Permanent Alliance benefits

[minke]

I finally got Permanent Alliance to work on my last game. I basically kissed Cyrus's *** till he accepted my proposal. After that, I was quite amused on the one-sided benefits that I ripped. I was able to basically get everything from him, starting from gpt, techs, resources and even declare war on another civ without giving anything back.

I'm sure people have done this before. Just wanted to share my experience.

 

[Zekrazey1]

The downside in multiplayer is that everyone sees you're allied and gangs up on you immediately .

 

[Ryanstein]

I usualy don't go for the permanent alliance, seems like I could be dragged in to a war I'm not ready for. Although if you can grab techs resources for free etc. it might be worth while

~Ryanstein

 

[dirtyparrot]

it is worth your while if the other civilization has a way better score. One thing that i noticed is that the AI tend to also form permanent alliances if you have done so. One of the good things with alliances is that the cost of tech research is significantly less because your ally seems to always research the same tech you are going for. So the beakers of you and your ally are combined. Indeed, a very nice advantage.

 

[Theodorick]

it is worth your while if the other civilization has a way better score. One thing that i noticed is that the AI tend to also form permanent alliances if you have done so. One of the good things with alliances is that the cost of tech research is significantly less because your ally seems to always research the same tech you are going for. So the beakers of you and your ally are combined. Indeed, a very nice advantage.

There is a handicap though, so in actuality this 'benefit' in research is sometimes worthless. If you have a PA with one civ the cost of all techs increase by 100%. It's 100% per every other civ you're with also, so 4 civs in a PA would have a 400% technology research increase. This isn't much of a benefit or an advantage unless you couple yourself with a research giant.

I use PA's to gang up on other civs. The AI will often attack both at once and thus lose quickly. 2 on one is GREAT especially if both sides are unconditionally at war to the very end with a single nation. PA's are great for conquest victories.

 

[obsolete]

I've never been able to get a PA on monarch and upwards..

 

[automator]

I love PAs.

The one-sidedness you describe is just you being greedy. In a PA, you should share extra resourses with your partner, rather than hording or selling. Your ally always gifts you resourses, so why shouldn't you reciprocate?

 

[LordTerror]

There is a handicap though, so in actuality this 'benefit' in research is sometimes worthless. If you have a PA with one civ the cost of all techs increase by 100%. It's 100% per every other civ you're with also, so 4 civs in a PA would have a 400% technology research increase.

It's 50% increase per player, not 100%.

 

[minke]

Too bad you can't "force" a defeated opponent to become a vassal kingdom through Permanent Alliance. So basically, instead of finishing off another civ, you can make him/her your protectorate. Then you can force him/her to give you resources, gpt, and bully him/her to join a war. I think the code doesn't have to change to implement this. Maybe in an expansion pack?

Firaxis are you listening??

 

[minke]

I love PAs.

The one-sidedness you describe is just you being greedy. In a PA, you should share extra resourses with your partner, rather than hording or selling. Your ally always gifts you resourses, so why shouldn't you reciprocate?

I was just testing the mechanism, since I have never done it before. I agree, in the long run you should work together with your PA. But the temptations are so high.... I mean, don't tell me 135+ gpt that your PAs hording does not tempt you whatsoever. I could build a couple of good factories with that money

 

[patmcq]

I always turn on permanent alliances because otherwise diplomacy has little purpose on higher difficulties. Without PA's it's pretty much impossible to win any victory on emperor or above without significant aggression and expansion. I think it's balanced because it's very, very hard to get a PA with the AI on emperor or above.

Just finished playing an emperor game as Saladin. Small continents, standard settings except for enabling PA's. Started on the large continent with Louis, Frederick and Caesar, Huayna Capac on the other continent. I only built 3 cities and enough military to station 4 units in each city. I was a complete pushover to everyone, offering no resistance or threat whatsoever. I had no state religion except for when Louis or Caesar threatened me, then I would just switch back to no state religion after the requisite four turns. I did the same when they wanted me to change civics. I stopped researching after nationalism and liberalism to go for pure culture/great artist production. During this period I kissed up to everybody, and eventually got a defensive pact with Huayna Capac. After keeping this pact for quite a while I talked hin into a permanent alliance, which rocketed me into a share of the tech lead and made me very rich. By this time Caesar was building tanks and I was still upgrading my longbowmen. Caesar invaded, and I took advantage of the huge happiness bonuses from the 100% culture to draft numerous infantry. I also bribed Louis into attacking him (Caesar had already eliminated Frederick). I was able to fight off the invasion and raze three of his cities. Once the world had beaten Caesar into submission I was able to reel off the culture victory while Louis was starting his casings. Overall I would say that the PA was instrumental in this victory and I will be enabling them in every game I play from now on.

 

[Jasmine_]

The only place I see to turn on PA is in custom game. And if I do that, then I can not change the hardness of the AI. Do you mean to tell me there is an option for turning on PA from the main options?

After getting all the techs for a PA, I don't seem to get that option available.

 

[Shadzy19]

Nice story patmcq i would have never thought of that but then again i have never been in a PA .

Jasmine you can still change the difficulity in custom games the difficulity is in the same line after you'r name / civ etc , all the AI's will be on noble and you can just put you on whatever you desire .

 

[Mista]

This was a possibility in CMAC