Totally frustrated -- what did I miss?

[noontide]

I just had a game that seemed straight impossible, and I don't know what I did wrong. Some advice would be appreciated.

So I played Chinese on Emperor (I'm comfortable on Immortal in Civ V even though I rarely won on Deity, just some background information). I had America right next to me so I had the good sense of building up four archers. Sure, within 30 turns America declared war on me. After a long, drawn out war I took all its three cities with three swordsmen and for archers. I dug in and turned to building mode, back-filling the empty land left to me after the war. I sent out all available traders and built entertainment zone in practically all my cities. Late mid-game I had 8 sizable cities and quite some real estate. Greek and Roman were in the game so they both liked me, for winning the war with America and expansion, respectively. I'm leading in science and dominance, so I felt pretty good about the game.

Then, at a rather quirky turn of event, the Vikings inexplicably declared war on me because of religious differences. By that time I had field cannons and infantries, upgraded all the way from my initial army. Viking sent a swarm of pikemen and archers. I was not worried. But then, a few turns into it, all three American cities I took went to -8 Amenity because of war weariness and started to spawn tanks. I didn't even have tank yet even though I just researched it. I bit my teeth and ground on, but soon ALL my cities went into a standstill because of the huge negative Amenity due to war weariness. I went from having several thousand golds to bankruptcy in a matter of a dozen turns so while I was wiping out the Vikings my empire imploded.

Like I said, I controlled a fair amount of land, and thus a wide variety of luxury in each city, and I built entertainment zone everywhere. And what's more, I have NEVER declared war myself, both time I was declared on. Now what was going on?

 

[chazzycat]

Well war weariness doesn't matter if you started it. If your units are fighting in foreign lands, that will do it regardless if you started it. The game draws a line in between defending oneself, and pressing the counterattack. Also, "occupied" cities receive a lot more war weariness. I'm guessing that if Gorgo likes you, that means you let America survive and took a peace deal in your favor. But if they didn't "cede" those cities in the peace deal, they would still be considered "occupied".

 

[noontide]

Hey thanks. My question is then, what is the solution? I'm finishing a war I didn't start, and I was just minding my own business, hardly seem fair if all I'm allow to do is repelling the aggression imposed on me. Game mechanism-wise, how does a warmonger solve it? I also have the 25% less war weariness civic, didn't seem to matter though. And I didn't even declare the war.

 

[noontide]

Well war weariness doesn't matter if you started it. If your units are fighting in foreign lands, that will do it regardless if you started it. The game draws a line in between defending oneself, and pressing the counterattack. Also, "occupied" cities receive a lot more war weariness. I'm guessing that if Gorgo likes you, that means you let America survive and took a peace deal in your favor. But if they didn't "cede" those cities in the peace deal, they would still be considered "occupied".

Also, it was not just the occupied cities though. It seemed to "tainted" the other cities I founded and my whole empire went bankrupt.

 

[chazzycat]

Pretty sure if you finish America off completely (eliminate him) those cities would no longer be considered "occupied" and so the war weariness wouldn't be nearly as severe. Alternatively, in the peace negotiations get him to "cede" those cities and that would have the same effect.

 

[chazzycat]

Also, it was not just the occupied cities though. It seemed to "tainted" the other cities I founded and my whole empire went bankrupt.

That is likely a result of the auto-distribution of luxury amenities.

 

[Defektro]

Hi,

I have a similar problem with war weariness.

I was preparing to attack Egypt when they declared a preemptive war towards me. Nothing special, I bombarder their city with battleships preparing to land with my mech. inf.

Then suddently five mech. inf. and one missile battery revolutionaries spawned around one of my cities. Turns out the city Pokrovka had -8 war weariness. Other cities have none.

I'm confused about this. What did I do wrong? Why that city hates me? Pokrovka has nothing to do with Egypt, but I conquered it in turn ~80.

Screenshot attached.

 

[joncnunn]

Hi,

I have a similar problem with war weariness.

I was preparing to attack Egypt when they declared a preemptive war towards me. Nothing special, I bombarder their city with battleships preparing to land with my mech. inf.

Then suddently five mech. inf. and one missile battery revolutionaries spawned around one of my cities. Turns out the city Pokrovka had -8 war weariness. Other cities have none.

I'm confused about this. What did I do wrong? Why that city hates me? Pokrovka has nothing to do with Egypt, but I conquered it in turn ~80.

Screenshot attached.

All conquered cities suffer a lot more WW than self built cities in Civ VI; it doesn't matter what their original nationality was.
Basically your empire needs at least two more Zoos with at least one of them within six hexes of Pokrovka.