Why is everyone attacking me?

[gamer5421]

I started a game on the Monarch level (Warlords expansion).
I had a great start since my capital was located near two marble resources and one stone and reasonable amount of food.

I reached about 1000 AD and then pretty much everyone started to attack me.
I was also never able to really improve my relationship with anyone.
Could that be because I chose "random AI personalities"?
Everyone just seemed to hate me.
:-(

 

[Sisiutil]

In the absence of more specific game information (a saved game file would help), it sounds like you need to work on your diplomacy. Check out this thread on Triangle Diplomacy for some useful tips.

Beyond that, here are a few common diplomatic errors:

• Religions are the key to getting along with other civs (or royally ticking them off) in the early game. Either found your own quickly and spread it to everyone, or stay neutral as long as you can, then convert to the faith of whoever is closest and scariest so they'll love you. But do NOT found a religion, convert to it, and keep it to yourself! You're a godless heathen everyone else will want to DESTROY!
• Have you tried to please everyone? You'll end up pleasing no one. This is what triangle diplomacy deals with--cf. the link above.
• Did you trade techs, resources, and Open Borders with all and sundry? Again, a mistake; you'll earn several "You have traded with our worst enemies!" diplomatic demerits, and gradually become everyone's "worst enemy" yourself. Restrain yourself and forgo any trading until you know the lay of the land--who dislikes each other the most, or is likely to. Then only trade with your triangle partners and, maybe, with a civ they seem to get along with. Be prepared to cancel trades with any civ other than your triangle partners if they ask you to.

 

[gamer9865]

Wow!

Great insight. I haven't read the article yet, but what you're saying makes lots of sense. It also adds a new dimension to the game. Previously (earlier civ games), diplomacy wasn't that important or didn't have many factors.

I was neutral on religion because I didn't want to make everybody angry, but what you're saying is very true. By the way, even if I spread my religion to the nearby civs, will that affect his/her attitude even if that is *not* is state religion?

 

[Sisiutil]

Wow!

Great insight. I haven't read the article yet, but what you're saying makes lots of sense. It also adds a new dimension to the game. Previously (earlier civ games), diplomacy wasn't that important or didn't have many factors.

I was neutral on religion because I didn't want to make everybody angry, but what you're saying is very true. By the way, even if I spread my religion to the nearby civs, will that affect his/her attitude even if that is *not* is state religion?

Thanks for the compliment, though I must share it with the game designers, who did indeed make diplomacy complicated and, thereby, more interesting in this version.

To answer your question, other civs will still regard you as heathen scum if their state religion is different, even if your religion is in several of their cities. You not only have to spread the religion, you may also have to ask or even bribe them to convert to it.

I usually don't found many religions myself. I tend to stay neutral until I have and can convert to the religion of a neighbour that I want to keep passive while I beat on someone else. Then I inevitably turn on them, especially once they've built that lucrative shrine in their holy city for me.

 

[_alphaBeta_]

Good advice. I believe that you can trade techs without getting a negative modifier, however. Tech trading is a one-time shot that doesn't have the same effect as open borders or resource trading.

 

[GIO888]

They hate you and want you to die. Build many, many catapaults.

 

[gamer9865]

When playing Monarch, I recently played ze Germans.
So I only aimed for Code Of Laws (confuciasm) and later also Taoism (Philosophy). I constrcuted a shrine and spread some religion.
Got lots of $$$. My science was at %100 + unit costs and I still made 17 gold per turn.



It is very worth it from a financial point of view.

 

[Grabnar]

There are many reasons for them attacking you. Are you sitting on valuable resources? Do you have a strong military? Unfortunately, weakness invites agression.....just like real life.

 

[gamer9865]

I have some resources, but so do they.

On a different note, how do you know the personality types of other leaders?
Aside from Hatsheput, which always seems nice, is it related to the traits?
Is an aggressive civ likely to be more aggressive?

 

[Sisiutil]

Yes, one thing the programmers definitely exceled at was giving most of the Civ leaders distinct personalities. It isn't just related to the traits. There are threads dealing with this particular topic, but generally...

Alexander, Montezuma, Napoleon, and Genghis Khan are the warmongers.
Kublai Khan, Caesar, Qin, Louis, and Huayna are the biggest opportunists.
Mansa Musa is a tech-trading fiend.
Huayna, Mansa, Gandhi, and Washington are usually the best space-racers.
Isabella is a religious fanatic.
Tokugawa wants to pretend no one else exists.
Hatty, Elizabeth, Victoria, Mansa, Gandhi, and Washington are the easiest to get along with.
Catherine is a babe.