Diplomacy Help!

[GustaiveTW]

Ok ... I need help. I'm now at War with Macedon, Greece, Thrace, Carthage, Gaul and Germania. Carthage sometimes beats me but I expect to be at war with them.

The other factions are bothering me. I have beat the living snot out of them and the refuce treaties! I have tried threats, bribes ... returning land. NOTHING works. And I have been at war with Greece, Gaul and Macedon since just about the start of the game.

I even had an 8 wreath diplomat trying. WTH? I'm on H/H and I've never seen the AI so stuborn.

I'm ok as defending my territory but I actually at a stand still because I can not keep my front line troops refreshed AND build new units for expansion. I need a break!

And Macedon is down to 3 cities and Greece down to one but they have 2 LARGE stacks running around screwing with my cities and about 1000 boats running around blocking my ports (adding to my money problem), sinking my ships with reinforcements, etc.

[Mr Harold]

Hey there, GustaiveTW

Reasons they wont negotiate with you could have something to do with their alliances, and your enemies. For example, if lets say.. Carthage was allied with Greece, and you were at war with Carthage. Greece would not want to become your allies and would quite possibly attack you. You probobly already know that, but its good to remind

Also on the war front, I suggest you bring troops out of your inland (I.e not frontline) provinces, to reinforce your frontline provinces. Then, bring together as many full stacks as possible with the garrison from your frontline provinces, still leaving some to defend.

I would recommend destoying Greece as quikly as possible, because they only have one province left. Obviously then their stacks would deplete and turn into rebels

Sorry if this is little help but I tried

XKillerX

[Brusilov]

The diplomatic ties within the game can be convoluted. At one stage they won't make any sense at all. I have also tried to get alliances with someone and the diplomatic menu can be a help but other times why the alliance is refused (or not in the options) is a mystery.

Take out the two large Macedon stacks and then take their homeland from them.

Make sure that you know what is on the other side of the Macedonians when you take them out as otherwise you may need to add the Seleucids to the list....

With fleets I rarely start a naval battle unless I have the better odds, otherwise you are just going to lose your ships and any experience that they build up. I presume you're playing Rome?

I usually try with a minimum of three or four ships and then go out and 'dominate' an area. Make sure that the ships are the best you can build and don't forget to upgrade them if you have such a port (the settlement needs a blacksmith or foundry).

Until I own the area I am operating in I will not use one or two ships to move troops around (I learnt that the hard way). At the start of the campaign there are some powerful rebel ships out there and for a long time you won't be able to beat them.

[Artax]

The diplomacy in RTW is something hard to understand, becouse AI seems to bee too stubborn or siply dumb to act properly. What's more - it's hardcoded.

I personally use force diplomacy script. It makes things easier and adds great fun if you like to roleplay. And it's not that hard to enable it. here you can find how: http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showthread.php?t=85442

To activate the script in game you have to open diplomacy window with other faction, press "?" mark in the top right and when advisor pops up press "show me how". Done! No more crazy proposals (enemy has only 2 settlements left, you offer him ceasefire and he asks for huge number of cities and huge sum of money - he still thinks he can defeat you!). You will just have to keep yourself from cheating.

[morteduzionism]

Ok ... I need help. I'm now at War with Macedon, Greece, Thrace, Carthage, Gaul and Germania. Carthage sometimes beats me but I expect to be at war with them.

If you share a border with them it's very very very very unlikely that they'll agree to any cease fires.

Based on your other comments it sounds as if you're approaching the Seleucids...you should already know that they'll attack you when your empire touches theirs.

The other factions are bothering me. I have beat the living snot out of them and the refuce treaties! I have tried threats, bribes ... returning land. NOTHING works. And I have been at war with Greece, Gaul and Macedon since just about the start of the game.

You should've(if you're Roman) got a cease fire with Greece as soon as you kicked them out of Sicily. That would've given you more money too (you realize you don't trade with factions you're at war with? since it sounds like you have enemies all around you, who are you trading with?)

I'm not sure if there's a diplomatic solution to your problem. The best advice I can think of is remember your lessons from this stage and prepare for the next stage. Find out who your next neighbors/enemies will be and send diplomats to their enemies NOW! Get alliances with the enemies of your next enemy and maybe things'll be different.

If the factions had more territory I'd suggest send an army to another part of their empire to draw attention away from your border...

I even had an 8 wreath diplomat trying. WTH? I'm on H/H and I've never seen the AI so stuborn.

I think I read somewhere that if you give gifts...ALOT of gifts...over (x) amount of time you'll get a cease fire. Don't quote me on that it's just something I seem to remember. Give gifts of something substantial over a period of 2+ years and then ask for a cease fire...no promises just a different approach

I'm ok as defending my territory but I actually at a stand still because I can not keep my front line troops refreshed AND build new units for expansion. I need a break!

Do you play historically accurate? If it won't break any of your personal House Rules maybe you should:

-destroy almost everything in your border city(so it's harder for the enemy faction to get good public order
-develop(make the city able to recruit Romans) the next province back from your current border, fall back for awhile and regroup
-invade again with fresh troops

IT'S ALWAYS BEST TO DESTROY ALL THE FIELD FORCES IN A PROVINCE BEFORE TAKING THE CITY

And Macedon is down to 3 cities and Greece down to one but they have 2 LARGE stacks running around screwing with my cities and about 1000 boats running around blocking my ports (adding to my money problem), sinking my ships with reinforcements, etc.

What year is it? Unless you're racing to see how fast you can do something remember you have time...so go slower

[GustaiveTW]

Yeah I tried getting a peace treaty with Greece early on. Nope.

Like I said I have never seenit this way. And the one I wasn't expecting was Germania. They came WAY down THROUGH Galic lands to mess with me.

I will try gifts tonight. (although alot of times they're like "Oh your gold is crap and we wont be tainted by it blah blah"

[Brusilov]

Yeah I tried getting a peace treaty with Greece early on. Nope.

Like I said I have never seenit this way. And the one I wasn't expecting was Germania. They came WAY down THROUGH Galic lands to mess with me.

I will try gifts tonight. (although alot of times they're like "Oh your gold is crap and we wont be tainted by it blah blah"

I get a peace treaty with the Greeks turn 2 (playing as Rome) for a wodge of cash (10k+). After that I am quite happy to kick them out of Italy and Sicily.

I then advance to Crete (if they are still there and take their settlement),

Quite often you can get a ceasefire with them if they don't have a common border with you. However, expect them to do something dumb to break the ceasefire.

It is only a ceasefire (pause in a war) rather then a peace treaty (cessation of war).

[morteduzionism]

Yeah I tried getting a peace treaty with Greece early on. Nope.

The conditions may not have been right. Don't ask what the conditions need to be, I don't know...lol. I just know, like the other person said, it's possible to get a cease fire with them early.

Like I said I have never seenit this way. And the one I wasn't expecting was Germania. They came WAY down THROUGH Galic lands to mess with me.

This may support a theory of mine. I'd be curious to know if prior to Germania attacking you did they agree to an alliance with one of your enemies? I think AI factions have no problem at all with double-teaming the human player. I wouldn't be surprised if another faction didn't pay Germania to attack you.

I will try gifts tonight. (although alot of times they're like "Oh your gold is crap and we wont be tainted by it blah blah"

It may be too late. Remember if you share a border with them...NO AMOUNT OF GIFTS WILL WORK!...AI factions can share borders...but not AI/human...

Besides, if Makedonia is down to so few cities why are you stopping? Go ahead and wipe them out! Even if you don't occupy the city at least take it from them and let it rebel (Do you get the Senatorial Revolts?)...you may be able to get a cease fire/trade rights with the Senatorial Rebels.

Even if taking the city breaks your army, so what!? As long as your border calms down isn't it worth a broken army?

[Brusilov]

This may support a theory of mine. I'd be curious to know if prior to Germania attacking you did they agree to an alliance with one of your enemies? I think AI factions have no problem at all with double-teaming the human player. I wouldn't be surprised if another faction didn't pay Germania to attack you.

That's why those annoying boxes that fall down the left can be useful. I have seen a faction that I was at war with previously ally with one of my allies. Quite soon after, yes they attack!

Edited: It's almost as if the AI is ganging up on you. Maybe there is some Intelligence in the AI after all.....

[GustaiveTW]

Mort ... Germania WAS an ally of mine. Then they allied with Macedon AND Greece which broke our allegiance (I didn't even get the alliance in tatters box). Then I could see the full stack of Germans coming down through the snow.

[Mythos_Ruler]

Its all about the Diplomacy screen. If you attack an ally of one of your allies, they have to decide which faction to oppose and which to support. Same with you. If two of your allies suddenly are at war, the game will ask you which side you will support. You cant be allies of both, for some odd reason, and its hard coded into the game, which is unfortunate.

If they were to create R2TW (which I am praying for, and I'm atheist!), Diplomacy is something I hope they seriously take a look at. Gifts of troops, trading retinue, sealing alliances with political marriages, etc. Options, options, options.

[Brusilov]

If you use a diplomat to break an alliance the 'alliance in tatters' message also appears. But then you should know that the alliance is over anyway....

[GustaiveTW]

Well, I destroyed Macedon! So no more stacks popping up (even though for a few years now they are very crappy units) but Greece ...

wow

I have no idea where there remianing city is. I am going to go on a large spying mission tonight into Thrace to see if it's somewhere there or on the coast. Their boats still constantly blockade me.

I have decided to just destroy Gaul. I will begin tonight or tomorrow with a campaign of conquest into their remaining lands.

Do you know what they did? They had a plague infected spy running around giving the plague to FOUR of my cities.before I knew what happened I had 4 cities, 3 Generals and 2 captains infected. The captains were leading troops back for retraining and were stuck losing more men for years until it finally burned out. I had to train 2 spies and 3 assassins to take out the bastard ... and that was only after he RE-infected two of my cities after they had finally overcome it.

[Brusilov]

Do you know what they did? They had a plague infected spy running around giving the plague to FOUR of my cities.before I knew what happened I had 4 cities, 3 Generals and 2 captains infected. The captains were leading troops back for retraining and were stuck losing more men for years until it finally burned out. I had to train 2 spies and 3 assassins to take out the bastard ... and that was only after he RE-infected two of my cities after they had finally overcome it.

Ha!

In order to reduce the effects of plague make sure you have all the sewers built up to the highest level.

In order to stop spies from infecting your settlements make sure that they are well stocked (a couple at least) with your own spies and assassins. You should also have a diplomat in each just in case a rich AI faction bribes the settlement.

Are the 'blue death' on the other side of what was Macedon territory? I've found that they also tend to do well in a campaign. I presume you dealing with Macedon may have helped them as well.

The Greeks can pop up in some interesting places. I don't recall seeing a campaign map or even a radar map. They quite often hold settlements on the northern shore of Asia Minor, but also look at Crete, Rhodes and maybe even Iberia. If a settlement has Greek culture and it rebels it will rebel to them.

[GustaiveTW]

Yes. The Blue Death has run rampant. My poor Allies The Bactrians (sp?) have told me that much. I pump them with cash .... they're alone in a sea of blue.

[Brusilov]

Yes. The Blue Death has run rampant. My poor Allies The Bactrians (sp?) have told me that much. I pump them with cash .... they're alone in a sea of blue.

I think the strategy may be to try and hinder them as soon as you can. I guess you aren't at war with them yet though.

Not much fun playing a multiple front war? At least it's a challenge for a while.

[phoebusapollon]

actually isnt it kind of realistic to have two or more groups gang up against you? im playing as the romans and before i could finish off the greeks in italy both the gauls and the carthaginians had started a war with me for no reason -

perhaps they 'knew' that their best chance against the romans was to cooperate against them from the start - rather than wait to be destroyed one by one

[GustaiveTW]

I don't mind them ganging up on me ... but NEVER calling a truce? I had never seen that happen was all.

EDIT - Oh and they are still "Oh some of you still live muahahaha! Peace is not good until you're all dead!" Meanwhile I must slaughter 3000+ Gauls a year.

[phoebusapollon]

I don't mind them ganging up on me ... but NEVER calling a truce? I had never seen that happen was all.

EDIT - Oh and they are still "Oh some of you still live muahahaha! Peace is not good until you're all dead!" Meanwhile I must slaughter 3000+ Gauls a year.

the same things happening to me as well - im trying to make peace with both gaul and carthage so that i can wipe out macedon and get to the seleucids - but they refuse to make peace -

but look at it from their perspective - if they leave me alone to conquer greece and then beat the seleucids, there is no way they can defeat me eventually - so maybe they figure the best chance they have is to all fight the romans at the same time - sort of like a grand alliance - otherwise they will just go down one by one

[MasterOfThessus]

To my experience, when the AI refuses to ally with you despite the fact that you both have a common enemy, there is a backstab from someone else comming your way.

So whenever I see the "An allience wouldn't be a good idea at this time" I start reinforcing my borders.

Though I admit that this could be wishthinking and only a coincidence. We can't blaim the AI to be smart, can we?

And for you GTW: I say you got the one in a million campaing. Have fun