How does coveting lands work?

[LoneDragon]

I am on a huge map. I expanded in the direction of America. They are the closest civ to me and they do not covet lands that I own. Hiawatha and Napoleon both covet lands that I own, but they are halfway around the world from me and I only even know where their capitals are because I have embassies.
I don't think anyone is able to cross ocean yet and I have explored as far as coasts would allow to the west, from north to south pole there is no other path west. So the only way to get to them lies east. But my capital is my easternmost city, so I have in no way expanded in their direction all game. Either of them expanding anywhere near my territory would be ludicrous, even if every landmass to my immediate east were not covered in city-states. So what's the deal?

Off topic: Why does the spellcheck consider "km" to be a legitimate word?

 

[shaglio]

Off topic: Why does the spellcheck consider "km" to be a legitimate word?

It's the abbreviation of kilometers.

 

[danaphanous]

some AI are more likely to covet then others--usually the early warmongers. It has to do with them seeing your land and if it looks good (aka: has a lot of resources and luxuries) they can "covet" it. So you trading embassy for embassy to those guys was the cause. Your capital probably looks nice and they are jealous--this is all that's going on. If they are far away don't worry about it, I've never seen land envy cause wars unless the "covetor" was a neighbor. And actually, for this reason I sometimes won't give my embassy to a warlike neighbor unless they have already found and scouted my capital. It reduces the likelihood of them liking what they see and invading to take it.

 

[LoneDragon]

From what I can see, they both have better capitals than me! They both got rivers and I did not and Paris has 2 stone and 2 crabs.

And I thought abbreviations were supposed to be capitalized or I probably would have realized that. lol

 

[danaphanous]

It doesn't matter if their capital is better, just that yours also looks good to them lol. You probably have some luxuries they don't have or something, don't worry about it.

 

[LoneDragon]

I will never understand the AI's decisions in this game. Now America has skipped the entire north part of their landmass, where they could have fit a dozen or more cities(especially the way the AI likes to cram their cities together), and planted 3 cities on a smaller landmass right next to my landmass!

 

[sunbeam]

Yeah.

I don't think I have ever had a scout encounter one of Shaka's troops without seeing the "covets your lands" blurb. And no unit of his has so much as seen my borders. But immediately, as soon as my existence is revealed to him, without the slightest idea of what my lands are like or where they are, Shaka "covets them."

Think Attila is same way, but strangely in a way Genghis isn't. He's usually pretty mellow when you meet him.

Alexander is another coveter though.

 

[danaphanous]

^^^
I'm not so sure about this. I've never seen the "covets your land" modifier without them at least seeing my border. True, some AI get it with very little preliminary scouting but in my experience it doesn't appear if they haven't seen part of my land. I suspect you missed a scout that was skirting your border in those games. Another note: AI that get the "covet your land" modifier when they have seen very little of your land and are nearby usually are planning to invade you. Like 90% likelihood. You can forestall it by bribing them to attack someone else instead, they don't seem to care as long as they have someone's land to invade.

 

[miaasma]

i've gotten the covet modifier very early in the game before the specified AI (usually some crazy warmonger like attila or shaka) has had the chance to see my border

some AI will almost always covet regardless of how far apart your lands are; i'm not sure i've ever seen "you have no contested borders" under shaka's name and monty is another common offender

 

[apocalypse105]

Coveting land doesnt mean they will declare war or be hostile. i've had catherine coveting my land but still wanted a decleration of friendship. Just dont settle near them. but settle away from them some AI will leave you allone if you send trade routes and sell luxuries.

i've noticed if you sell youre resources for half the price on standard 3 gold per turn for a luxury instead of 7 it helps a lot.

Notice that some leaders will be deceptive however certain leaders have high loyalty rating and can be trusted best way to notice if AI will not dow is : they send A LOT OF trade routes to you. They ask to renew deals. and regularlly ask for shall we declare war against...

 

[apocalypse105]

some AI are more likely to covet then others--usually the early warmongers. It has to do with them seeing your land and if it looks good (aka: has a lot of resources and luxuries) they can "covet" it. So you trading embassy for embassy to those guys was the cause. Your capital probably looks nice and they are jealous--this is all that's going on. If they are far away don't worry about it, I've never seen land envy cause wars unless the "covetor" was a neighbor. And actually, for this reason I sometimes won't give my embassy to a warlike neighbor unless they have already found and scouted my capital. It reduces the likelihood of them liking what they see and invading to take it.

dont let your guard down my spy shared intrigue that montezuma was marching a sneak atack against my capital while we where friendly and he had to move all the way to another continent and move to the other corner i thought the spy was joking but he wasnt massive trebuches and swordsman at my border.

How did i solve it i asked montezuma to declare war to another person funny part was i saw al the soldiers turn back to their home land to atack his neigbhour crazy monty haha

i've seen napoleon atack me withouth reason and march all the way up me..

 

[LoneDragon]

I'm in a never-ending war with Washington now. No mercy since he tried to build a city in the middle of my territory, then after I beat the snot out of him, his offer for peace included me giving him 6 of my cities!! I was and still am winning with no losses and he wanted all of my cities except my capital! I have since rejected all reasonable offers of peace out of spite. Basically at this point I am using him to create an army of ultimate elite longbowmen.