The problem is my Egyptian allies. Cleopatra is a real babe, but she can be really annoying sometimes. She started me into this World War by asking me to attack the Persians (who were allied with the Sioux, who in turn were allied with the Vikings and Russians, you can see what happened here). After early successes, with the conquest of Persia and Babylon (who I took out simply because they were there and next to Persia), Cleopatra has started making demands for technology I would rather hold onto myself, but I give in and give it to her so I won't be alone in this great World War fighting her along with everyone else. Also, did I mention she is a real babe?

quote: Originally posted by towigg on 03-21-2001 09:22 AM The problem is my Egyptian allies. Cleopatra is a real babe, but she can be really annoying sometimes.

Just like real life.. the Babe factor is always inversely proportional to the annoyance (or B****) factor.

I haven't played CIV2 in a while (mainly because I'm playing CTP2 now), but if I was in that situation I'd build nothing but the best military units, and then slowly move them into strategic locations..... and not only break the alliance, but take Cleopatra's kingdom from under her! Completely by surprise attack! (yeah, yeah.. diplomacy schlomacy).

You need to kick her to the curb. She only loves you for what you can give her.

You mentioned hoping Cleopatra would instigate a war with you, I assume to keep your reputation spotless. Merely cancelling the alliance will damage your reputation. In fact, if you had a peace treaty with the Persians, your reputation took a hit when you succumbed to Cleo's plea to make war with them.

If you want to keep your reputation clean, first make sure your cities near hers are well enough defended. Then you should requests gifts from her and ask that she remove her troops from your territory every turn (even if she has none there). She'll realize you're no longer her sugar daddy and will quickly drop you as if that 2000 year romance meant nothing.

Expect to stand alone against the world after she breaks up with you. For conquest, concentrate on just one geographic area at a time and simply defend your borders elsewhere.

I believe your advice is sound and will follow it.

As far as alliances with neighboring tribes, at first we were not neighbors until Cleopatra started founding cities on the two continents I had already settled or conquered. One continent I had gotten about 3/4 of the way settled when she started putting cities on the eastern edge. The other was the one I took from the Persians and Babylonians, and she also started moving in on the eastern edge right after I finished the conquest and before I could fill in the unsettled portions. I should remember my history and what happened to both Julius Caesar and Mark Antony after they got involved with Cleopatra.

Egyptians and Russians sign peace treaty
Egyptians and Russians sign the kiev pact to contain English aggression

Egyptians and Vikings sign peace treaty
Egyptians and Vikings sign the memphis pact to contain English aggression

You get the idea 100's of years of hate and blood will stop overnight and they will all ally against you.

She's using you! dump the old bag

1. Russia sues for peace, giving about 1,000 in tribute.
2. Next turn, ask Russia to remove troops
3. Russia refuses and declares war. I destroy a few exposed Russian units here and there.
4. Send spy to bribe city to revolt, using money received in step #1. Russia has 1 less city, which the English (me) now has.
5. Repeat cycle with #1.

Have you ever heard of the AI behaving in this self-destructive manner?

Anyway, after the conquest of Russia, All I was left with were the upstart, backwards civilizations of USA and Japan. I conquered both of USA's cities, and left Japan in its 1 city, while I proceeded to change from Republic to Democracy, build Apollo, and launch, landing on AC in 2003 AD, establishing an English colony in space and ending the game.

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Scouse Git[1] -- git1@scousers.net