how long to fight a war

[KaptainK714]

I've gotten over many of the nubbie bad habits of lower levels. I expand until no land is left or get attacked. Playing Monarch level Republic mostly sometimes Monarchy-in medieval age with knights.

My question is, how long to extend a war with another Civ. I have had a couple games where I'm doing ok taking cities but not as fast as I would like. Suddenly the AI attacks at the other end of the map. Am I not ending the current war even though I am winning it? Does the AI trigger an attack on me if I refuse peace offer form the current Civ I'm at war with or does it have more to do with forced being at the other end of the map?

 

[da3dalus]

So you're saying that another civ is attacking you from the other end of the map? This does happen A LOT, so to avoid it what I usually do is bribe neighbouring civs into war with your enemy which will keep your enemy from doing the same to you.

As for the question "how long" to fight a war: I say as long as you are winning and you are meeting the goals you set before the war. If you're in Monarchy your cities will have no war weariness so you could theoretically wage an endless war without any cost to you other than units.

Many players on CFC have played - and won - Always War games, so it's really dependant on circumstances.

I personally, prefer to set some modest goals before a war such as taking a strategic city (resources, luxuries, etc), or taking a valuable/strategic region, etc. Once those goals are reached, I make peace to rebuild my forces and integrate the newly conquered territories before going on the offensive again. This strategy is the best IMO for Republic.

 

[ChaosArbiter]

I personally, prefer to set some modest goals before a war such as taking a strategic city (resources, luxuries, etc), or taking a valuable/strategic region, etc. Once those goals are reached, I make peace to rebuild my forces and integrate the newly conquered territories before going on the offensive again. This strategy is the best IMO for Republic.

Same here, although my goals aren't always "modest" - I have no problem with a goal being the near- (or total) destruction of a rival civ, although, as I do use Republic most often, I'll often sue for peace if WW gets too high.

Does the AI trigger an attack on me if I refuse peace offer form the current Civ I'm at war with or does it have more to do with forced being at the other end of the map?

Huh? No, your deals with the civ you're stomping don't (or shouldn't) affect other civs. The other one just decided it looked like you were an easy win by the numbers. Getting some MA is a good way to keep them off your back, but I tend not to - if they're really across the world from you, you can usually make peace with them before their units get to you.

 

[Brucha]

I personally, prefer to set some modest goals before a war such as taking a strategic city (resources, luxuries, etc), or taking a valuable/strategic region, etc. Once those goals are reached, I make peace to rebuild my forces and integrate the newly conquered territories before going on the offensive again. This strategy is the best IMO for Republic.

Same here, although my goals aren't always "modest" - I have no problem with a goal being the near- (or total) destruction of a rival civ, although, as I do use Republic most often, I'll often sue for peace if WW gets too high.

I am in full agree with da3dalus and ChaosArbiter about having initial goals in wartime. I always set out my objectives before hand. Once these objectives are gained, I assess the situation as far as continuing the war. There is far too much, I think, in wars to make a generalization as to how long a particular war should last.

However, since a civ on the other side of the map declared war on you, you might as well continue it since you would get war happiness from it! Unless, that is, the war is focing you to divert alot of your resources in fighting it. In alot of past games, a far-flung civ that declared war on me has always been a benefit to me for the war happiness.

 

[EvilConqueror]

My question is, how long to extend a war with another Civ.

Assuming that you're winning, the ideal time to stop is would the enemy is destroyed.

Other times to consider peace would be when your forces are worn down and you've lost momentum, you've achieved your immediate goals, war wariness is becoming an a big issue, or there has been an unpleasant change of circumstances (like another nearby civ declaring).

 

[undertoad]

Interesting question - when to stop a war?

My instinctive answer when playing is "what colour is the enemy? Stop when that colour has disappeared from the map!". But this is not always possible - as others have mentioned, other civs can declare, you can get War Weariness, or the RNG can just decide to consistently hate you and your stack of doom turns into a heap of ridiculousness.

I often go to war with very precise aims, usually to do with resources. I like to anticipate problems and nip them in the bud. For instance, once I've got Mil Tradition, and I see from CivAssist that another civ is about to discover it; I'll wage a limited war to cut off and hold their Saltpetre or Horses (Saltpetre is easier, as less common). This prevents them from building Cavs.

Or I've just got Replaceable Parts, so I can see who has Rubber (even if they can't see it yet). A civ that's discovered Steam Power, or - worse - Electricity, and has Rubber, should look forward to a little chat with my tooled-up "Technological Progress Adjusters". Anyone on the same planet as me should understand that I and only I get to build Infantry, capisce?

Sometimes I'll even wage war to mess up the progress of an enemy JS Bach's. Hands off those preludes and fugues, they're mine! And apart from being a Bach fan, that wonder is particularly useful one.

Often this limited war achieves its aims and goes so well that I just carry on and destroy the civ anyway.

CivAssist's "Enemy civ government changed" alert is a good guide as well. War as a way of keeping AI civs out of Democracy/Republic is always fun to cramp their progress.

 

[Fiddlin Nero]

I make peace to rebuild my forces and integrate the newly conquered territories before going on the offensive again.

This sums it up for me, I would expand on 'integrate the newly conquered territories' to include what the condition of my new border is and how long is it? Too many times I have missed a hole in the border and the AI is very good at finding them. Also, how many units will it take to defend towns and resources within attacking range.

 

[Loki130]

I'm not the best at industry, and the way I fight my military is usually severely depleted within a few turns of a major invasion, so I usually try to make peace when it feels like my initial invasion force is depleted, or I've achieved my main objective. (usually a resource or strip of land) Of course, If i'm invading a particularly large country that I have a distinct military advantage over, I'm willing to stretch out the war. But whatever the case, the moment you lose the initiative (which being successfully invaded counts as, assuming it also means you can't proceed with the invasion at more than a snail's pace) you should go after peace. (though I suggest reclaiming any lost land first)

 

[da3dalus]

If i'm invading a particularly large country that I have a distinct military advantage over, I'm willing to stretch out the war. But whatever the case, the moment you lose the initiative (which being successfully invaded counts as, assuming it also means you can't proceed with the invasion at more than a snail's pace) you should go after peace. (though I suggest reclaiming any lost land first)

Something else to consider when your invading a larger country is that you may want to push the war at the expense of your own research/city improvements because the other civs will tend to dogpile another civ that you've weakened too much. It may be worth it just to keep your rivals from becoming too powerful.

 

[timerover51]

How long a war last with me has little to do with the game, since I play a modified Monarchy, with no problems of war weariness in the game. How long is lasts depends on when I develop war weariness, and either quit the game for a while and do something else, simply abandon the game and start another one, or make peace and then spend some time developing whatever I captured. Sometimes I will go back to a game and keep slogging away until I get tired of it again, or decide to make peace and spend some time building and researching. Other times, I simply decide, that is it, and dump the game. I feel no compulsion to finishing a game that I have started. If it looks like the rest of the game is going to be one long war, or continuous bickering with the AI, I figure that I have better things to do than fight the computer. I also normally have other things outside of Civilization that I should be doing as well.

 

[Spartanism]

I have simply decided to destroy or eliminate the player or spending 50% on lux from war weariness (IMHO once you are in 60% WW other nations are outresearching you and leaving you behind). To perform warfare in a Rep govt demands proper planning and despersition of recources. Often times spending a turn or 2 on the def to destroy the enemies off units is wise. Useing bombarding units is a must for low attrition. i know many players dont like the slow speed of cannons or cats but many times waiting that extra turn leads to fewer losses and the ability to capture the cities quicker.

I have been screwed over with culture flips so much that if Im capturing cities then I just go ahead and take the country. Of course with that strategy Im less likely to get involved in a war and sometimes Ill cower before a bigger enemy.

When I go to war its not just for a resource or some territory but for wonders and for a huge swath of land. I go to war to rewrite history and fundemenatly change the balace of power and change the political roles of nations.

 

[da3dalus]

I personally make good use of artillery/trebs/cannons. I don't mind waiting a few extra turns, I usually send my invasion stack which includes a healthy number of artys and while that stack is slowly (1 move/turn) moving towards their cities their units are smashing themselves futilely against my defenses. Taking your time can be a huge advantage, as you said, you take the cities easier when you bombard defenders and you can get some serious war happiness also. Just make sure your front is heavily defended.

I go to war for the same reasons. Sometimes it's to reshape the political balance of power in the region if I think one AI is too powerfull. I usually bribe neighbouring civs into joining the war too, just to make things a little more difficult for the AI and to make sure he doesn't do the same to me. XD