The Art of Military Alliance

KLIN-TONN · December 8, 2001, 15:48

I apologize if this has already been discussed at any length, but I recently had an experience that I have to share.

Playing an 8-civ game in Regent, I'm the Babylonians and I have fought my way to having my own continent smack dab in the middle of the map. I'm leading for most of the game, with the Chinese (south and east of me) a very close second. I have fostered good relations with pretty much everyone - and then, pretty much out of the blue, the Chinese get ambitious and declare war on me.

I have defended my cities well but otherwise have absolutely no military strength whatsoever. I didn't even have a single ship with which to deflect Chinese intruders. So I decide it is time to call in some favors. The very turn they declare war on me, I contact the civs that share borders with the Chinese - the Japanese, the Indians and the Russians. I give up a lot of money and some tech, but at the end of the turn, suffice to say, the entire world is at war with China.

Within four turns, Mao had packed it in. The Chinese were wiped off the face of the earth, and I NEVER EVEN PRODUCED A SINGLE UNIT, nor did I ever have to defend myself against the pinko aggression.

Of course, no strategy is without backlash. At the end of this unbelievably brief and violent war, the Indians were on track to become to the pre-eminent world power. Eventually they eclipsed me as the #1 civ. So, 18th century, I'm trying to figure out how to best go about ripping Ghandi's guts out. My people are tired of war, and my entire navy consists of two galleons and one ironclad. I'm beginning to pump out infantry, artillery and cavalry, but to get to Delhi I've got to cross a little pond that is heavily defended by ironclads and frigates.

The Indians made my first problem disappear by sending four war elepants onto my land and declaring war when I demanded they leave. Then it was back to the negotiating table. I gave Russia almost all my gold (about 900, plus gems, plus World Map) to go to war with India, and it was the best investment I ever made. In their first at-war turn, the Red Fleet completely wiped out the Indian Navy. The seas were free and clear for my meager Navy to begin transporting units. Within a couple more turns the Indians were at war with four different Civs, each having been prompted by your's truly.

How sweet it is.

I'm still playing this game, and there's a long way to go, but the capacity of the AI to actually wage war with effect is maybe one of the best aspects of Civ III. The most important thing, I think, is to hurry up and form your coalition as soon as possible, before one is formed against you. And when the chips are down, spare no expense.

jinif · December 9, 2001, 23:58

That sounds like an excellent use of military alliances. However I have a question that I was hoping someone could answear for me. When you make a military alliance, do you have to stay at war with the other civ for 20 turns? If you make a seperate peace with the civ, do you incur a diplomatic penalty from the other civs?

MadWombat · December 10, 2001, 00:21

Yes, you do. You have to stay in for at least 20 tunrs unless you want to get into trouble.

mattcj · December 10, 2001, 14:53

Waging war with the AI's help is probably one of the best and most fun aspects of Civ III. My current game, Shaka and his Zulus declared war on me before I was ready to defend (no great surprise there), but with the help of the Japanese and Chinese, they bought me time to get my military created and together, we wiped the Zulus off the planet. Later on, after the Chinese got aggressive, I called the Japanese back again and together, wiped out the Chinese as well.

Trunks22 · December 11, 2001, 21:16

while ur on the topic of 8 civs. I have a q on that. I'm playin with a lil more than 8 civs but on the FOREIGN AFFAIRS ADVISOR menu, with all the faces in a circle, it only shows 8 of them. Is there a way i can make the others show up or something?

wunder · December 12, 2001, 00:17

Quote:

Originally posted by Trunks22
while ur on the topic of 8 civs. I have a q on that. I'm playin with a lil more than 8 civs but on the FOREIGN AFFAIRS ADVISOR menu, with all the faces in a circle, it only shows 8 of them. Is there a way i can make the others show up or something?

Just hold the "Shift" key down bfore clicking on a face with your mouse. It should give you an option to pick who you want to replace that face with. That's if you have contacts of course!