Disputed Territory?

[Aussie_Lurker]

Well, I definitely like the idea of using an MS Paint system to claim land during diplomacy (but this would obviously be limited to land known to both parties), but for other claiming of land, I feel you should require a fort or outpost, the units to occupy it, and the culture to back it up.
Basically, a fort built in neutral or enemy territory gives you no border, but for every unit you place in it, you boost the border by 1 tile in each direction. However, the maximum border size you can get is limited by your current culture-no matter HOW many units you place in there. Culture also determines how far from your own border you can use this method for land claiming. In diplomacy, you can trade, sell, demand or cede these forts to/from other nations (as an adjunct to the MS Paint method above).
Lastly, if you sacrifice an explorer unit in neutral territory, you can 'claim' that land for your nation.
If neutral territory, claimed in any of the ways mentioned above, is ever overlapped by another civs cultural border, then that land becomes 'Disputed'. Disputed territory cannot be used by either side for resource development or city building-nor does it count for victory purposes. Disputed territories may be sacrificed, demanded or traded within the diplomacy screen.

Yours,
Aussie_Lurker.

 

[SenJarJar]

I realize that this is an old thread, please forgive me: I only recently caught on that Civ4 is being released this year.

Let's say that your hold over a certain piece of land lacks much legitimacy. And let's say that a rival nation builds a city nearby whose culture overlaps this territory. Then at some point, your domestic and military advisor could warn you that the natives of that territory desires to change loyalties. And then a couple of turns later, your military advisor could pop up and tell you that the natives are about to rebel. Another pop up could then ask you whether you want to fight for the land or let it go. If you don't want to fight, then the territory would switch hands peacefully. If you decide that the territory is worth fighting over, especially because it is a natural choke point or because it holds a vital resource, then a fighting force or three of random strength could spring up from within the territory with which you must do battle. These could be special rebel units which belong to the rival nation. Engaging these rebels would then prompt the rival nation to choose either to assist the rebels or stay out of the conflict. And if they stayed out of the conflict, then you wouldn't necessarily be at war with your rival--you'd just be at war with these units which your rival would control.

 

[Slyk]

Interesting concept. But isn't this in effect what you do by building cities/settlements? You go out and explore as much ground as possible to locate potential settlement sites and resources...you in theory 'claim' all the land you explore, right? Admit it.. I got here first it's mine, I want it... And when another civ comes along you panic and try to rush off settlers in that direction to establish your cities and form up a border quickly.

I think the current system does all that is noted above, just more efficiently. I could see a possible mod allowing you to establish an outpost or something, in addition to a resource colony. The outpost could create a sphere of influence just like a city, and could possibly be tied to the diplomatic formulas so that if a civ (or you) dropped a new city overlapping the outpost, you risked war? As a thought...

 

[Corvex]

The difference is that the AI doesn't usually declare war when you start settling in its hinterland.