foreign ships blocking sea passage

[thewhipmaster]

I am playing on an Earth map and my civ is based in Europe... there are 3 or 4 civs in the region and we have been fighting over territory etc through the ancient and medieval times...

BUT the Russians who are based in South America have sent a couple of galleys over to Europe and have placed them in the Mediterranean Sea, in strategic squares which allows no other ships to pass through the Mediterranean. So even though I have military control over much of the region, I can't send ships in or out through the Mediterranean because of these Russian galleys that are sitting in these particular squares, and not ever moving for years and years of game time.

Is there a strategy to deal with this? The squares the Russian ships occupy are not within my culture boundary, so I can't use diplomacy to ask them to leave. Do I need to expand my civ to gain control of the strategic squares in order to get the Russians to move off? Do I have any other options besides starting a war just to get rid of these two units?

It's totally unrealistic that a South American civ would be able to sent two damn boats to Europe in the late medieval period and hold control of the entire Mediterranean.

[Eli]

Building a city there and asking them to leave. I'm not sure that they will listen though.

You can always destroy them...

[jadlakha]

Re: foreign ships blocking sea passage

[SIZE=1]
It's totally unrealistic that a South American civ would be able to sent two damn boats to Europe in the late medieval period and hold control of the entire Mediterranean.

No its not, history in your game just changed, the russian people of south america just became dominant. If they are on the other side of the world wouldnt it just be easier to kill those to galleys then let the war run its course since they are on the other side of the world and will never attack anyways? You'll be able to sue for peace after a few turns anyways.

[Neon Deon]

Well, I guess this is where the Privateer shines thru. Since You can attack any Navy (friend or foe) with the Ole Jolley Roger, build a wolf pack of em take the spot then occupy them your self with the strongest naval units you have. The Priveteer is far from worthless in this respect. Yes, it is weak. But it has use in games with large sea areas. PS. If the blocking force the AI is using are Ironclads, you will need about 12 of them to insure victory.)

[thewhipmaster]

OK I just got the Privateer available... I think that will be the best solution to get rid of the Russkie ships without going to war over it.

[player1]

Excellent!
I never thought that AI is so GOOD.

[Sytass]

You find that behavior unrealistic? I think that's what's most fun. Well, the Russians in South America is unrealistic, too, isn't it? That's why I prefer playing on random maps.

[MaSsConFUsi0n]

you should just declare war and sink em... as if the russians can mount an effective landing assault on you when you're on the other side of the globe... just sink those ships with some frigates and go to their coast and annoy them...

MaSsConFUsi0n

[deafhawk]

It was said somewhere in the forum that when AI ships "see" privateers they go for them asap. I do not use privateers so I do not know for sure if that is indeed true If this is the case then why not use one privateer as "lure" to get those ships move to chase the privateer and have other ships positioned to grab the vacanted space and now you are in the control of the strategic naval chokepoint instead of the other civ. Remarkable, AI recognizing and using naval chokepoints, not bad, eh?

[kittenOFchaos]

It is if you are the poor bugger stuck in the med due to the Royal Navy

I agree, it is a brilliant touch