Blind Diplomacy

[HaplessHorde]

I am irked that the AI civs know that I'm the one that provoked a war between two of them, but I can't find out if somebody pulled the same trick on me.

This amounts to a distinct disadvantage; I want to focus my sabotage on the ones who really deserve it.

I also wish I had the same dialogue options as the AI, i.e., "I recommend you convert", "Care to assist us in destroying ---"

That last would be a nice way to coordinate a simultaneous attack on some *****, usually Montezuma...

[Solver]

Well, you can ask the AI to convert religions or declare war on someone else .

[HaplessHorde]

actually, I have never even had the opportunity to request that someone change religions - the option is either absent or red. What does it take to activate it?

[MasterDave]

In order to ask someone to convert, your religion has to be present in at least one of their cities. If it is there but red, then your relations are not good enough for him to consider the request.

If AI's go to war with you for little or no reason when you are already at war, they were probably invited to do so. What I hate is when you agree to go to war with an AI partner, and then they make peace the very next turn. This seems to happen a lot.

[Tattila the Hun]

What I'd like to see, is a mutual pact of declaration of war. Sometimes they say "We fear their military might". Well, what if I bring my guns to bear? Would that chance your mind?

[Solver]

Yes it would . If you declare war first, then the other AI might be willing to declare, too, and the option no longer shows up red.

[senowen]

Precisely, I find that once I take down one of the enemy's cities the other AI are much more willing to go to war.
As for religion changing, I have gotten the AI to do this a number of times, sometimes when the want peace and I'm not interested in destroying them yet, sometimes when they are friendly with me and I have thrown several missionaries into their cities.

[Dis]

on a semi related note, has anyone ever been able to bribe the ai into going to war? Everyone talks about it, but I can never do it. The option is always read. Actually I can't say never, I was able to do it once. It was with a warmongering civ (Japan I think) I was able to convince them to go to war with someone. Not that they sent any troops in to help me...

[rah]

Yes, quite a few times. It helps to have something they want. My question to you would be are you already at war when you ask them? As mentioned previously you can even turn a red to a white if you declare first.

[Will9]

Originally posted by HaplessHorde
actually, I have never even had the opportunity to request that someone change religions - the option is either absent or red. What does it take to activate it?

Well I once got Gandhi to keep changing his religon for my map. We were good friends and my religon had spread to all but one. The city was on an island and I was to lazy to send a missionary to the island. So I kept asking Gandhi to switch relgons in exchange for my map. Then 10 turns later he'd switch back. It went on and on. So it's possible.

[Cyrus The Mike]

Re: Blind Diplomacy

Originally posted by HaplessHorde
I am irked that the AI civs know that I'm the one that provoked a war between two of them, but I can't find out if somebody pulled the same trick on me.

now that you say that, you're right. You deserve an award

[DrSpike]

Originally posted by Dis
on a semi related note, has anyone ever been able to bribe the ai into going to war? Everyone talks about it, but I can never do it. The option is always read. Actually I can't say never, I was able to do it once. It was with a warmongering civ (Japan I think) I was able to convince them to go to war with someone. Not that they sent any troops in to help me...

If they don't like the Civ in question it can be quite easy. Later on in the game if you have a tech lead one tech is a nice way to do it.

[snoopy369]

I'd just add that remember that the AI has a lot of restrictions vis-à-vis you, as well. Just as you can't tell when an AI asks another AI to gang up on you, the AI can't really affect your decisions substantially, can't get a +1 relationship benefit with you, and can't tell how happy you are with it. It also can't reliably gauge your likelihood to go to war with it.

So just take that as something going back to the AI's side in the matter

[snoopy369]

Originally posted by Dis
on a semi related note, has anyone ever been able to bribe the ai into going to war? Everyone talks about it, but I can never do it. The option is always read. Actually I can't say never, I was able to do it once. It was with a warmongering civ (Japan I think) I was able to convince them to go to war with someone. Not that they sent any troops in to help me...

Yes, I often have AIs join in wars with me at my request. The AI must a) like you, b) have something to gain, and c) have a reasonable military force (but not that high, really). If you're not at war with that civ as well, it makes it harder (but not impossible).

That said, this is not Civ3. You can't bribe the AI into attacking someone constantly to keep the highest AI down, or to prevent space launches.

[HaplessHorde]

I've gotten AIs to go war against somebody I didn't like without me having to declare war at all. Pick some low-ranked civ who really likes you and offer them some tech they're hopelessly behind on.

You can even say "no" a few turns later when your friend asks you to help them out with the war. I've often given another tech or pile of money to keep them sweet, but I'm not sure how necessary it is.