The timeline leading to war with france

[Torkkeli]

Originally posted by Togas
In turn 11 (810AD), Add in that the FAM will sell France a harmless tech for all of their gold, prior to our declaration of war. This should help minimize their ability to bring in allies against us.

--Togas

Well in my mind this would give the French the opportunity to get some allies. As they can give the tech to the ones that ally against us.

Unless this is a tech that all major powers already have.

But I trust you have good plans.

[Panzer32]

I think a harmless tech means one the powers already have. The idea is to take away France's money so they can't get allies.

[Jonny]

I really don't like the plan of declaring war and attacking on the same turn, because that lowers your regard with the other nations. (I think so, anyway.)

[Kloreep]

If you mean a reputation hit, there is a major one if you have units inside their territory; Civs won't sign any more lpt deals/lump sum deals, depending context; eg, they won't let you pay lpt for techs, maps, etc. (Once the AI's side of the deal is complete, why would a treaty-breaker keep theirs?), and won't pay lump sums in exchange for your resources and luxuries (same thing). IIRC, it also makes AIs extremely wary of signing an RoP with you even if you had no RoP with the civ you attacked.

But, so far as I know, there is no rep hit as long as your units are outside their territory at the time of the declaration of war; you can mave units in and even attack after that without getting smeared. I've done that many times and signed gpt deals and treaties afterwards.