Washington & Catherine are highly irritating.

[Warhol]

It seems I keep getting them in my games, and they seem so irritating when I play. They both expand like crazy, and seem to have a heavy military focus. Russia is a wonder hog, and America is warmonger. Late game is highly entertaining when they both hate each other, and become hostile with me waving their nukes at me.

And its not like I can do much about it. The other civs are so behind, that they're worthless. If I declare war on any of them, my economy would collapse since they always make strong trading partners. Or is this just my game?

 

[Jon the Bastard]

It seems I keep getting them in my games, and they seem so irritating when I play. They both expand like crazy, and seem to have a heavy military focus. Russia is a wonder hog, and America is warmonger. Late game is highly entertaining when they both hate each other, and become hostile with me waving their nukes at me.

And its not like I can do much about it. The other civs are so behind, that they're worthless. If I declare war on any of them, my economy would collapse since they always make strong trading partners. Or is this just my game?

No, it's not just your games. Russia and America are built for expansion. That's what they do, and so you can't fault the AI for taking advantage of their strengths.

That being said, there are ways to check their power. You can forward settle them to deprive them of happiness and strategic resources. You can use the World Congress to stifle growth or increase the maintenance on military built for conquering. The biggest thing you can do, however, is stop thinking that you can do nothing and still have a shot at winning. America and Russia are two civilizations who's power will eventually have to be checked (if they are your neighbors). If you don't want to outright declare war on them and take a few cities to check their power, then make sure your ahead in one of the paths to victory (science, culture/tourism, economy) and field a strong (but SMART) defensive force. Set up your international trade routes to connect to city-states.

If they are in the game and are your neighbors, you need to be prepared to have an answer to the problems they present you at some point. You can't expect to let them run away and still have a shot at victory. Try being more aggressive with them! You can do it!

 

[Sagax]

In your "USA+Russia" case I would probably start diplomacy maneuvers at Medieval-Renaissance era. If USA and Russia are the top 2 at that time, bribe them into warring each other. After they declare peace try to befriend the civ that lost the war and go on war against #1 together (you may consider involving other civs and city-states as well). This time you need to capture some valuable cities for yourself (if you can somehow snatch the capital while AI is busy fighting with other civs - perfect). Keep balancing powers until the two are no longer a threat.

Granted, there are still too many variables, and you will need a strong economy and good diplo relationships to pull it off. I usually play Continents and try to go for the "Rat King" strategy, so by the time I meet new civs my puppets already have plenty of trade posts and there is no one alive to tell the civs about my devious side.

 

[Aenthin]

In my games, it's the opposite. America's the wonder hog and Russia is the great big warmonger. Oddly enough, they fell short in my current game, probably because it's archipelago and they're both being checked by Hiawatha and Genghis.

 

[phillipwyllie]

In my last 2 games I've had Russia as my neighbor and she's behaved like a lady on both occasions. Maybe its got to do with the fact I've got oil coming out of my ears and I helped her take out The Iroquois, and I've now got uranium........

 

[Carl5872]

I agree but don't understand this. In my games Catherine builds tons of wonders, but what in her UA or UU or UB promotes this strategy? I would probably put her on a military strategy, but Im not one of the deity players, so maybe I'm missing something.

 

[Jon the Bastard]

I agree but don't understand this. In my games Catherine builds tons of wonders, but what in her UA or UU or UB promotes this strategy? I would probably put her on a military strategy, but Im not one of the deity players, so maybe I'm missing something.

I think she has a start bias that puts her near areas where hammers fall out of the sky like rain. I play her and I've never had a start with her that doesn't have really high production. Ad in the Krestpost, and she can work tiles fast than most other civilizations, provided you can grow her cities well enough.

 

[rattlejaw]

Bear in mind that part of the Russian UA is +1 hammer from all strategic resources. While that may not sound like much, it adds up quickly. If you're lucky enough to have a bunch of horses--which already make great tiles--you can really chew through the early-game build queue.

 

[Byzantine Bomb]

America and Russia being giant gasholes? That's totally unrealistic!
I've never found Washington to be that much of a warmonger by himself, though he will jump on the war bandwagon.

 

[Bad Wolf]

Washington always DoWs me if I'm his neighbour and he has a bigger army. He takes that "manifest destiny" stuff seriously.

 

[Walter R]

Washington always DoWs me if I'm his neighbour and he has a bigger army. He takes that "manifest destiny" stuff seriously.

He sure does! Even when his 'army' is two warriors and I've got an archer in both cities...and my warrior was a spearman by then. God that was pathetic, and he came back three times in that game until I got pissed off enough to go remove him from the map. DOF'd me in between war attempts of course!

And Cathy: always ends up hostile after a while (or occasionally right away), keeps the insults flying until I go and get Moscow and raze hell with her other crap. Like I'm just about to in current game...

As you can tell, I always give an adult and balanced response

 

[Slip de Garcon]

I've never played a game where Washington fares particularly well.

 

[Naokaukodem]

On contrary if you start near them it's easier : it will be your first target and they won't bother anymore. Plus expansive civs usually have no army early the time they build tons of settlers.

I think the expansive character however is pretty random, because it happens that an unexpected civ behave like this. I think that Russia must have a strong or absolute (100%) modifier into that strategy.

 

[Walter R]

I've never played a game where Washington fares particularly well.

I have. In a recent game he had conquered about 2/3 of the world, had gotten nukes and my capital was the only one he needed for a dom. I was playing (badly) as William, was his only friend and managed to get my spaceship away probably just in time!
Also I've seen him come back from a right duffing (down to 1 city, not Washington) and make a reasonable challenge for victory.