What should i do in this situation?

[Mullet Crusader]

Regent Level, playing as Celts on a Regular sized map

First, thanks to everyone who posted in my Wars/Militarism quesiton topic, you have helped a ton, and i now have a dilemma in my most recent game i just started.

See, i went into it thinking i WOULDN'T go berserk and declare war on other Civs as soon as i got a decent army, i was going to build up and maybe even build some infrastructure, amazing for me to consider such a thing

Things were going well, Persia and i got otgether, traded some techs, and brought each other up to date on the the tree. Several turns later, they demanded 3, yes THREE, gold from me. Why would you demand THREE gold? Its like robbing a bank and only asking the cashier for 200 bucks! Of course, i told them where to go, and they declaared war.

Not wanting a big bloody conflict, i immediately attacked a straggler city near my empire and since it was only size 1, it was destroyed, losing me reputation points with my neighbors. Instead of pushing an attack and trying to kill more, i simply offered peace (of course i wanted a little something extra, but not like they didn't bring it on themselves)

So life went on, and fairly soon after, the punk Germans demanded money and maps from me. I, naturally, told them where they could put their "offer." BAM! Embroiled in another unwanted war. I saw a lone city of theirs guarded by a lone regular warrior. I made quick work of the city, but since it was size 1, i automatically destroyed it. This of course, did not help my image, despite the fact i didn't want war at all!

I figured i could sue for peace pretty soon, but then, the Germans got the Mongols into the act too! They entered an Alliance against me! Bastards! And then as soon as that bomb dropped, they convinced the Zulus to jump in it against me too!

I have done nothing wrong! I wanted peace, not war! Stop bullying me! Leave me alone! ARGH! I din't WANT to destroy those crappy cities! Anyway, its 650 BC, and 3 out of the 5 other Civs on my continent want my head on a plate and out of the two others, one is furious for me because THEY declared war on ME, and the other (Greeks) don't trust me because i destroyed those two crummy cities! Ack! What should i do? Any advice/ideas? I would just try to get Iron and mow them all down with swordsmen, but the only Iron deposit on the face of the freakin planet, though unclaimed in neutral territory, is deep in Zulu/German territory, and it will take too long to get to it, and its too dangerous!

Whats a victim to do? I didn't do anything to these Civs! (Maybe they recalled my treatment of them in previous games) Somebody help me out here!

 

[Mullet Crusader]

Just an update, it's 3 turns later and the Greeks are now at war with me too, though i have never done anything but been friendly, *sigh* thats 4/5 AI's on my continent......

EDIT: Quick update, i just destroyed (Not by choice) a German city, and managed to convince them to sign a peace treaty, but onw my reputation wil have sunk even lower for destroying that stupid city! D'oh! What to do? What to do?!

 

[Mega Tsunami]

I have to say that I didn’t realise you lose reputation when a small city is automatically raised.

The other civs would only demand gold off you if you had a weaker army. Either build up your army or do as I do and pay up – it really is the best option, especially when you go up to higher levels.
Don’t take their demands personally – just make a note which civ demanded what and make sure they pay back in spades later on.

Early on I will occasionally say no to a far flung civ if they demand a tech, but otherwise pay up and pay the game.

PS Some good advice – early on do anything (and I mean anything) the Persians want.

 

[BretP]

If you are playing the Celts, get iron and use their UU. The gallic swordsman kicks serious butt early on. He is even more powerful than the persian UU because of his movement bonus. I just finished a game as the Celts, the early wars crippled most of the civs around me, which made the modern ear pretty easy. I would make peace with as many civs as possible and then start picking them one one by one. Sign an allaincce with someone. I would destroy the Persians first and then the Greeks. Make examples of them.

 

[jack merchant]

Mega Tsunami is correct; on higher levels it's always better to pay up when you don't want to go to war yet.

Also, you do not get a reputation hit for razing cities, you get an attitude hit, i.e. people will hate you but still deal with you.

If someone declares war on you, the best way to ensure that they don't buy alliances against you is to buy alliances against them. This will cause them to be perceived as the weaker side in the conflict, and make the AI's reluctant to sign alliances with them against you.

 

[zerksees]

When a civ declares war, don't assume the others will remain neutral.

As soon as a civ declares war on you, try to get the other civs to join you (agreeing with jack merchant). Give them money, techs, workers, maps whatever it takes. Of course this means you have to stock up on money and techs to be able to give them, and you need the embassy for that civ.

I have no proof of this, but if a large civ attacks you, the other civs are usually more willing to join you to beat down the bad guy.

Also, militaristic civs love to have war. When a war starts approach them and enlist them against your enemy. I usually play Persia and use random AI selection. Often the Zulus end up as an AI player. They LOVE war. I can sic them on another AI and they will not stop until they win. Knowing which are militaristic will help. Being in your culture group might also make them more willing to join you.

In your case, you need to find a way to make peace with some of them, and then, after a few turns, see if you can get them polite and get them to join you.

Also, leave those small cities alone - not worth the rep hit. They won't produce much anyway, and a couple nearby units can take out any units the AI could produce there. Once the borders expand due to culture, then you can attack them.

One other piece of advice: The AI is a machine. It follows instructions and is incapable of knowing you. Lots of people can beat this game at the higher levels, so I know it can be done. All you need to do is figure out what buttons to push to make it do what you want. Keep the faith, a little more practice with negotiating with the AI's and you will rule the game at this level.

 

[Mullet Crusader]

Well i've managed to end the wars with minimal damage to myself, and am currently getting revenge on the Persians, heh heh, thanks for the tips, just i hate haivng to give into the stupid AI's demands...

 

[wilbill]

If you keep your military strong enough, you can minimize or eliminate the demands. And you can refuse them and they'll usually back off. Check with your military advisor occasionally - you shoud be "stronger than" or "about the same as" those guys. Also, do you have embassies? I have no experimental evidence, but I'm pretty sure that you're less likely to get picked on if you have an embassy with the civ in question than if you don't.

 

[Sirp]

So let me get this straight....if you were a bank teller and someone tried to rob the bank by demanding $200, you *wouldn't* give them the money?

'nuff said.

-Sirp.

 

[Mullet Crusader]

Lol, you've got a point Sirp, but in this case it was like the bankteller had a shotgun duct-taped to the underside of the desk pointed at the thief, it wasn't the sudden declaration just hte avalanche of enemy Civs that piled up on their side. Oh well, it worked out for the best

 

[TerraHero]

they always demand a lot of stuff..but i make sure my research is top so my army is better equiped too..when they demand i tell them too go and **** themselves and all they do is leave me alone..they don't wanna get into war..and look what u're adviser says when nagotiating..if it says something like "The Greek fear our Cavalry"stock up on those and they'l surely leave u alone

 

[MajorFallout]

Just 2 points I'd like to add:
1) Yes, you should pay up. If you can afford it, and your army isn’t big enough to combat their oncoming hordes. Sometimes you just have to swallow your pride and give in - the other civs can be real bullying bastards, but it does pay sometimes when you need someone to go to when in trouble, eg. a mutual protection pack.

2) DON’T raise a captured city. Instead occupy it, and if you don’t want it, on the next turn just abandon useless town. This will not effect your reputation with other Civs, and you’re more likely be able to sue for peace.

 

[Galcador]

Originally posted by MajorFallout
2) DON’T raise a captured city. Instead occupy it, and if you don’t want it, on the next turn just abandon useless town. This will not effect your reputation with other Civs, and you’re more likely be able to sue for peace.

It will affect their Attitude, though. Just as razing when capturing does.

 

[West German]

Alaways pay up unless it is about 3 fourths of your treasury. It is better to pay money and have your kingdom around long enough to gain it back.

 

[Bacon King]

Demanding 3 gold!?

 

[Sentinali]

On the aspect of paying up I think that early on it is ALL about respect. In my opinion on Regeant level you can get it TWO ways:

a) Bending Over for It - paying the money and techs and keeping quiet - what I have found here if that "if you give a man a fish, he will ask for another one tommorrow", They always come back for more.

b) Given your Rivals the Business - Early on take someone out, or nearly out of the game (until they give you Everything they have except their capital city) for peace. This will do two things a) the other civs will fear your, b) your empire will be double the size.

About a year ago I wrote a piece on the benefit of an early war - In brief there is no point in Depotism to peace, peace prior to Monarchy (were rushing is more difficult and you start to focus on growth and tech) is useless. I usually (depending on the Civ get Iron Working or Horseback Riding first and expolit it into the middle ages.

Of course, this is Regeant level and you don't have to worry about all those "bonus units" - that being said, taking up the azz on Diety may be worthwhile.