Multiple AIs with zero military power at industrial age? (Emperor, all dlc, no mods, Barbarian Clans game mode)

[Ellye]

I haven't played Civ6 in many years, but I decided to give it one more go these days, trying out an unmodded game. It's been fine, but I've been noticing throughout the game that basically only three AIs built any military at, while the others sit at either 0 or very low military power the whole game. Strangely, the AIs that do build military don't even bother to attack their unprotected neighbors - something that I seem to remember the AI doing.

Is that normal behavior?

 

[Snowygerry]

Yes, I think so, sometimes they just decide the situation is hopeless and it's useless to try to match your (or a stronger AIs) military power, I always assumed that meant they were trying for some other victory condition and pocket the peace dividend, but it often just leads to them being taken out by the human player.

In my current game for example, Gran Colombia, technologically backwards and sandwiched between myself and Congo have reduced their military to zero, and are busy trying to convert the world to Catholiscism, while Congo is trying to build a an army to match mine.

 

[Oberinspektor Derrick]

There was a bug some years ago where firaxis made the AI pursue science over anything else, even gold income.
This resulted in them going bankrupt, and since the game deletes your units when your gold income is negative and your bank reaches zero, that might be indicative that you play on that version.
It got patched later on (first by a fan made mod, later by firaxis).
That being said, even if you play the patched version, there is nothing preventing the AI from going bankrupt.
Seems like a coincidence otherwise, since what you describe doesnt really happen in my games.

 

[DeckerdJames]

I haven't played Civ6 in many years, but I decided to give it one more go these days, trying out an unmodded game. It's been fine, but I've been noticing throughout the game that basically only three AIs built any military at, while the others sit at either 0 or very low military power the whole game. Strangely, the AIs that do build military don't even bother to attack their unprotected neighbors - something that I seem to remember the AI doing.

Is that normal behavior?

How large is their treasury and economy? If you maintain a large enough treasury and have a strong economy you might not need a standing military.

I can only say this because of anecdotal evidence but if I have a large economy, the AI is less prone to attack me.

 

[Ellye]

There was a bug some years ago where firaxis made the AI pursue science over anything else, even gold income.
This resulted in them going bankrupt, and since the game deletes your units when your gold income is negative and your bank reaches zero, that might be indicative that you play on that version.
It got patched later on (first by a fan made mod, later by firaxis).
That being said, even if you play the patched version, there is nothing preventing the AI from going bankrupt.
Seems like a coincidence otherwise, since what you describe doesnt really happen in my games.

Oh, while I do am playing on the latest version, I feel like some of those AI might indeed have been bankrupt for a while. I'll try to keep an eye on that.

Regarding victory conditions, I do know for a fact that those with zero military power are pursuing Science victory (from intel level and gossip information).

 

[Naeshar]

It is not uncommon that AI end up with no military, either after failed war, bankrupcy or barbarian invasion, and just dont buildup anymore. I attribute this to units costing progressively more in later eras, taking more turns and thus more time to switch in and out without producing anything. In later ages we have higher spying options and you may notice they switch their focus on victory conditions quite often, that must also change production in every city. My AI at King level only builds up military early, to renaissance era maybe, and not even upgrade their units often.

I wanted to add that you can have all the dropdown indicators on at the same time (Options - Interface - Show Yields in HUD Ribbon: Always Show), so you dont have to post ten pictures just for the scores.

 

[Snowygerry]

(...) My AI at King level only builds up military early, to renaissance era maybe, and not even upgrade their units often.

Yes, it is highly circumstantial, in my current game (also King level) Congo was content keep a small military as long as I played a mostly peaceful game, only when I attacked them and took a few provinces they started to build their army, they seem to focus on anti-tank units too, by coincidence or because my attack was done using early tanks idk.

Their airforce even bombed a battleship of mine left carelessly unguarded close to death.

I expect they'll perform better as I up the difficulty level and they'll get extra gold or even free units ?

 

[Pengwin7]

I had a game yesterday where I was trading diplo favor - for gold - to two Civs at war with each other (Kongo & Greece). They soon both had nearly no military. (Deity level, too).
They did eventually build some back.

I've only been playing since Jan 2024... so not sure what the history is with Firaxis patches & history.
But if you are depleting a country's gold - I think their production queue may be pre-set to something non-military. (IDK... just a thought)

 

[planetfall]

I commonly see only one or two AI's keep strong military beyond ancient age. The others often drop military to 0 and the couple strong AI's like to keep military between 100 and 200 above mine. Maybe it was programmed thinking a couple military civs were enought and directed the others to different goals.