I thought that somebody you had ever been at war with at one time, even if you were at peace now, would not vote for you.

 

[Abaddon]

So just bribe them lots, and never piss them off. Rightyo, HOF here I come

 

[Raliuven]

I mean I thought that somebody you had ever been at war with at one time, even if you were at peace now, would not vote for you.

You can be at war with them all game long. But the more units you destroy the harder it is to make smiley faces out of them later. And if you raze cities - that is a BIG no, no. They will never forgive you for that - and that includes disbanding a city you have captured, even it has been yours for the last 1000 years.

If I find I need to be ruthless with a Civ, I eliminate them so they don't have a vote later. Otherwise I do light warring against the other Civ. Basically, if they declare on me, I will fight a light, defensive war. I might take a few cities if it is save (no auto-raze). If I declare on them, it is wipe them out. I still try to avoid auto-razing though.

I think it helps if you keep your rep intact too. Not sure on that.

But you need to enter into some sort of alliance - RoP, MPP, military alliance, etc. to get them to gracious as far as I can tell. You don't need to make them gracious to make them vote for you, but it helps - I see it as a lock on their vote. I've never had an AI be gracious and not vote for me.

 

[Spoonwood]

AI attitude comes as easier to get to gracious if you have it on least aggression, since with least aggression, the AIs start at "Polite" instead of "annoyed". I have seen gracious plenty of times without alliances.