Well, I give up ...

[MyOlde]

I've managed to win on the first two levels; launched a space ship on the second level, what's it called?, so decided to move up to Regent.

For the life of me, I can't survive. I'm not particularly warmongering and would rather get along peacefully...until I get a chance to build up a good war machine. I want to spend my time and gold building buildings and roads and watching my influence expand and take over little towns (seldom worth taking over!). I build defensive units for each town and horsemen and swordsmen to try and keep the AI honest. But they start running their little guys with pointy sticks across my territory. They'll move the first couple of times but then they'll declare war. I try to buy them off with gifts of territory maps and will even meet their tribute demands. But unless I spend all my efforts building a war machine and destroying a civ or two, I can't seem to get anywhere.

Back to that good old second level. At least until I launch a spaceship and get my confidence back. **Sigh**

[Mr. Blaze]

hmm.. i usually let them cross through my territory to a certain extent.. unless it looks like they r gonna attack me.. works pretty well..

but for more in depth help.. wait for more of a vet to help..

[Spiffor]

The AI never (well, almost) declares war to me, and I play only at regent. To get along with the AI :
- have all your cities defended, non ned for huges masses of defenders
- Trade with them, even if the trade doesn't arrange you. Try to expand where there are luxuries (always sell well)
- Always ask what they want when dealing with them. If their offer is not ridiculous, accept it (they'll tend to consider you "generous"
- Try to make a right of passage agreement : they become much more patient with you
- Do not declare war with anybody, for a backwards town or two. That's the way to lose friends for the rest of the game. If you declare war to a Civ, crush it, or nearly do so.
- When there is no Right of Passage, and a Civ lets small troops loose on your territory, leave it be : they offen do this to settle somewhere behind your country. If you block the expansion of a foreign civ, it will become more warlike.

[philler]

beat the crap out of them!

they'll learn to respect you.