Casus Belli?

[Knecht]

Any thoughts or convictions out there about the conditions under which other Civs will declare war?
My impression (and that's all it is) is that other Civs seem to jump me either when I'm poorly defended and thus vulnerable or when I'm getting too strong. In particular, it seems they will often declare war either just before or after I acheive a significant military breakthrough - like getting tanks, for example. I'd also be interested in any wisdom about when other Civs are likely to form military alliances. It is always unpleasant to attack a neighbor only to find oneself fighting everyone on the map. A general discussion about how to keep a handle on warfare would be welcome.

[Purple]

I like to declare war, then buy alliances against my opponent, especially alliances with civs that might ally against me! Civs are more likely to join such an alliance after you declare war than before.

[GhengisFarbâ„¢]

Its random. Sometimes caused by a random fluttering of electrodes, me thinks.

[vmxa1]

To avoid the gang up, get the alliance first thing.
I like to demand they leave when I see one coming and force them to declare war on my turn, so I can go around and sign up some friends.
It seems to me that the AI must jump on you at some point if you are among the leaders.
It will try to bully you if you are weak and that can lead to wars as well. I am not sure of what the exact circumstances are.

[Jaybe]

There is an article at CFC War Academy titled "AI Attitude Exposed." AI attitude has a large bearing on states of war & peace, though they can be intimidated (or not) by the size of your military.

[GhengisFarbâ„¢]

But I've seen 1 size 4 city empires declare war on my 24 city empire for no reason whatsoever.

[Theseus]

GF, they probably got mad at something you posted.

[Kuciwalker]

Yeah, when you aren't looking they go online and browse 'Poly. In fact, that's what the OT forum really is: a bunch of Civ3 AI civs all together in their own forum

[Theseus]

"F*cking Arrian... I got stuck with him AGAIN on a small continent, and I couldn't tell anyone about it."

"Jesus CHRIST, Aeson AGAIN!!! I was keeping an eye on Joanie and Cathy, and here he comes out of nowhere from his little ice island... I gotta put a Post-It up about him somewhere."

"Oh, and yeah, what about Mister Perfect Peacenik, that git bastard... you won;t believe just happened to me!!"

[Solomwi]

I prefer MPP's to straight alliances, for a couple of reasons. First, an MPP gives you an out if you don't want to fight the entire 20 turns. Making peace doesn't hurt your rep like it does under an alliance. The drawback, of course, is that you're liable to get pulled right back into the war within a turn or two. For this reason, I like to do the absolute maximum amount of damage possible in the limited time I'm involved. That way, my allies can take the war to the enemy, and with most if not all of the fighting on enemy ground, I'm less likely to get pulled back in. A second drawback is that you may wind up fighting enemy #2 when you didn't want to, but that possibility exists under an alliance, as well, just that instead of enemy #2 attacking your ally, he allies with enemy #1. The best feature of the MPP to me, though, is that you can make it in peacetime. Again, it's a calculated gamble, but I usually am planning my next war 50 or so turns in advance at least. If I see a potential need, I'll try to get the allies I want into MPP's about 15 turns before D-Day (T-Turn?), since the enemy won't talk to me for five turns anyway. If my ally doesn't get attacked (or attack) in those 15 turns, it works perfectly. I get those guys in on my side, and as soon as I could have made peace anyway, I can slip out AND cancel my MPP, wiping my hands of this dirty little war once and for all and turning my attention to planning the next war.

I made my MPPs a little late in my latest game (Monarch), in which I attacked Carthage because I was out of techs to trade and was sick of paying their outrageous silk and ivory prices. I signed the Ottomans and Japanese on, as they were the only other two (besides Hannibal and myself) with nukes. War goes well (same one I learned the beauty of a 4xMarine Army taking down an MI fortified in a size 23 city), I take all his luxuries and try to slip out due to WW. The turn order was me, Carthage, Japan, Ottomans. Well, a couple turns later, the Ottomans actually keep a Carthaginian city . They get attacked, I get a message telling me I've declared war, and Hannibal starts firing ICBM's at Oakland. Six of his eight get zapped, but he hits Oakland and Bayt Ras and I'm fuming. A beautiful thing happened then, though. As I'm sitting there chomping at the bit to repay the favor a hundredfold (almost literally!), I see Japan's ICBM's reduce several cities to size 1 with no defenses through repeated hits. Okay, that's nice, and I've still got some lush targets waiting. Then Osman hits the button. By the time he's done, his last 10 missiles have gone into Leptis Magna, which was already size 1 with no defenses and it hits me... those two just retaliated with their entire arsenals. Carthage has nothing left (only one city over size 2 with any kind of military presence, and it's only a turn away from about 4 of my MA armies and three or four MA divisions of 8 units each.). I am now the sole nuclear power on the globe, with about 16 Tactical Nukes and 70-80 or so ICBM's.

Time to make the entire world bow to my will with no pretenses or feigning equality just to keep some off my back while I take down another.

[vmxa1]

Originally posted by GhengisFarb
But I've seen 1 size 4 city empires declare war on my 24 city empire for no reason whatsoever.

Yes this has happened and I believe it is part of the I must do something, even if it wrong logic.
IOW in a late game, the AI is looking at teh options and knows that it can only win by getting some of your land, even if it hopeless.
I have posted this game beofre, but I pplayed a conquest milk run and got down to 2048, had all land, but one city. Massive modern troops and had been at peace. The AI attacked me, but what else could it do?
It was hopeless, but it was the only option.

[dojoboy]

Originally posted by GhengisFarb
But I've seen 1 size 4 city empires declare war on my 24 city empire for no reason whatsoever.

Much can go into a civs decision to declare war on you, such as their aggression level and government philosophy (they may shun the government type you're running atm). But, most often I believe, civs declare war when a strategic resource is needed and/or when they can no longer pay a gpt deal (declaring war gets them out of the deal). In many ways, the reasons that dictate a human player's decision regarding war also influence the AI.

[Cort Haus]

Sometimes they'll declare war to get out of a per-turn deal, especially if they're skint.

[Cort Haus]

Hey, dojoboy, you beat me to it by three minutes

[dojoboy]

Originally posted by Cort Haus
Hey, dojoboy, you beat me to it by three minutes

You shouldn't have gone for that cup of coffee.