Worst/Best Neighbors

[Nlmh71]

Which civilizations are the worst to have as neighbors for you? I'm wondering if it varies by difficulty and play-style. For me, it's definitely France, Rome, the Mongols or Japan. They inevitably settle like 3 cities then invade with everything they've got. That, or I become friendly with them, help them fight a war, and am betrayed 20 turns later.

The best neighbors, in my experience, are usually India, Arabia, or Egypt. They seem to be more focused on tech/culture, and never seem to back stab. Whenever a civilization becomes a run-away AI it is always the Iroquois or Ottomans...ALWAYS

 

[comatosedragon]

Greece is the absolute worst to have close. As soon as you see Alex, start pumping out the units.

 

[Cheeseisgood]

I detest having Bismark next to me, because I know that I have to crush him before the modern era, otherwise he crushes me. My last two games have resulted in the Ottomans backstabbing me and being pretty nasty, so I'm going to go with those as well.

 

[Valbuena]

I can tell you that Suleiman hates neighbors >.>

 

[JamesCivFan]

Montezuma, Bismark and Alexander are the worst ones for sure. I agree with the OP about the best ones.

 

[snarzberry]

You can take advantage of the different types of neighbours as they bring different benefits. Warlike civs (like Aztecs, Japanese, Greeks) build up military and frequently attack you, this gives you the opportunity to defeat their armies and take most of their cities for no diplomatic penalty. Peaceful civs (like India, Egypt, England) often spend the early game building infrastructure and wonders that you can capture for benefit, but the catch is you have to DoW hurting your global rep.

Overall I agree that Alex is my least desired neighbour and the best for me is Gandhi as he's a pushover and builds wonders like stonehenge often which is good to capture.

 

[headcase]

Overall I agree that Alex is my least desired neighbour and the best for me is Gandhi as he's a pushover and builds wonders like stonehenge often which is good to capture.

It is also best to conquer Gandhi before he finally starts ramping up production later on and of course especially before he can get his hands on nukes. If he decides he wants to bring you down he can get quite unit obsessed.

 

[apocalypse105]

the best neighbors are the ones on the other island far away from you

 

[JWAT44]

Which civilizations are the worst to have as neighbors for you? I'm wondering if it varies by difficulty and play-style. For me, it's definitely France, Rome, the Mongols or Japan. They inevitably settle like 3 cities then invade with everything they've got. That, or I become friendly with them, help them fight a war, and am betrayed 20 turns later.

The best neighbors, in my experience, are usually India, Arabia, or Egypt. They seem to be more focused on tech/culture, and never seem to back stab. Whenever a civilization becomes a run-away AI it is always the Iroquois or Ottomans...ALWAYS

ottomans can get way ahead because suleiman founds cities like a plague unless he is near mongolia or germany because they will just destroy him (or catherine). mongolia and germany can get very far ahead if they are on a different continent so you cant keep them in check until you get a large enough navy and air force. japan is actually useful on another continent because they always stay friendly during your conquest of your continent while they conquer theirs so you have a friend if you want to go domination (until they are the last civ left)

 

[BjoernLars]

The best neighbors, in my experience, are usually India, Arabia, or Egypt.

In my last game, Egypt back stabbed me twice in a row. Luckily we had a long isthmus separating us and I had some pumped up triremes to protect the sneak attacks and weaken their troops coming across the land bridge.

To remedy this problem, I just took his capital.

 

[Nlmh71]

Since I started this thread I've started another game...ended up right next to mongolia, who I managed to take out before the Renaissance period before they could gain the advantage. The run-away AI is, yet again, the Ottomans. They're on the opposite end of my Pangaea map and spam cities every 3-4 turns. It seems like they always do this.

I'm going to have to send my army and raze a few cities just to keep his score in check...I think I hate Suleiman the most, not because he's difficult, but because his AI is so backwards that all he does is spam settlers, which results in him controlling 1/2 of the map.

 

[baileyc800]

my favorite neighbor is King Darius. for some reason he's my neighbor quite often and we always seem to work together well.
Least favorite is Washington, he's a butthead and i hate him. his AI is so dumb and agressive. i was playing as japan and me and washington wiped out india together then within 5 turns of that he invades me and pretty much whipes me off the face of the earth. plus he's always one to start early to mid game wars. i don't like him.

 

[Louis XXIV]

I've had good luck recently with all of them (except Monty, he'll always suck).

 

[buchengshi]

You can take advantage of the different types of neighbours as they bring different benefits. Warlike civs (like Aztecs, Japanese, Greeks) build up military and frequently attack you, this gives you the opportunity to defeat their armies and take most of their cities for no diplomatic penalty.

This is often my main strategy. I won't build up an army, which is basically asking one of these guy to attack if they're nearby. Rush a unit or two, destroy their units. Turtle forever and ever, refusing peace, letting them send units to die. Once I get rifling, I go take all of their cities. Because of the long turtle, I should have at least one rifle with blitz, and a cannon with logistics. I'll let them keep that one-tile island city off the coast.

 

[DemonMaster]

Recently I (Korea) started on the same continent as Monty, Khan and Alex. When I found out I played on for a few more turns, but I quit that game and played fallout instead to calm my nerves.

 

[Capt Ajax]

I agree...Ottomans and Mongrols are bad news. I don't mind being next to the Inca or even Rome....never much trouble with them..

 

[The Mad Russian]

Right now I hate whatever Civ is next to me purely because of the fact that without a doubt, how nice they are supposedly towards me or how much trade we've done, you can always expect a knife in the back. The last Future Era game I played I stopped after turn 43 because I got dog-piled on. First by the Inca, then the Aztecs, then by Germany. I practically blew my top and threw my laptop across the room.

 

[Ranos]

Hate Suleiman the most. Every time I have him as a neighbor, he DoWs me at some point and then the rest of the game I'm either at war with him or have a few turns of peace when we have a treay. I know at the end of the treaty he will DoW me again so it's never a significant amount of time.

The worst was when I almost completely killed him off. Left him with only one or two cities, he was nowhere near me in strength but at the end of the treaty, he DoWed me again. Really?!?

 

[guenzak]

Alex...without a doubt. He's just a bastard. My second hated would actually be Siam. For some reason whenever Siam is next to me I can guarantee a backstab. And, if he beelined to those elephants of his before I get pikemen, fending off the assault can be difficult.

 

[jbevermore]

Oddly enough I like being around Monty and the Khan (sounds like an 80's rock band). They both respect power, and being a gun toting nut myself I rarely have a problem. Unless I choose to have one.

Washington and Alex (oh God especially Alex) are what I call "whack jobs". They will attack you. Strong, weak, doesn't matter. You're there and you're going to die.