I hate Mansa Musa

[Lancer]

Just can't abide him, he's a taker, and I've taken to customizing my games and choosing my AI leaders just to get rid of h i m and his sniveling...

Wierd huh? How do you get along with the AI persona non personas?

[Fleme]

Problem with Mansa? I find him to be one of those guys who, if left alone, builds a massive empire on technology and trade but often lacks in military size unless you allow him to stay unchecked to early-industrialism ages.

I even won my first Deity victory by forming a permanent Alliance with him. He was buds with me all the way from the start (well not the very start but as soon as I realized that his faith Islam was the way to go). Anyways, I consider him to be a Vassal of someone rather than a real power most of the time.

I personally don't enjoy facing Gilgamesh. He's often technologically advanced, has a sizeable empire and is hard on your army if you should go to war. I don't mind fighting defensive wars against him though. Either way, he's one of those who you just can't please and will always need to be razed to the ground since he's too stubborn to give in and capitulate. I suppose he would bend if pushed far enough but he's by no means a wuss like Hatshepsut, Zara, Alexander or Hannibal. These guys are always giving up and ending up as someones Vassal.

If I had to choose the three worst AI's to play against they would be Gilgamesh for the aforementioned reasons along with Pacal II and Suryavarman II. I can't say I'm too fond of Suleiman or Saladin either (they always tag team).

Reasons behind the loathing is basically the fact that these AI's all like to build a large empire which is usually very rich and sustained and this of course leads to them having extra resources on their hands to wage wars. They are also always trying to force you to convert to their religion and using that as a pretext for war.

On the other hand, the AI's I do like playing with are both American leaders, Hannibal, Alexander, Mansa, Zara, Hatshepsut, Louis XIV, because if you treat them like you should they'll end up as nice and obedient vassals.

[Lancer]

Funny thing is, the AI civs never like Mansa much either and are always bugging me to stop dealing with him. Then the bugger steals a sci from me or something and I see why. I prefer the leaders that come straight at me, they're more predictable.

[johnmcd]

Mansa is huge danger if he's not knocked hard before gunpowder.

Gilgamesh next door is my worst nightmare.

[ZEE]

.

[Unimatrix11]

What i wonder is wether the AI is adopting its strategy according to who is its neighbor and if so, how far that goes. For example: If an AI has Shaka as his neighbor, will it assume to be attacked sooner or later ? And if so, will it then assume, that he will build lots of mounted units due to his improved stables ? Are the neighbors of charlemagne aware, that he can sustain a larger empire than theirs and thus try to keep him small ? Are they aware of the UUs of their neighbors and planing their military build-up and action accrording to that ? Will they be more relunctant to give religious and civic techs to spiritual leaders (and those enabling their UUs) ? In short: What difference do the other civs make to an AI´s strategy ?

[Virulent]

Pre-Bts, I had a destroy on sight policy for Mansa, he's just too dangerous to leave lying around, plus then there was the fact he always showed up in every game I played.

Since getting BtS I don't think I've actually had a game with him yet (although I always seem to end up with Joao and/or Qin as an opponent lately). Having 'no tech brokering' on would probably make him less annoying because his tendency to share techs with everybody was his most annoying trait.

Oh yeah don't take him up as a Vassal as he'll just build the UN and win an diplomatic victory right under your nose.

[Hauptman]

Both Mansa and Huayana are the two that give me the best run for my money late game, Maybe its the financial, maybe its their willingness to trade techs, either way they usually out tech me until the very end.


Montezuma and now Isabella however are the 'cannot be trusted' and usually live beneath my heel... Can i take a moment to complain about Izzy?

Usually I do not share her religion so she just hates me most games. My last emporer game she was a neighbor. I figured GREAT, she's gonna be a great ally. Made sure we shared religion, and we both beat down Monty together (my other neighbor). Friendly. The whole game. Then BLAMMO she declares war right when i was in the middle of expanding my empire. All my military was on the other side.... bah who needs enemies with friends like that.

[Lancer]

For all the problems, they've got personality. That was lacking in all previous Civ games...no, all games I've ever played but this.

[Theben]

Last game I played Madrid was about 8 tiles away from Washington, and had founded Buddhism. So I axe-rushed her and no more problems.

[Lancer]

You've always had a way with women my fiend.

[Theben]

[Supr49er]

[SIZE=1] ... I even won my first Deity victory by forming a permanent Alliance with him. He was buds with me all the way from the start (well not the very start but as soon as I realized that his faith Islam was the way to go)...

My Mansa Musa strategy exactly. He is a great ally and will research all kinds of things for you. Well, not for you like a vassal, but he is generous in trading his technology to you.

If you don't want to be allies you can always use spies to steal his technologies.

[DaShi]

Frederick, he always seems to be ages ahead on technology that he's happy to share with anyone but me. Why can't he be more like that pliable dufus, Bismark? Even when he was a vassal of an enemy he was on my side.

[DaShi]

Originally posted by Hauptman
Both Mansa and Huayana are the two that give me the best run for my money late game, Maybe its the financial, maybe its their willingness to trade techs, either way they usually out tech me until the very end.


Montezuma and now Isabella however are the 'cannot be trusted' and usually live beneath my heel... Can i take a moment to complain about Izzy?

Usually I do not share her religion so she just hates me most games. My last emporer game she was a neighbor. I figured GREAT, she's gonna be a great ally. Made sure we shared religion, and we both beat down Monty together (my other neighbor). Friendly. The whole game. Then BLAMMO she declares war right when i was in the middle of expanding my empire. All my military was on the other side.... bah who needs enemies with friends like that.

I remember when I was playing one game on a single continent. Once I founded Free Religion, Izzy loved me. We had a grand time carving up the other empires together.