Bug or incorrect recall of behavior?

[shadowpuppet]

If I recall correctly, at least one preview/pre-release artciel on Civ4 (unfortunately, I can't seem to locate the article at this time) mentioned that when Open Borders is in effect between certain civs, the ONLY unit types allowed access are non-combat units (Missionaries, Workers, Spies, etc) - the assumption being that if combat units entered, it would still be tantamount to a provocation of war (which makes sense as this is how "open borders" works - for the most part - in the "real world").

However, this does not seem to be the case. Civs with whom I have Open Borders agreements can move troops into/through your territory (granted, the same seems to be allowed for me). This essentially makes the de facto situation similar to Civ 3 - namely, "allies" can pre-position troops within your borders and then sneak-attack when you least expect it.

Is this supposed to be the case? Or is this behavior a bug?

[Cabbagemeister]

Either you misremember this or the feature was changed. Personally, I like it the new way. ROP-rape is no longer possible, since an attack must be preceeded by a declaration of war, and a declaration of war causes units to be teleported out of your territory. The foreign units in your territory can't even annoy you, since you can share tiles with them.

[shadowpuppet]

Originally posted by Cabbagemeister
...an attack must be preceeded by a declaration of war, and a declaration of war causes units to be teleported out of your territory.

Is this actually the case? Has anyone confirmed that combat units (the "other guy's") in your territory get teleported out when War is declared?

My game is not in a position to test this at the moment.

[spy14]

I've not got the game yet but have seen it on this site several times that the units are teleported out.

[Nailfoot]

I can confirm that the enemy units are moved into their own borders at war declaration.

[spy14]

What about the "sneak attack" option though? Presumably if this can be utilised by the human it can be utilised by the AI?

[vovan]

Originally posted by spy14
What about the "sneak attack" option though? Presumably if this can be utilised by the human it can be utilised by the AI?

Well, if you have open borders, you can't sneak attack without declaring war first, which would teleport units out (I believe), and if you don't have open borders, then you have to start from the outside any way.

Vovan

[Willem]

Originally posted by spy14
What about the "sneak attack" option though? Presumably if this can be utilised by the human it can be utilised by the AI?

How are you supposed to sneak attack with Open Borders if units can share a tile? If you move to attack you just end up on the same square as your intended target. Same goes for cities, you just end up entering it.

[Backpack]

Question: (From the Devils Advocate Dept)

You are Civ A. You have Open borders with Civ B and Civ C. Civ B has a large group of units in Civ C Territory.

You move a stack of units to share the same tile as the Civ B stack, within Civ C Territory.

You declar war and cancel Open Borders with Civ B.
You have units in Civ C territory, and the Civ B units in Civ C territory, ON THE SAME TILE.

What Happens?

[Googlie]

You declare it Christmas, and share cigarettes and snorts of brandy?

You have a somewhat similar situation in SMAC/X where you and a second faction can have units in a third faction's base (2 sets of pactmates). If you and that 2nd come to vendetta, you can't leave that base and then attack it, 'cos being your pactmate's base you just enter the base again.

Hmm - not quite the same as in your instance. If your unit had more than 1 movement point, it could disengage and then attack with the second point. (or his could)

What I've found is that on a declaration of war, the opponent's units are not withdrawn to his territory, but to just outside yours, so they still might be able to attack that same turn depending on where your units and/or city was located

I've had it happen that a former trading partner dissolved the border agreement, then I heard the sounds of men screaming and saw that a fishing boat had been destroyed. Then up comes the diplo screen with him saying "I guess we're at war then"