Strange Diplomacy

[Specialist290]

This is coming from a recent game of mine...

4 Civs left: Me, Babylonians, Russians, English

I was the French and had been at war with the Babylonians for a while. I was also in a Democracy all the way through the war, but I had the UN, so I figured it could go on for a while.

Strange thing is, the reason I was at war in the first place wasn't for some atrocity against them, but the simple theft of a tech from their neighbors and allies, the English (who I quickly made peace with immediately afterward).

Anyway, to prevent the English from declaring war on me, I made a deal with them and gave them money to declare war on the Babylonians.

Here's where it starts to get interesting. After I capture a few cities, Partisans pop out and contact me. I refuse to speak to 'em, but the Senate goes behind my back and makes a cease-fire. I talk to the English (who are at war with the Babs, if you're still with me) and they say, "Help us fight the Babylonians!" I say yes to get around the cease-fire.

Then: "The Russians have activated their alliance with the Babylonians and declared war on us!" No problem, I have a few air units nearby, why not give 'em a thrashing just like the last 3 times?

I attack and sink a Caravel with a Fighter. Moments later: "The English have honored their alliance with the Russians and declared war on us!"

The next turn I make peace with the Russians and English. A few turns later, repeat performance as another Bab city falls. And again... And again... And again.

But I'm not done yet. Not by a long shot. I finally make peace with the Babs so I can finally concentrate on the Russians. I've also recently made peace with the English (yet again). I attack another Russian unit:

"The English have honored their alliance with the Russians and declared war on us!"

"The Babylonians have honored their alliance with the Russians and declared war on us!"



Is it just me, or is AI diplomacy a little odd?

P.S.: In case anyone's wondering, it's pretty late in the game.

EDIT: Spelling.

 

[Endophyte]

Sounds more interesting than any diplomacy I've ever seen!

 

[Specialist290]

As a little epilogue to this...

It's now 1938 in this game. It's been 40 years since the Babs have been wiped off the face of the earth. I've been able to conquer almost all of Russia (except for 2 cities on a little island, which I'll let live as "pets") and much of England.

There was a period of peace from 1880 (the close of the war with the Babs; their last city was subverted in 1898) to 1927 (the beginning of hostilities with Russia, due to their annoyance at my subversion of one of their cities), during which, in 1916, the French flag was planted on the moon. England gets into the mix in 1931.

The Russians have been driven off of their homeland and on to that island (as mentioned above). The English have recently discovered Flight. I'm working on Fusion Power and already have my Spaceship partially built. Russia and England combined have around 20 cities. I haven't counted mine, but I think the number's more than 150.

Incidentally, the last Russian Caravel was sunk in 1932 on a lake just outside Moscow by a Fighter. Long time to keep those around...

 

[Nylan]

It's either a bug or Microprose didn't make the AI smart enough to stop doing that.

 

[Specialist290]

Would you believe I'm still playing this game?

OK, it's now 1952, and the Russians joined their old allies, the Babylonians, in the history books in 1948. The English have only four cities left, but seem content to remain at peace ever since they got their new Democratic government while my spaceship speeds merrily along to Alpha Centauri. I'd say I have this wrapped up.

I may post a couple .sav's later, and then write a story about my experiences w/ this much later.

 

[Andu Indorin]

I'd go with the "bug", probably of a variation of the Peace Treaty that never seems to take effect. This seems to happen a lot with the English and the Mongols, among others. But I think the routine that you experienced might have been avoided if you paid the English to declare war on the Russians; this would be expensive, since their allied; but it would have ended their alliance with the Russians and therefore would have ended the repeated English decaring war on you. (Assuming that I followed your description of the diplomatic imbroglios correctly.)

btw ...

Here's where it starts to get interesting. After I capture a few cities, Partisans pop out and contact me. I refuse to speak to 'em, but the Senate goes behind my back and makes a cease-fire. I talk to the English (who are at war with the Babs, if you're still with me) and they say, "Help us fight the Babylonians!" I say yes to get around the cease-fire.

You might be interested in reading the Duke's addition to my Emissary's Ploy:

Avoiding Senate Interference

 

[Specialist290]

Yeah, read that a while back. This thread is actually rather old.