Seriously, does AI ever declare war on you after Classical?

[Stringer1313]

See subject line. I do not consider myself a good player. But the AI never declares war on me after Classical. Like never. No matter how much I make them angry, no matter how many times they denounce me. So even the new grievance system is pointless b/c the AI won't declare on me. Am I the only one here?

 

[Zaarin]

I play on Chieftain, where the AI is less aggressive than on higher levels; I've definitely been declared war on even in the Modern and Atomic Eras. If you want to ramp up the AI's aggressiveness, try the 4-Leaf Clover or 6-Point Star maps...

 

[Trav'ling Canuck]

It will happen currently, but it's very rare and, as best I can tell, quite random. It's not strictly military strength, as I barely build an army and even less navy. It's not strictly relationships, either. I no longer doing anything to improve the AIs opinion of me. As you point out, it will denounce and denounce and never do anything. Then out of the blue an AI with a relatively neutral or even friendly view of me will decide to attack.

I don't declare war or take AI cities, so that no doubt has an impact, as I don't get any warmonger points. I play Deity, but there's no apparent increase in AI aggressiveness at Deity (except early game, when I think it counts it's starting Warriors, compares that to your units, and licks it's lips).

The experience as of R&F, however, may not be a good guide of what to expect as of GS. Someone would have had to go into the AI diplomacy code to implement the switch over to the Grievance system. Who knows what they may have changed while they were in there.

 

[bbbt]

They will, but are more tentative because of the warmongering penalties (which the grievance system might alleviate). If you have an excuse for them to use a casus belli, it's definitely more likely. For example, having done a early war and holding an AI city or two pretty much guarantees a later war declaration by that AI with a reconquest war in my experience. Convert a few cities and they'll declare holy war, etc.

Also having a couple alliances is good for late war, as if the AI declares on you ally you also go to war.

 

[playshogi]

The AI attacked me on turn 194 using Reconquest casus belli. The cities of Hamilton and Edmonton are former Cree cities. A properly coordinated attack easily recaptures those two cities, but as you can see the
AI just runs its units forward without attacking anything in particular and I can pick them off one by one.

 

[Futumch]

I think if it looks like you're going to win, they AI will pick an flimsy excuse to have a crack at you. Ususally by late game the AI players are more annoyances than anything serious. The spies stealing tech can have repurcussions though. They often want their spy back and may use it as an excuse for ridiculous demands. When you tell them to get lost, that's automatically refusing a trade and so it cascades from there.
I would prefer the option to hang any captured spies to remove that bargaining chip.

 

[Leathaface]

I often have the AI declare on me in the Medieval Era where they send Knights my way, it's the reason i'm fond of Pikemen. I've also had Scythia declare on me and send Cavalry my way, which is in the late Renaissance era I think.

But most of the wars arrive in the Medieval Era or earlier, with most of those being in the Ancient Era.

 

[Trav'ling Canuck]

I think if it looks like you're going to win, they AI will pick an flimsy excuse to have a crack at you.

I'm quite confident the AI's aggression / diplomacy is not affected at all by how close you are to winning.

They often want their spy back and may use it as an excuse for ridiculous demands. When you tell them to get lost, that's automatically refusing a trade and so it cascades from there.

​

I'm quite confident there's no relationship modifier related to "refusing a trade".

 

[Icicle]

I'm quite confident there's no relationship modifier related to "refusing a trade".

Seriously. If there were I'd be at war constantly for refusing to trade every luxury and great work I own for 4 gold and open borders.

 

[Disgustipated]

higher difficulty levels will make them more likely to declare war. But I will say in my games they eventually do stop declaring. Usually about halfway through, which is after classical. I often get medieval and renaissance era wars. Very rarely industrial ones, and I may have had a modern war a couple of times (usually as a result of an alliance dragging me into it).

 

[Haig]

Hmm I get war declarations now and them, both Formal and surprise so I dont know why AI fears op that much!

By the way, most embarrasing moment is when AI uses 'Colonial war' casus belli against you, meaning that you are backwards savage empire..

 

[Trav'ling Canuck]

Hmm I get war declarations now and them, both Formal and surprise so I dont know why AI fears op that much!

I've never received a Formal war declaration in R&F. I didn't know the AI could even use them.

 

[Zaarin]

I've never received a Formal war declaration in R&F. I didn't know the AI could even use them.

I've seen the AI declare Formal Wars, but to my knowledge I've never seen it use a CB.

 

[crouchy]

Had a few surprise wars alright, but it usually involves the AI sending a trickle of underpowered units before asking for peace at the first opportunity.

 

[Midgardsormr]

Trajan just attacked me in the endgame this morning. Took my most powerful culture city in a surprisingly well-coordinated blitz, in fact. I lost a themed museum, my Govt Center with four Great Works of its own, a Cathedral, two Resorts, and a National Park in two turns. I barely managed to stave him off from taking my capital right after. I don't think it will stop me from winning, but it's going to be a lot closer than I had thought. I had a decent sized army, but I'm waaaay behind in military tech. Swordsmen and Crossbows aren't much of a threat to Mechanized Infantry armies.

 

[AriochIV]

Yes, I have been the target of quite a few war declarations after the Classical era in my last few games.

 

[Leathaface]

Had a few surprise wars alright, but it usually involves the AI sending a trickle of underpowered units before asking for peace at the first opportunity.

Or sending 8 Knights your way in the Medieval Era but not attacking a single city, instead splitting the army of Knights and going for 2 different cities. (and capturing none)

 

[Midgardsormr]

I don't think it will stop me from winning,

Sigh... I was wrong. Just a couple of turns away from the CV when Trajan launched a spaceship. I had thought it would be China, though. Couldn't tech up to Artillery fast enough to get Kazan back, and I think I shouldn't have tried to erase a Different Religions penalty. Maybe if I'd spent that faith on one more National Park I'd have pulled it out.

 

[Trav'ling Canuck]

Sigh... I was wrong. Just a couple of turns away from the CV when Trajan launched a spaceship. I had thought it would be China, though. Couldn't tech up to Artillery fast enough to get Kazan back, and I think I shouldn't have tried to erase a Different Religions penalty. Maybe if I'd spent that faith on one more National Park I'd have pulled it out.

Every victory objective is harder if you're behind in science, including cultural victory.

The only real exception is religious, which is mostly dependent on maintaining good relations so your religious units don't get killed in an untimely war. Not sure where you are on the science track is particularly important for religious victory. But it is for any other game.

 

[Midgardsormr]

Indeed. I delayed my science production too long, and I went straight for Flight. For the most part it worked out, but that 11th hour attack really undid me. I should have known it was coming; I'd scared him off earlier when he came at me with some Bombard armies, but at that point Flight was soo close, and I went for that instead of beefing up my defenses by pursuing the infantry line. My Renaissance Walls might as well have been paper.