The advantages of being attacked

[IthacaMike]

I just had an evil impulse that worked.

The AI landed some troops next to one of my cities and it was obvious that I was going to be a war the next turn. Then I had my idea. I don't get many that work so I'm going to share.

I set my science and luxury sliders to zero to maximize my gold per turn. Then I contacted my attacker and did some trading. One tech for some luxuries. Another tech for GPT. World map for more GPT. The key was that all of my payments were in the future.

After my attacker had nothing more I wanted I gave the "Move you're troops or else.." button a click and *poof* we were at war.

Then I re-adjusted my sliders.

In effect the AI gave me two techs and a world map for the privledge of declareing war on me.

Mike G

[vmxa1]

Yup.

[Cort Haus]

I wouldn't say it was an evil impulse. Serves the dumbphux right for attacking you.

I just did the same - sharing a continent with Cathy while peaceniking it on Emperor. I currently play for diplowins so never start a war, (which is no problem on Monarch) but as the Pangea turned out as three continents, my usual strat of letting the AI's batter each other down for me was compromised, and my Russian neighbours needed slowing down. Normally they'd get into a fight with another belligerent AI, but on this map I'm the only one sharing their border.

Anyway, when her troops poured over my border I paid her GPT for tech, took several hundred GP for some iron (ROTLF) and let her kick off the same turn - screwing her rep even further and surely guarranteeing her a poor show of hands in the UN.

Slightly OT note on war tactics

The war's not over yet (I'm waiting at least for the 20-turn alliances to end), and it's the defence-dominant inf/cav/arty era. I'm using pillage teams of inf/cav stacks in enemy terrain, while defending my border with arty to red-line their inf stacks on flat ground, before finishing them with vet cav (losses ~ 1 cav per 4 inf) - with infantry defending and directing the enemy to the kill zones.

On turns with no attack wave, arty pounds and weakens their border cities, taking with cav (heavier losses) when/if totally battered. I rebuilt on the site with rubber and oil - and hope to get rid of the two whose borders nick the two saltpeter tiles. That and the pillaged 40% of their empire should weaken them enough - especially with no oil, for the endgame.

If so, they'd be up for a tank-stamping, but I shouldn't need any more of their stuff and I definitely don't need the WW and a slow government. I also don't want the economy dip of consolidating and defending new terrain, whilst rushing for the UN.

So like the thread says - gains are available if attacked; even if SUC-Dealing (Seen U Coming) gets deemed a 'Sploit' (which it isn't IMO).

[Keeper of Hell]

Well- not serves them right for attacking. Serves them right for being so obvious about it, perhaps, or maybe for getting suckered into the deal that was offered, but if the AI was too peaceful, the game would be boring.

[XOR]

In SMAC your GPT type payments were "suspended" during wars and when a truce was agreed the payment would continue.

[Harovan]

I have done so several times, mostly in the ancient age. Not sure about a possible reputation damage, though. As we know, the human gets even blamed in cheating, if he has a luxury trade with civ A, and civ B, being at war with civ C, pillages the connecting road. Have you tested if you are able to trade for gpt or to get a RoP after this incident with other known civs?

EDIT: Ah, and another thing what happened in the minitourney game "Babylon and on": France was about to eliminate the Indians. I saw them approach the last indian city, and made a BIG gpt for tech deal with Gandhi, thinking I save lots of cash. Of course, Joan made peace with India next turn, probably using my gold .

[jshelr]

My question for IthacaMike is, has it started to snow yet?? If I'd had civIII when I was there, I might not have gone mad.