A few brief questions...

[sns222]

After playing both the original game and Beyond The Sword, I am still a bit confused about the PERMANENT ALLIANCE option. Despite reaching the required technology to be able to do so, I am never able to request an alliance with another AI player....Is this option available only when playing with other human players?

Also, While Playing Beyond The Sword, I noticed that after building the UN and being elected Secretary General, I was NOT given the option of choosing what I wished to have a vote on, but rather was given one issue and asked to vote on it instead? Was this something they changed for the expansion and you no longer have an option to call for a vote for Diplomatic Victory? I don't recall this happening every time I played BTS, but it did during the most recent game...

One of the things I don't like about Vassal States (Which I hope they change for the next game they make) is that it doesn't consider the player "eliminated"...I was able to eliminate one player and made all but 2 of the others (out of 10) my vassals...and I had to wait for a domination victory....Once these states become your vassal, they aren't considered eliminated and you don't have the option of terminating the agreement and eliminating them yourself....They seem to be in some respect more of a problem than they are worth....

Other than the scenarios, is there anything that Warlords has that was not kept for BTS...I'm wondering if there is any point in purchasing it at this point...

Thanks

[Krill]

Permenant Alliances are only enabled if the option is selected when you start a game from the custom game menu; if you start a game by chosing the "Play Now" option permenant alliences will not be in teh game.

[sns222]

Okay, that makes sense...

so if you establish a Permanent Alliance with another civilization, I'm assuming it won't factor into the Conquest Victory situation...If you eliminate everyone EXCEPT your Permanent Ally, you will still obtain Victory, right? I'm assuming it won't require you to eliminate your ally or prevent you from winning because your ally isn't eliminated?

[Krill]

I think that's right. I don;t know for certain; I've only played one game with Permenant Alliances on (I rsally hate the setting.)

[Krill]

In respect to vassals, it used to be that a vasslas area counted towards domination, but it made it way to easy to get domination victories. TBH I prefer to play without diplo victory and vassals because you then get more choice about who to kill next

[sns222]

I like to take a different approach each time I play, sometimes more military and sometimes more political...The only drawback I've found is that it's next to impossible to obtain a conquest victory unless I burn the cities I contact, because by the time I eliminate 2 or 3 players, I will end up with a Domination victory....which is fine, but just seems to be too easy at times....

[Nightfire]

In answer to the question about PA's eliminating players, if you get a PA with someone and the victory is CONQUEST (the only one I play) then the person is therefore eliminated.