Mutual Protection Pacts (MPPs)

[ongwin]

Have any of you actually signed MPPs for a purpose?

Everytime the AI asks me to sign an MPP, I always have this irrational fear that they are preparing for war and want to drag me into it, so I do not sign it.

How can you use MPPs effectively to protect yourself? Anyone have any experience or advice on this? Thanks

-Ongwin

 

[MrPaladin]

I was in a game where I wanted a cutural victory and there were a few aggressive nations out there....
because I was the tech leader and I had stood with him all game Japan asked for a defence pact...

After Signing it there was no stopping us.... no one ever attacked and we never went to war... he asked for a few lowerer end techs from me, and that was it...

China was close to attacking me...

 

[GIO888]

Yup, same thing only with Elizabeth - signed a Defense Pact, Napoleon and Catherine stopped threatening me because Elizabeth was second biggest Civ behind me and between me and them.

Cultural victory followed!

 

[_alphaBeta_]

Remember that a defensive pact is "defensive." If you and an AI have one, you will only be compelled to act if the AI is attacked. If the AI makes the first move and declares, the deal ends with no more involvement from you.

Examples:

Civ A and Civ B have a defensive pact.

1. Civ C declares war on Civ A. The defensive pact ends, and Civ B automatically declares war on Civ C as per the agreement.

2. Civ A declares war on Civ C. The defensive pact ends, and Civ B has no further obligation in the matter.

A lot of people also get confused about defensive pacts ending, which is why I specifically mention it above. Either way, it ends. It's just a matter of whether or not the other civ gets dragged in or not. You cannot have or make a defensive pact with someone if either of you is at war.

 

[ShaLouZa]

I've never been attacked when I had a defensive pact, the AI just doesn't do it. So it's a really good way to protect yourself if you're going for a peaceful victory and don't want to waste prod in military units, or if you want to avoid a war until you're ready to declare it.

 

[warpstorm]

_alphaBeta_ hit the gist. It is defensive. There is very little reason not to sign it unless you plan on going to war soon (before the initial terms of the pact end).

 

[ShaLouZa]

The -1 diplomatic penalty with others civs must be considered in some cases too. If you're going for a diplomatic victory, or if you already have bad relations with some civs and your partner might break the pact because of a change in your relations (going for free religion when your partner follows your religion for exemple) : signing a defensive pact in these conditions would just be giving you a diplomatic malus for nothing in exchange. Basically, if you don't need the pact, don't sign it, that's the way I see it.

 

[MrPaladin]

dont forget, there is a + bonus with the civ you sign the pact with....

 

[Rex Tyrannus]

dont forget, there is a + bonus with the civ you sign the pact with....

THat shouldn't matter. You have to be +10 or so to get the pact in the first place.

 

[lost_civantares]

It is just about necesary if you want a permemt allience though.

 

[Rast]

In Civ 3 I never used mutual protection pacts since they would almost always end up triggering a world war at least once a game. (Civ A attacks Civ B, civ B's allies declare war, Civ B attacks and kills a unit from Civ A, all Civ A's allies declare war).

In Civ 4 your MPPs are cancelled if you declare war. So now I use them all the time - no reason not too. You can always re-sign the MPP after the war if you decide to attack someone.