how much is too much

[Smokey tha nuke man]

how much do you people usualy give to the ai civs for an alliance (in terms of gold and tech and declaring wars) and how much do you ask from them.

typically i give very little, and play a mafia style wneh it comes to demands, either they give me what i want, or my nukes will fry they're whole civ. and if any other civs don't like that, then they get the nuke treatment too. and if they try to get smart with the sdi's, then i unload with tanks and howitzers and battleships and the like.

[Ming]

I rarely give them anything. Once, I remember a civ catching me with my pants down on surpise... no defense... so I gave them something to keep them off my back for a few turns.
But, it is a rare event. Usually, they aren't getting anything from me.

Now, I'm a firm believer of demanding tribute. And if they don't anti up... TOAST

[Smash]

I'll give techs no problem.Gold is another situation.I'm kinda stingy.But..often you give some to get the alliance,then ask for a gift straight away,they give it right back and sometimes more.Generally this is only in OCC though.
Normal game is more of "whats mine is mine and if you don't give me yours I'll steal it" type thing.Once in awhile I'll give a little for an alliance but mainly to get maps and to build right next to their capitol

[Archangel MasterBob]

I never ally, period. Alliance are a *****.

[Ecthy]

quote: Originally posted by Ming on 04-21-2001 02:30 PM Now, I'm a firm believer of demanding tribute. And if they don't anti up... TOAST

I know what you mean...

Just that they're even toast after giving me their whole treasury

[Bereta_Eder]

I usually don't give anything. Very rarely I give gold but I never ever gives techs.

Of course I demand back 10 times as much as I give because this is a healthy relationship

[East Street Trader]

First contact with a close neighbour is a special case. You really need good relations so that you have time to confine them and then to destroy them or reduce them to puppet status.

I find that if I just get onto ordinarily good terms and then confine them, they will start turning out awkward units like legions and I get badly diverted by having to research military techs at a time when I have lots of other pressing research priorities.

My preference is to depend on vet horsemen as my only offensive unit until I can build a cat or two (or some ironclads) - which will be a long way into the game.

So early on I may well give my neighbour anything he asks for (and volunteer gifts) until I find means through money or manoevre or the development of just a very small military task force to complete his destruction or encirclement.

With more distant civs I want maps and I want alliances. It is worth giving plenty to get them. I find that very early you can get at least one alliance just for the sake of asking. Before you have the wherewithall to please April and open an embassy this is a decent second best.