Does who starts the war matter to ill feeling?

[MinnesotaRuss]

Does it matter that my opponent starts a war or not? It seems to me that it doesn't or maybe I take it too far. If I am at war with an opponent, I usually take as many cities as I can before I peter out. Is this why everyone hates me? Is there a magic number of cities that's "okay" to take without residual bad feelings from others? How long do I need to be war free before I build up good feelings? I would think that opponents take into consideration whether I was aggressive (starting the war) or merely defending myself? Heck, we were at war with England in the 1775 or so and by 1868, we're almost the best of friends with them under U S Grant and since then, we share secrets and everything. (Of course, race and language had a lot to do with something to do with this. US, England, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.)
Anyway, in Civ VI, does it matter who starts a war?

 

[Victoria]

I will give a brief rundown of the key points.

If you declare a formal war (denounce and wait 5 turns or if they denounce you) you get
0 warmonger points in the ancient era
6 in the classical
12 in the medi
18 in the renaissance
24 in the industrial or later

Each city you take you get half that amount.
The last city of a civ x3 of the half.

However

If you declare a surprise war the cost is 1,5 x
If you are defender you always get 1.5 x but you do not get the declaration.

So an enemy declares a formal war in the modern era they get 24 for the declaration and 12 for taking 1 city.. that’s 36 warmonger points.

You then fight back and take 3 cities (including your own back)
You get 3 x 18 = 54 warmonger points

You loose 1 warmonger point every 2 turns.
There is a lot of other things but that’s the basics and should answer your question.

 

[Scaramanga]

I did not know that warmongering decays. Thanks

 

[MinnesotaRuss]

I will give a brief rundown of the key points.

If you declare a formal war (denounce and wait 5 turns or if they denounce you) you get
0 warmonger points in the ancient era
6 in the classical
12 in the medi
18 in the renaissance
24 in the industrial or later

Each city you take you get half that amount.
The last city of a civ x3 of the half.

However

If you declare a surprise war the cost is 1,5 x
If you are defender you always get 1.5 x but you do not get the declaration.

So an enemy declares a formal war in the modern era they get 24 for the declaration and 12 for taking 1 city.. that’s 36 warmonger points.

You then fight back and take 3 cities (including your own back)
You get 3 x 18 = 54 warmonger points

You loose 1 warmonger point every 2 turns.
There is a lot of other things but that’s the basics and should answer your question.

 

[Victoria]

@MinnesotaRuss you did not say anything with the quote

 

[Victoria]

I did not know that warmongering decays. Thanks

Its weird, it sort of decays 1 point per turn for a couple of turns before settling down...

This from diplomacy_modifiers.csv gives you an idea... 144 was actually the turn of war start