I'm new to being behind in Civ 3...help on bringing down Numero Uno

Flavor Dave

Warlord
Joined
Dec 31, 2001
Messages
146
The English have easily the most landmass. Unfortunately, I'm Greece. I have a fairly large border with England, and France has a small one, and Russia a medium one. Japan and China are in another hemisphere, and the Romans have long since been consigned to the dustbin of history.

I've been preparing to attack England for a long, long time. They just have too many cities. I've had MPPs with the French and Russians for a long time, around 30 turns. Unfortunately, ;) the English have attacked none of us.

Now with the Dam built, I would like to attack. I have a few tanks, and many more on the way. I have choke points set up, defended with multiple units in fortresses. I have allies. I have many cavalry and infantry. I have many cities with factories and barracks. It's time to cut the English down to size...and in a little added bonus, their city of Neapolis is just across the border, and has two saltpeter resources (I have neither saltpeter nor coal. Getting Neapolis will reduce to one the items I'm forced to trade for.)

The English have a man-o-war that has ended its turn in my waters for the 3rd straight turn. What's the best way to go to war?

1. Click on the man-o-war and declare war...I don't know how Civ 3 functions, but to me it's common sense that doing that would reduce if not eliminate my reputation hit. Elizabeth keeps SAYING she's gonna move out, but she doesn't.

2. Go to the diplomatic advisor and declare war from there.

3. Keep putting troops in English territory to goad them into declaring war.

Please advise...I'll be returning to the game tomorrow night.
 
Declare war from the foreign advisor screen so your rep doesn't take a hit. Also before you go to war, check your military advisor to see if they are way stronger than you. If you have a spy that helps even more.
 
my way to get them to declare war would involve an 'attempt' at espionage that I WANT to fail. Then repeat the process two or three times until england declared war on me, thus, initializing my MPP's.

but I dont know if you yet have that capability.
 
Intelligence agency is being built...I'll check and see how long until it's finished.

In retrospect, I should have mentioned that I'm on monarchy level. And I don't mean to brag when I say I'm new to coming from behind. The Civ 2 problem of "hard early, easy late" seems exacerbated in Civ 3. There have been many games I've quit and started over.

Since I'm the Greeks, and I discovered iron working very early, I decided to go to war early with the Romans. (Vet Hoplites and vet swordsmen are a great combination, and you might as well take advantage of the Golden Age. But it seems that the English benefited more than me, since they were able to claim lots of territory that normally would have gone to the Romans, but they were too busy fending me off to settle it.

I'm considering switching to communism, in order to keep the war going a while without worrying about war weariness, but I've got several police stations, so I think I'll stick with democracy.

Is there any screen from which to check how long my MPPs have left?
 
Originally posted by poprawkz
my way to get them to declare war would involve an 'attempt' at espionage that I WANT to fail. Then repeat the process two or three times until england declared war on me, thus, initializing my MPP's.

but I dont know if you yet have that capability.

Spying probably hurts your reputation. It would be better to just throw down the gauntlets and declare war (through proper diplomatic channels). The MPP's will be activated in due course.
 
Your MPP's should go into effect the first time England attacks one of your units. At least that's what happened when I was on the English side of the coin.
 
If you've got a few Tanks and lots more coming, I'd postpone the war till you've got lots of Tanks around. The AI always has a large standing army, and it will be able to build units faster than you, so having a maximally strong army when the fighting begins should be top priority.

If you trust your allies alot, sell Mechanized Transportation to 'em if they don't already have it - that way they'll be much more effective against the English.
 
As far as I know if you use the Diplomacy screen and go to Active on the negotiations and renegotiate peace. Refuse to reneg. and you can go to war and shouldn't suffer any Rep. Although his Man-o-War will still be in position to attack your cities. Perhaps before that you should engage your allies in a military alliance against England that away maybe they'll initiate hostilities and you'll be obligated to join the fight.

I recently have done that against the Egyptians and has resulted in Egypt attacking all my allies and I sneak in and take their Northern cities.
 
I'm reluctant to wait for two reasons. First, the English are going to get motorized transport at some point. Second, my MPPs cost me gold. I'd rather start the war before I have to renew them.

I guess there's no place to check when it's going to run out, is there? Stupid game, for that kind of stuff.
Originally posted by civ3rebel
Although his Man-o-War will still be in position to attack your cities.
Not after my battleship blows it up it won't. :lol:
 
Originally posted by Flavor Dave

I guess there's no place to check when it's going to run out, is there? Stupid game, for that kind of stuff.

On the diplomacy screen, click the "active" button near the bottom of the screen.
 
Umm, how does that tell me how many turns are left on a particular agreement? AM I missing something?
 
I'm going from memory here so if I'm wrong someone correct me.
Next to the agreement (ROP) or whatever should be a number in parentheses. Such as (12). That would mean 12 turns left on the deal. If there isn't any number there, then the 20 turns have passed and you can kill or redo the deal.
BTW, with the new patch, there is a option under preferences to automatically bring up the screen to renegotiate after 20 turns.
 
Well, I went to war, and took several cities. As did the Russians and the French. When I finished the UN, I gave everyone something, then scheduled a vote. 4-2 in my favor.

I've never won a diplo victory before. Sweet!!
 
Originally posted by Flavor Dave
Well, I went to war, and took several cities. As did the Russians and the French. When I finished the UN, I gave everyone something, then scheduled a vote. 4-2 in my favor.

I've never won a diplo victory before. Sweet!!
:goodjob:
 
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