encroaching on your enemies.

[Father Beast]

I have discovered a way to get those resource squares from your enemies without declaring war. if you're at peace, you can fortify a unit on one of their squares and usually only get a warning, instead of the ultimatum - get off or war. the next turn, your city can start producing that square.
by founding cities just outside of enemy city radius, you can do this to start starving them away.

[Chainsaw]

True. But the problem is, the AI does exactly the same. If they take some nice spots from my city radius (specials, important food or production squares), I'm often not patient enogh to chase them away just to see them return two turns later. I really hate that, especially in OCC. Mostly, I try to start a quick assault, destroy the city that's too near (maybe one, two more ), and then make peace again.
Bombers are a nice way to starve civs who haven't yet discovered flight.
I wonder why it doesn't work on ocean squares.

[Ming]

Gee... whenever I have a peace treaty with the AI, they will demand my exit the first turn, and the next turn, I'm given the choice of relocating the unit to another city, or taking a hit on my reputation (not that I give a darn about rep... it's not worth anything in the final score)

[Laertes]

An alternative tactic:

-position your unit as described, until your city has control of the resources
- withdraw your unit when asked
- rush a couple of diplos/food caravans onto the square, which keeps control of the square for you but doesnt produce a threat from the AI.

[Bohlen]

quote: Originally posted by Fergus Horkan on 10-26-2000 11:45 AM - rush a couple of diplos/food caravans onto the square, which keeps control of the square for you but doesnt produce a threat from the AI.

At least not until the eventual sneak attack.

[Father Beast]

Ming -
on the turn where you they yell at you, you don't actually have to move it away, and can start producing that square before they give you the choice of withdrawing or rep hit.

Chainsaw -
you can watch the AI like hawks and keep them out of your squares every turn by demanding it in negiotiations. might be a bit too micromanaging for you, though.

Fergus -
I like the idea, but won't they then come along and expel your spy?

[rah]

That's why the diplo/caravan combo.

Ahhh, the old sneak attack. In the MPG version, they will quite frequently

The ask to withdraw usually works but sometimes they'll move a diplo up with the unit. And then when you try to expel it will say it must be closer to your city.

RAH

[Ming]

Father Beast...
Yeah... I know. But they usually just a move a unit up take the square back. You ask them to move, and they say war... Which isn't a bad thing

[geofelt]

I just recently tried this tactic. The city had a food box that was nearly depleted. I occupied enough squares to create a shortage. Every turn, the city starved down one population unit until only the central square was used and the pop was minimal. As a republic, the AI also lost units. I only did this, experimenting with a max score game on a micro(25x40) world. Most times, only one unit was withdrawn, I don't know why.

[Father Beast]

actually, geofelt, that's happening to me too. I have two units in enemy territory, and they tell me to move or renounce the treaty, I say OK, and they just move 1 out!