Interesting observation on Diplomacy

Flynn

Chieftain
Joined
Nov 25, 2001
Messages
67
Difficulty: Regent
Map: Marla Singer's Cylindrical Earth (GREAT MAP!)
My Civ: French
# Rival Civs: 7
Year: around 1200 AD

I had positive relations with all rivals, but the Americans had been voraciously expanding for the entire game. I'd already cut into their territory with battles about 1000 years before, but they had a couple of remaining cities around that I really wanted. So I launched a massive musketeer attack on them.

After the first turn at war, I approached all the other civs on the continent and asked for a military alliance against the Americans. With some minor bribes, they all agreed.

What I didn't expect was the increase in my reputation with those other civs. I'd basically sneak attacked the Americans (well, invaded their territory then declared war when they asked me to leave), so I was expecting a decline in international relations. But everyone jumped on board.

Here's the interesting part... when I play peaceful strats (and I am in this game), I have a strong policy of limited warfare. I go for city blitzes, in this case grabbing 4 size 12 cities from the Americans. I took the cities on 3 different fronts (the Americans had expanded so much, I had 3 borders with them -- you can see why I jumped them), smashed the counter-offensive (stupid AI should never have moved off those mountains), and signed a peace treaty.

The interesting part was, my allies got mad! They went from gracious to annoyed! I couldn't believe it! That was totally unexpected, and frankly, really great game code. They *should* get mad, since I asked them to get behind me in a war, and about the time they started mobilizing troops, I sign a treaty -- sticking them with facing the Americans on their own.

A few give aways worked wonders though. I'm particularly fond of giving away luxury resources for reputation effects. It works great, and the cost only lasts 20 turns. The extra luxury doesn't do my civ any real good anyway.

At any rate, I thought people might find that interesting. Togetherness in military action brings tribes closer, but don't turn your back, or they'll think you're waffling.
 
VERY interesting observation!
I havn't been in that situation before but it could come in handy. I'll keep it in mind. I too use extra lux as reputation healers if they can't afford buying it from me.
 
My observation - your allies got mad cos you broke your military alliance with them by making peace with the Americans. You got them to attk using a military alliance right? You'll have to wait 20 turns for the alliance to expire before you can freely make peace with the common enemy.
I learned this too once when wondering why the whole world turned against me after I made peace with the invaders who were pouring into my lands (I got the whole world to aid me to fight them). Actually, I realized it after the end of the game. :crazyeyes
 
Actually, I've noticed that's true even if you're not allied. Making peace with a civ's enemy, period, makes them annoyed.
 
That means that forming alliances for wars mandates a minimum 20-turn war, eh? That's way longer than I normally like to fight them. I guess I have a real Colin Powell approach to war. If my objectives take longer than 10 turns, I had the wrong objectives or wasn't prepared.
 
My first post here. Anyway:
This has happened to me, too. I had taken 3 or 4 cities off the Romans in a war I didn't start (they were attacking everyone), I made peace, and a few rounds later they were up to the old 'put their troops in my territory' trick. I challenged them, they declared war, and I knew I would lose 'my' cities (the ones I took off them in the first place) when a massive pile of cavalry came over the hill to give me a kicking.
So, I immediately got every nation within spitting distance to declare war and trade embargos. This was easy as the Romans had broken treaties with practically everyone, so everyone except one or two nations thought it was a good idea. This enabled me to hang on for a few turns, and I began to think it wasn't hopeless, merely desperate.
So, I moved my troops out of the two most threatened cities, sold them to someone else for an exorbitant amount, and of course immediately the Romans moved in. I then made peace with the Romans, thinking I had just done some nifty work to make vast profit out of a situation where I would have got badly done by.
Trouble is, three civs that were gracious with me became annoyed, and where before I just had Romans to deal with, now it's the Egyptians, English, and Russians as well.
If I'd held on fighting for a bit and not asked for peace, it would have been fine. Oh well, what a great game!
 
I have noticed the same thing as well. As the Americans, went to war with the Aztecs, the Zulus Joined in, and then they went to Annoyed/Furious with me, and this is after we had been at peace for over 2000 years!

ironfang
 
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