How do I get them to acknowledge my envoy?

[Rosicrucian]

I've been reading a lot about having wars with well defined goals, such as to get a certain city, or take a resource, etc.

Well that's dandy.

But - how do I get them to acknowledge my envoy so I can sue for peace, once I've completed my goals? I've been frittering away in Monarchy in this war with the Zulus for about 2 dozen turns now, all over some saltpetre I captured in the 2nd turn of the war.

Any advice?

 

[rdomarat]

If I've attacked a civ unprovoked, I've noticed that I'll often need to burn three or four of their cities to the ground before they start to acknowledge my envoy.

This often leads to a nice cultural buffer zone around my original target anyway.

Reg

 

[Brutal]

I have noticed that if you have a city of thiers you are about to capture and most of your own cities are secure they will usually but not all the time talk to you. I have never been able to obtain peace within twenty turns of the start of a war. The harder you kick them the better your chances at getting a peace treaty.

 

[mmmBEER]

There must be a threshold for: strength of attack, number of cities captured, their unit strength, their threat, disposition of opponent, and number of turns of the war.

In my last game, I had virtually wiped both the Americans and the Zulus off the map before they would listen too me. Even after fairly long wars. On the other hand, I had taken several of the Babylonian's cities in several turns and they were ready to deal.

I'd love to hear what real calculations are used. I love not having to invade every single city.

 

[dozenlong]

The quicker and harsher you demolish them, the sooner they will make peace. Also, subsequent conflicts delay their willingness to acknowledge an envoy.

 

[Buecephalus]

An extreme example of the AI's stubborness:

I was playing a quick conquest game (tiny, continental) with 3 other civs. I wiped out the French and Zulus who were sharing a continent with me. The English had a continent to themselves. I built the Lighthouse and now had the ability to take the fight to Elizabeth. I conquered all but one of her cities w/ Chinese Riders. As I approached the last city I hailed her. She says, "So Mao, I assume you are here to offer your surrender?"
I laughed my butt off and then wiped her out. The AI can be thickheaded to very end no?



"do or do not, there is no try."

 

[gormtheold]

Kind of a side point to the main point, if you nuke them will they be so mad they never acknowledge your envoy? I was well on my way on the spaceship as Japanese on Regent and was perfectly willing to leave everybody in peace when the Iroquois attacked me. I took a few cities, but it got old (my people started to rebel even though they'd started it) and I had to go to communism (always play religious, always play religious). It went worse and worse for them and they wouldn't talk and they wouldn't talk, so I briefly considered using my six nukes (3 ICBMs and 3 on subs--only acquired so as to have a deterrent without any thought of actually using them). They had no nukes (nor space flight so no close chance of getting them).

If I'd have unloaded on them, would I have been stuck in communism for the duration?

 

[Hurricane]

In my current game (Emperor) I attacked the English and captured 2 of their cities (they had about 10), and rumbled on with my army against London. At this time they were ready to give all their money and luxuries for a peace treaty, but I rejected it and captured London (with the Oracle) instead. This left them with some 8 crappy cities in a large jungle, but they would not offer anything for peace after this.

My conclusion is that they indeed are more willing to have peace discussions when they are afraid of losing something important in the short term (like a wonder or a large city) - the big picture (relative strengths of armies) is not that important.

This fact is also strengthened by another example from the same game. My kingdom (Iroquis) is in the middle of a long and narrow continent, and I have the Greeks to the North and the French to the South. They have to pass my territory to reach each other. Well, for some reason the French declared war on the Greeks and started marching through my territory northwards. They had mostly Swordsmen and Hoplites, so it took about 30-40 rounds. They had no Right of Passage with me but I decided it was better if they could fight each other instead of me so I just let them pass. And what happens? As soon as the French reaches Greek territory (with some 50 units) they make a peace treaty!!!

Both armies are about equally strong, but the Greeks were busy with the English (just like me), so when the French were threatering a Greek city (with a very superior local advantage), the Greeks were quick to make peace.

Conclusion: it might be better to threaten an important enemy city than actually capture it.

 

[zebomba]

If you keep breaking your word, the AI gets mad and prefers to die.
I made it to Xerxes. 1 city left, but re refused nevertheless.