How to get past protection pacts

[Zarathustra465]

So I was busy conquering the world one day, when I faced a dilemma. The next country in line for execution had mutual protection pacts with two of the three other countries besides mine and the victim. I didn't want to go to war with them, since that would take longer than I wanted. So what I did was to also form mutual protection pacts with those countries, and also with the third. Then, when I declared war, my newer pact overrided my target's old pacts, so it was 4 v 1. The slaughter ended quickly.

 

[Shabbaman]

I don't get it. I thought that MPP only works when you get attacked and that alliances are for the offensive.

 

[JonFitt]

He's right. The simple solution would be to get MPPs with all the civs the target civ has, and then to make him declare war on you. That way they jump to your aid. They won't when you're the aggressor. It's a protection pact, not an alliance.

 

[Zarathustra465]

I know, but it still worked for me. As soon as I declared war, the people who I had pacts with jumped right in to help me. Maybe my game's just screwy.

 

[Moff Jerjerrod]

Originally posted by Zarathustra465
I know, but it still worked for me. As soon as I declared war, the people who I had pacts with jumped right in to help me. Maybe my game's just screwy.

Well maybe not. Was any of your forces attacked by your target in your own territory? If that's the case then poof, your mpp with your opponents mpp buddies get's activated.

 

[Zarathustra465]

Not really. I just declared war in a diplomacy chat thingy and then my pact members declared war too. Very odd.

 

[Moff Jerjerrod]

Hmmm.....that is odd. Anyone else out there care to venture a guess on why this happened?

 

[Mephisto]

maybe their mpp expired at that turn. ??? it could happen.

 

[Mad Bomber]

Even if it did expire on that turn the MPP would not have kicked in. Maybee the A.I's were restless & hadn't had a good war in a while?

 

[Redbled]

Here's the answer guys. MPP's allow you to declare war without getting in trouble. Its the first country to attack another's territory that triggers the MPP. I use this often. If I want to attack a country who has a MPP with another country, I sign one with that country myself and declare war. Once they attack me, the other civ attacks them, making wars so much easier.

 

[Mephisto]

yeh, i notice that too. the problem w/ this is, you have to take the first blow to get the mpp on your side to work. and sometimes, the first blow is the most brutal, and unpredictable one. ie, it's hard to plan the counter attack.

 

[hbdragon88]

MPPs are screwy. In one game the French rode in at least 15 calvary into my territory (overkill!). I told them to get out, and they declared war on me. They had a whole bunch of MPPs with other civs that should have kicked in against me, but instead all four other civs declared war on the French. I later re-loaded the game cause I can't use my military effectively; thus, I can't successfully wage an offensive war or defensive war.

 

[Zarathustra465]

I was conducting my campaign with 60+ cossacks. This is usually enough to overpower a small country.

 

[The Last Conformist]

Quite aside from MPPs, I find that the AIs often act like vultures - if a civ suddenly ends up in trouble (I may've just launched an invasion of their territory, f'rinstance), alot of other AI civs might declare war on it, for no apparent reason beyond greed for the spoils.

 

[kb2tvl]

The approach mentioned is the one approach to taking out a larger enemy. Get mpp's with their allies, set a bunch of workers *fortified* on your border(unstacked) and declare war. This will draw his attacking units to the workers and not onto your cities while causing his mpp allies to declare war on him. Having 15 or so workers in the open should absorb most of his offensive power...

 

[Allemand]

Right, women and children in front strategy.

 

[Mephisto]

 

[hbdragon88]

Is this an exploit? Maybe it ought to be on the "Cheats" page on the Civ III section of Civ Fanatics Center...

 

[Zarathustra465]

Well, if the AI has a conscience, then this is a perfect defensive strategy.