MPPs dangerous for reputation?

[undertoad]

Hi

I've searched but can't easily find the answer to this question.

I'm being invited into Mutual Protection Pacts (MPPs) by a couple of other civilisations, and generally refusing them. This is because:

- Civ A asks me to form a MPP with them
- I'm in lots of gold per turn/luxury barter deals with Civs B,C and D (A's neighbours on the same continent), and I figure that the MPP could mean I could be dragged into war against B/C/D at ANY time, if A decides to declare war on them. Because of the ongoing deals I have with B/C/D (and the fact that I have units in their territory checking out their cities, under a ROP agreement), this would completely screw my rep with B/C/D.

Am I right in thinking this? (I'm very new to CivIII). Seems to me that whether a MPP is a good idea depends on who your partner is likely to invoke it against. If you know that Civ A doesn't like Civ B, it's only worth forming a MPP with A if:

- You have no deals with B, and don't intend to make any
- You don't have a ROP with B - or, if you do, you're not using it; or
- You really don't care if B hates you for the rest of the game.

Is this right?

 

[criminiminal]

i find that when an ai asks you for mpp they are usually at sorts w/ another civ.
everyone has their own ways of going about it. i generally avoid mpp. more often than not the ai will abandon it & make peace leaving you at full war w/ one or two nations whom you would have normally been at peace w/.

i will join dogpile mpp's if i know the civ we are against is going to easily be wiped out.

 

[undertoad]

Yep, I suspected what you said might be true - an invitation to an MPP means civ A (the one asking you) is pretty determined to declare war on B - or feels threatened by them.

I like dogpiling on another civ as well - but on my terms! I haven't bothered proposing MPPs myself - I prefer the start of war to be under my control, so that I can make sure I've got all deals cancelled with the victim, and no units in their territory, to save my reputation.

Civ B (one of the MPP-proposer's rivals) does happen to be someone I'm preparing to take out next - but it won't be a quick job, and I still have a Silk for 9gpt deal with them which I'll need to cancel. An MPP seems to put declaration of war out of my control.

 

[Aabraxan]

As a general rule, I avoid MPPs. They drag you into wars on someone else's terms. So, yes, I'd say that MPPs are a threat to your reputation.