Do you give in to AI demands in the Ancient Age?

[anarres]

So, do you?

Please state difficulty level as well as it is quite different from one end of the spectrum to another. For this reason I haven't made a poll (context is everything you know )

Me: Yes, always (unless I want a war with them, and I am ready for it), deity (and emporer for tourney games).

P.S. The inspiration for this was getting 5 demands on the same turn in my current tourney 4-2 game, costing me about 160 gold. It was around 1500BC.

 

[WildFire]

Depends if I am a Civ where I am comfertable in declaring war in the ancient ages (which is a possibility if I don't give tribute). This happens to me from monarch and up and if I am Persia, the Iriqouis, Carthage or some other civ with a good UU than I will pay. Of course, sometimes I give it because I might be lacking a military because I decided to build so whenever that happens, I give in without even thinking twice. But if I refuse, of course I am the one getting the Military Alliances

 

[Lord Vetinari]

What i always do is build tons of spearmen fast, let them demand, and usualy they says something about paperwork, or some other BS like that.

 

[zak]

I play on regent, and I don't pay tribute. Early in the game I put an emphasis on connecting my cities and building defensive units (although this hurts my early growth somewhat and I doubt I could get away with it on higher levels). I don't get a lot of tribute demands, and when they do, they rarely declare war if I click the bottom option (I think its "That's enough for now.").

The most annoying feature of early wars is that it takes forever to get your forces to the enemy cities (and between their cities since they are often unconnected). I don't know how you guys manage early swordsman rush strategies.

 

[philippe]

never, i say:f*** you i gonna stick that demand in a place where the sunlight doesnt shine...

 

[Darkness]

I play mostly regent/monarch and I only give in if I'm not ready for war right away and the AI's already at my borders....

 

[Strikefang]

I play on Warlord (almost ready for the next level, Regent I think) and I give in - however I mark down the civs for later, I may lose 100 or more gold, but I gain everything they have come the middle ages and later. But if I have an army ready for war, I say "Shove it" and march to battle.

 

[Lt. 'Killer' M.]

usually not, except if there is a high chance they will bring others into the war or if I already am at war (Emperor).

But I rarely get extrotet, somehow the AIs are too busy fighting each other.

 

[Quandary]

All but my present game have been at regent, current one is monarch.

Yes, I give it up if they're actually a threat. I generally tell early Civs on other continents go get lost though. I once had an 800 year war with Rome, they declared it when I refused tribute, with not one single fight.

- It lets me concentrate on maximizing my cities early on.

- It give me a good "role playing" reason to kick the sh#t out of them when I have the upper hand later on.

By avoiding wars early on, I can later concentrate my full attention to building a war machine since my cities will already have everything they need.

Last, other than the F-15, there are no late era cultural unit advantages. Level playing field based only on tech. I have MI and MA, they have infantry and tanks, time to rock the house and get some payback.

 

[billindenver]

I play on Monarch, and I give in about 1/2 the time. I never start building any military until I've settled as much land as possible. After all my cities are set, I start building out military. Up til then, I pretty much have to give in.

 

[Moulton]

Depends on the situation. Regent... going up next game. With America, they are usually bluffing... but this game, my first on a standard map, (as Russia) it turns out they were not....
I stood them off, but could not make any headway, and we both agreed to quit... but when I got KNights.... pillaged their whole country, and took a couple of cities. Settled for tech, and then wiped them out with Hussars. Ancient era is hard for me, unless I have a civ with a UU for the ancient era. If they are a real threat, then I will pay.

 

[Grille]

Playing on monarch (raging barbs) and usually being behind in tech (I trade away money for tech) in the ancient, there's not much to ask for (...they simply attack). If they demand for something and I've *only* built up defense, they get it. In fact, they rarely ask for donations in this period.
On the other hand, having nice early offensive UU, I get kind of upset when ai bluffs and doesn't declare war on me.

 

[JonathanValjean]

On Emperor and Deity, I always give in to demands in the ancient age. On Monarch, I assess the situation and act accordingly.

 

[Quokka]

On Emperor I give in to demands almost all the time. The only time I don't is when that is what I want that particular Civ to do. Deny and a blame free war.
I generally try and keep myself pretty poor until, by buying techs, contacts or embassies until I am ready.

 

[jack merchant]

On monarch, most of the time. I prefer going to war on my own terms against a target of my choosing. I'll refuse if the civ making the demand looks weak enough.
On emperor I give in basically all of the time. Buying alliances so that they do not buy alliances against you is much more expensive. Plus with the free units the AI gets at the beginning they are generally in a position to do some actual damage.

 

[sealman]

seems like everyone is saying it all depends and that is my answer as well. I will NEVER pay tribute to the Babylonians though (personal grivience lasting through MANY games).

If the civs is far away from me, nope. If close, depends on how good my natural defeneces are, ie mountains, rivers, and other civs.

 

[Speaker]

If a Deity Civ demands tribute, what can you do? We all saw how the Defiant Nationalists did....

 

[Gothmog]

I always give in... unless they are way across the world from me and I already have embasies built; or I want a war with them - Diety.

 

[Cartouche Bee]

Emperor and below never. Deity if the demanding civ is close in proximity and I don't want the fight I will (or if the demand is real low) but if they are far away (20 tiles at least = 20 turns) I'll refuse and if they want to start a war then I spend that tribute money to get their neighbors to join an alliance with me against them, let the neighbors fight the war for me.

 

[TrailblazingScot]

I usually give tribute...

But a few scenarios that are nasty arise:

1. The DEMAND EVERY TURN SCENARIO. I've had everything stripped, if I make 1 gold it will be taken, I've even had A.I demand NOTHING as they wanted to demand but I had nothing to give and it was too early to give maps.

2. I turn down a demand and get rewarded with a costly war and regreat not giving into the demand.


At the higher difficulty levels or later on in the game when they pay other civs to gang up on you it is best to pay unless you are in a position to fight a war and that so often depends on the civ you are and the terrain you got access to.