Isabella IS a nut.

[50_dollar_bag]

I've often read people posting about how nutty Isabella is when it comes to religions. Most games I've had we've shared a religion only a couple of times, which is good of course as she's quite a good ally.

Anyway I'll get to my point. My current game on Emperor (first time it's look like I can win) I'm playing Ragnar of the Vikings, Contintents, Standard size Marathon. Isabella, Bismark and I share 1 continent, Huyana, Alex, Victoria and Wang Kon the other. We're a nice happy Hindu family with Isabella as the head, (Huyana scored Buddhism).

I got into a bit of a builders groove, mostly because I managed to be the first to Paper and Divine Right and had stone so naturally wanted to snag Spiral Minaret and University of Sankore, and also because I didn't want to disturb our happy family. But it had always been my intention to conquer my continent even though all victory conditions seemed possible. So with the discovery of Industrialism circa 1650AD I deemed it about time to get the war machine rolling, Bismark was my target as he was in the middle of Isabella and I, he was down Electricity and Assembly Line so had no infantry and was a we way off Panzers. Unfortunately he was up Flight, Rocketry and of all things Medicine???(first time I've seen a AI research that)

So I spend about 50 turns in Police State(scored the Great General from Fascism ) Vassalage and Theocracy building up my army, looking fearfully at his Gunships wondering how hard this will make my tank's job at attacking cities, not to mention his fighters. Finally I have an army with a power rating not too far below Bismark's who had the highest, so I dial him up to see if there are any sneaky last minute trades I can coax out of him before I Blitzkrieg his pointy head and I see the defensive pact option of the trade screen, "S@&t!" I think to myself I bet he has a defensive pact with Isabella, Damn straight he does.

Hmmm what can I do...I was pretty confident that I could take Bismark alone but coupled with Isabella...that could take quite a bit more building up. Then I remember that I founded Islam via a Great Prophet and had built the shrine so had consequently spread it to most of Bismark's cities, and almost all of mine.

So, I tried this: I converted to Islam, then I called up Bismark and asked him nicely if he'd convert too. "Sure" he said "Always happy to help" didn't cost a dime. Pushed enter to end the turn, checked the relations screen on the next and that annoying little blue line representing a defensive pact between Isabella and Bismark had disappeared Nice one Izzy. They were both still pleased at each other. I wait four more turns until I can convert to Hindu again, Then declare on Bismark. Nice.

But that's not the end of it, a couple of turns into the war I called up Izzy to see if I can 'borrow' some gold and I see that she'll declare on Bismark! For the small fee of Fascism. .

Another humorous happening in the game was when I traded techs with Victoria and as she was getting the better end of the deal I tried to see what else she'd do for it and chucked in a 'stop trading with Huyana' which she agreed to. The next turn Huyana declares war on her .

Just thought I'd share my latest 'Fun with Diplomacy'

P.S. Bismark scored the Pyramids, Great Wall Hanging Gardens treble in Berlin. I dont think he got anything but Great Engineers the whole game.

 

[Bast]

I've never had the AI comply with me that much. What's your secret?

 

[GIO888]

Yup, diplomacy is really interesting in Civ4 if you bother to give it a try rather than build huge armies.

Not that huge armies don't give you diplomatic leggies.....

 

[blitzkrieg1980]

I hate Isabella when she's on the other side of the continent! She founded 4 out of 7 religions! She spread buddhism to every single civ (7) on the continent and I founded confusionism and spread it to my neighbor (Cathy) but no one else b/c no one likes me (they are all buddhist). I can't even attack her b/c she is a good 60 turns away without Astronomy! By the time I get Astronomy and build enough ships to send over there, she'll be way ahead and ready for me anyway.

I usually start near her when she's in my games, and it's real easy to take her out earlier on (she's obviously always going for religious techs in the early game)

 

[Bushface]

Isabella is well known for hating civs whose religion differs from hers. But in a recent game she was running Theocracy with No State Religion and no religions whatsoever within her borders. First time I've seen a truly bigoted atheist. Still, she couldn't send out any missionaries and never asked me to convert - which she is usually fond of doing.

 

[Cookie Crumbs]

It seems like they turned up Isabella's insanity up a notch in Warlords. Now she'll attack you even if you have the same religion (in my case), and she even attacked me when she was already at war!

 

[DrewBledsoe]

I only play on huge maps, around Monarch lvl, and this leads to Izzy's downfall so, so often. Her tech path is so religious to the complete abscence of defence, that in 3 out of 5 games recently, she managed to found buth Hindhu, and Jew religions, and then lost her 2nd Holy city to the barbs.

Huge world equals masses of fog equals masses of barbs, and difficulty lvl means they come early than she's ever prepared for and don't stop coming.

And if it isn't the barbs, it's me a short time later...teching for war, then being gifted 2 holy cities right at the start of the game is actually incredibly boring, the games over allready for all practical purposes.

I actually wouldn't mind an option that instead of selecting which leaders you wanted in the game, you could instead bar certain leaders from the game, then you could get a rest from her increased insanity

 

[Stylesrj]

Isabella is a nut, she has a rubber butt, and every time she walks, it goes putt putt

When playing a game on Warlord or above, you can punch your ticket when you get Isabella and Montezuma in the same game. I got all religious techs except for Theocracy and Divine Right. Me and her were happy Jews, I spread Judiaism around like wildfire, even to good ol Monty. Next thing you know, the sneaky woman takes Christianity. Only one of her cities (actually two, but three of her cities were Jewish) were Christian and she converts to it. Later on, Monty demands tribute, I refuse, he does not declare war, then two turns later, Isabella demands tribute. Everyone else on the map was neutral to me and my cities haven't been updated since I got Gunpowder. Two turns later after preparing a cheap defence of knights, Montezma declares war. After capturing one of his cities and moving troops about (they were all gathered at Isabella's borders), Isabella, the sneaky witch declares war on me! I gave up as I just researched Gunpowder in the later 18th century and I realised that my game sucked and moved back to Settler

 

[Swedishguy]

It seems like they turned up Isabella's insanity up a notch in Warlords. Now she'll attack you even if you have the same religion (in my case), and she even attacked me when she was already at war!

I think Isabella would do good with Islam(tschehehe) and it's a bit odd that they took the real Isabella with christianity and all as she always become either hindu or buddhist.

 

[Zebra 9]

50_dollar_bag Great stratagy!
Wish I could think of stuff like in that kind of situation.

Swedishguy Probably because they come before Christianity. I find this to be a bit anoing on world maps though.

 

[Swedishguy]

In CivIV it would be nearly impossible for Christianity and Islam to become the religions with most followers! Why hasn't Firaxis thought about that?

 

[Zebra 9]

I did. I made a MOD that doubled the spread rate of both, it also fixed the AI not fighting each other the only problem is the map sizes and game speeds.

 

[Swedishguy]

I think that's a good mod! Keep it up!

 

[Zebra 9]

I'm working on an update, it'll fix the bugs, add some more civs & add moctezuma's Influence Driven War MOD.

 

[Chrono285]

I've seen some screenshots around here somewhere of Islam being the world's most widespread religion, and I've had 2 or 3 games where Christianity had the majority. It's possible, because AIs love to switch to a religion they've founded and try to convert the rest of the world. It's just not too likely, especially if one civ is founding most of the religions.

 

[Swedishguy]

Yes, it's one major thing that doesn't make sense.