pact of secrecy, not cool

[teks]

Im playing on a modded huge world map with realistic start locations for all civs. I'm playing greece again, and I'm trying to win with culture.

Well I'm trying to be peaceful, but what I notice is that as soon as relationships sour with one civ suddenly everyone hates me. I talk to china one year, and they are all friendly the very next year they hate me.

I think pacts of secrecy are to blame. The AI hands them out like candy, and they effect is very strong. No matter what I do they will all hate me.

Really, I think they outta go. They provide no effect other then declaring that you both hate the target civ, and no civ should want to agree to this unless they already hate that civ in the first place.

 

[CornPlanter]

Really, I think they outta go. They provide no effect other then declaring that you both hate the target civ, and no civ should want to agree to this unless they already hate that civ in the first place.

How do you know that.

 

[Tale]

You're making unnecessary leaps. They could easily hate you for borders or simply you being more advanced than them. The AI get jealous.

 

[eireksten]

The way I've understood pacts of secrecy is that only you and the civ you enter them with are aware of the pact. Entering one will improve your relations with the trading partner. Then, if you trade (or similar) with the civ you are pacting against, relations with your pact partner sours. Of course, not trading with said civ will affect that relationship.

This is only a theory, of course, but I've been quite successful with diplomacy for manipulating relations in Civ 5, even on higher levels (higher meaning immortal/deity)...

 

[KCMcG]

In general I avoid signing pacts of secrecy because I want to be able to trade with everyone. Once you form a pact of secrecy the AI will start to call you a backstabber if you trade with the civ you are supposed to be secretized against.

 

[Fariic]

Everyone loves me. Well, maybe not Catherine. She's upset that I have more wonders then her. I've even managed to run war campaigns with no backlash. Not once in almost 6k years have I allowed another civ to enter my boarders.

I've maintained a strong military presence, I haven't gone on any rampages or razed any high population cities. I declare war when it's necessary, and I've agreed to go to war when it was beneficial to me. I've remained active with trades, sharing luxuries, or selling strategic resources to those that needed it. I didn't try to colonize near another empire, and I stuck by my agreements not to when asked. I've been honest about my troop movements, if someone suspected I was going to invade, I did so; even when it was in my advantage to do so.

You gotta use the city states. Try not to tread on anyone else's toes though. If another civ has declared to protect a city state, it means they're going to ally them at some point, or they want something from them, and if you become friendlier you're taking luxuries away and they hate that. Find city states that don't just give you luxuries you need, but are also situated in a spot they'll benefit you in case of war. Gifting units and letting them fight works very well and will help you to avoid being accused of warmongering.

And pacts of secrecy don't mean that the civ hates you. It's an agreement not to aid in the growth of another empire. That means no open borders or supplying of resources. The AI doesn't just sign them because they don't like you, they do it when they feel it's advantageous for them to do so. Personally I feel they don't do enough. We need more things we can engage in diplomatically that will have a greater effect when several civs decide to work against you.

 

[teks]

Ok request to change title to WTF is a pact of secrecy anyway!?!?!

good post fariic. It would also be great if we could cancel open borders, and pacts of secrecy.

and man wouldn't it be great if the civlopedia explained this a little better.