What precisely will trigger a MPP?

[FLump]

So...what *exactly* makes me decalre war on someone that fights someone I have a MPP with?

Here's an example that played out in a current game I am playing, which confused me:

I basically conquered my continent and wanted a piece of another one. I didn't know who to decalre on (and didn't really want to anyway, I usually don't decalre on anyone), so I signed a MPP with the Byzantines. The Byzantines then agreed to go to war with Russia via a MA with the Iroquois (or maybe a MPP w/ Iroqouis, I forget. Important detail maybe?).

So I have my little SOD parked over on the Byzantine/Russian border, just waiting to be drawn into the war. I see a Russian Infantry blast a Byzantine infantry and figure its on like Donkey Kong now, but no. I was not drawn into the war for that.

So I more or less just forget about it, figuring that maybe because Byzantine decalred on Russia, that I wouldn't get drawn in. Probably 5-10 turns later, I get the message telling me that Russia attacked my Byzantine "brothers" and THEN it was on. I auto-decalred on Russia and flattened them.

So, I must assume it takes more than just someone attacking my MPP partner??? I'm very confused.

Side question - the Iroqouis are getting frisky now, and Byzantium has a MPP with both of us. Should war break out between me and Iroqouis, who gets the Byzantines? I assume whomever is on the ass end of the first attack.

 

[Captain Black]

mpp is triggered when an enemy civ enters or attacks on the territory of the civ that you have the mpp with.

so, fighting can take place anywhere on the map between the civs or you and the civs, but as soon as the border is breached eother by troops or bombardment the mpp comes into play.

if you have two active mpp's and the civs you have them with are at war, you will be required to war on the side of the civ who's territory has most recently been attacked.

personally, i like to mess the civs around when possible. imagine you've got 4 civs left playing including your own and your borders are defended. now one civ is getting out of hand (or you just don't like them). make mpp's with the other 2 civs and declare on the other one, then encourage him into your territory. as soon as he sets foot on your colour, your mpp's will activate and he might find himself at war with everybody without ever having fired a shot. its also a good idea to have the entry point, at least, forested. to ensure that his attacking force stays on the intended square ready for you to oust him and close ranks again.

but, basically. mpp's concern territorial fighting, rather than skirmishes between units on neutral land.

 

[dexters]

I almost never use MPPs in my games. Not being able to control when I go to war is troublesome and more importantly can destroy reputations.

That said if you use MPP as part of a trap to get two Civs to fight each other, sure.

Just wait for all your deals to run out with the Civ you want to declare war on, sign an MPP with the Civ you want to join in a war, declare on your tar Civ watch the fireworks.

In your case though, it sounds like you wanted the MPP to trigger a war so you could join in. If that's what you want, signing MA is much better as it has 2 advantages

1) You choose when to enter the war (ie: the war could be really lopsided and you may have bet on the wrong horse. With an MPP you're locked in for 20 turns even if your bet was wrong. 2) AI can break treaties with human players (the game doesn't keep track of AI's reputation with human players-- its assumed to be stored in our brain!) so you could sign an MA to come on side of one player and if one of side of the AI cries uncle and sues for peace and both AI do make peace, you're out of the MA deal. You can then also sue for peace with no rep hit, or continue the war and keep all the spoils.

FLEXIBILITY is

 

[darski]

I have been known to sign an MPP with one of the two remaining Civs in a game knowing they are going to breach the peace at some soon point.

I get in the war without causing or declaring. I seem to get WLTKD's when I honour an MPP. Am I wrong about this because I sure need to know before I do that again.

Now that has backfired on me a couple of times - the one who requests the MPP has turn and declared on me the next turn,