Declaration of wars

**hcookie** · March 22, 2009, 05:45 AM

I've just noticed something rather annoying with seemingly unusual declaration of wars from not only your protectorates but your allies as well. So far, i've just mucking around as the Brits in grand campaign mode.

13 Colonies.
These damn colonies keep declaring war on me (it's barely 1720 in game time). No matter what I did, giving them tons of money every turn and free techs and the damn 13 colonies will keeping Dowing me. Until i realized (like all Total Games) to test a couple of things. Incidentally, 13 colonies are very friendly with trade, military access, etc.

Now you see, so far as the Brits, one thing i always do is to destroy the cherokee in the first few turns of play. The grand objective being, to get in position before taking on the French to receive the 13 colonies via the objectives.

Strangely, the Cherokee capital, Chicasa Cherokee territory is the cause of all this. I found that by giving it to the french, it lessens or completely eliminates the Dow (declaration of war) from the 13 colonies.

Russia
Due to silly Dows from my allies, I had to fight Sweden. Unfortunately, in this particulare game, Sweden managed to capture the region of St petersburg. With Russia as my ally (as well as friendly, military access, etc, etc). Within a couple of turn sof taking St petersburg from the swedes and then completely destroying the swede faction, Russia..my long term trading partner and ally Dows me....

Once i give Russia back St petersburg, no dow occurs.

So i'm just wondering are there CORE regions for each of country? (Minors included) that will force a dow, no matter how friendly you are?

AND

Why is Cherokee territory the main cause of a 13 colony Dow on the Brits?

**akinkhoo** · March 22, 2009, 06:56 AM

the AI attack you if you do not have a large enough garrison in the city it is interested in. I tend to use the "empty city trap" http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Empty_Fort_Strategy to get the AI to attack me.

**hcookie** · March 22, 2009, 07:55 AM

So it's because there is too small a garrison in said city that's causing the Dow?

Even if it's an Ally/protectorate/best friend?

**bleach** · March 22, 2009, 08:12 AM

Unbelievable some of the complaints on this board. St. Petersburg is part of Russia's heartland. What is unreasonable about the AI Russia wanting the region back? Seems quite a good feature to me, especially during the rise of nationalism.

**hcookie** · March 22, 2009, 08:19 AM

Originally Posted by bleach

Unbelievable some of the complaints on this board. St. Petersburg is part of Russia's heartland. What is unreasonable about the AI Russia wanting the region back? Seems quite a good feature to me, especially during the rise of nationalism.

Well yes, it's why i was asking if there is a CORE for each country which will cause a country to at least ask/threaten for the region to be returned.

I'm not so much as griping, i'm trying to find out what the bloody russians, 13 colonies and Denmark keep dowing me even though relationship is very friendly/trade partners/ALLIES.

heck, I just get dowed and there isnt even a request through diplomacy for the territory back.

And another point about St petersburg, is that I just managed to win it away from the swedes and i get dowed within 3 turns.

**Razor** · March 22, 2009, 10:41 AM

Originally Posted by bleach

Unbelievable some of the complaints on this board. St. Petersburg is part of Russia's heartland. What is unreasonable about the AI Russia wanting the region back? Seems quite a good feature to me, especially during the rise of nationalism.

Ehm... Couldn't they just asked the region back instead of declaring war on an ally?

**ElFenix** · March 22, 2009, 10:49 AM

Originally Posted by Razor

Ehm... Couldn't they just asked the region back instead of declaring war on an ally?

Man, we're talking about Total War AI. The idea of the AI making any diplomatic mission beyond "Me Declare War to you, WAAAAAAAAAGH" and "Yes, me want Trade Rights, that is good" is simply ridiculous.

Anyway, good post hcookie, maybe there is something with Core regions. Seems like we'll have to experiment a bit.
+rep!

**Black Prince IV** · March 22, 2009, 10:39 AM

In my Poland-Lithuania campaign I took St. Petersburg and left it completely undefended. Russia never took it from me or declared war on me and we have been allies for 42 years. Maybe it only declares war if it's a certain faction.
I was about to ask if anyone has had an ally declare war on you.

**aeoleron9** · March 23, 2009, 03:14 AM

Very interesting find, maybe this is the cause for those early dows that happen every time? I've been trying to goad neutral factions to attack me but the results are arbitrary at best. Here are some possible conditions drawn from this thread, other threads and my observations:

When will the AI declare war?
1. Player factions have priority, the AI don't declare on each other that often.
2. You need to own a region that they want.
3. They don't care that much about relations. They can be very friendly but still declare war. Other times they can be hostile but don't dow.
4. Emptying garrisons doesn't work on its own, but helps encourage the AI
5. They seem to calculate the overall strength you have in a theatre. I've heard a case when somebody puts his Indian stacks on a ship and his Indian neighbors declares instantly.

As you can see, the only relevant question for dows is figuring out who wants which region, aka the regions that will make them tick. The only reliable way of knowing this (without looking into codes) is probably when the AI comes asking for regions, but they only do that when they don't want to fight you anymore.