Diplomatic options

from GalCiv2 Forums
Hmmkay so I just quit a game where I was outclassed and being warred upon by the two largest races in the game. What frustrated me about this particular game is the lack of diplomatic options.

I was allied to the Terrans, but they were allied to both the Yor and the Drengin. When I was attacked by the Yor and Drengin the Terrans did not help me, presumably because they are allied to the aggressors. Now what bugs me the most about this is that I have no way of asking them to help me out. The option to ask them to attack my enemies isn't available, i guess because of their alliance. Wouldn't it make more sense to leave that option in place but make it more difficult (cost more) to actually get their aid?

I find a couple of things pretty annoying in the way alliances play:
a) if 3 races are allied and race 1 attacks race 2, then race 3 should automatically break their alliance. Not necessarily go to war, but not stay friends with race 1.
b) why are the terrans allied with the evil Yor and Drengin anyway? These races have consumed a couple of other races each, I'd think the terrans would be making an effort to work against them.
c) why do the Terrans come to me and complain that the Drengin are getting too powerful, yet they won't trade techs or anything to actually work with me against the threat? They want a dozen good techs for one of their techs even in the face of drengin's rising power that they're oh so worried about...

I just don't get a lot of how diplomacy works in this game. Seems like the "oh nooooo we're all going to be eaten by xxx race!" messages from other races should actually mean something.
5,242 views 6 replies
Reply #1 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Here is a solution I use to prevent being wazrred into oblivion. firstly and most importantly always be aware of your relations. if you see that people are hostile to you it is time to act. first thing . you should always be researching diplomacy tech line and you will see why .

with a greater diplomacy than your enemies you can negotiate better, you would be suprised how little cash you need to pay to simply pay one race that is hostile to you to attack another race that is near it and also does not like you. their little ar will probably occupy those 2 for some time while also draining on their morale and economy. by doing this repeatedly ,and keeping a neutral alignment. you can start a huge war in the galaxy and remain out of the fighting pretty much . once most of the people who dont like you are fighting each other you can begin dismantling them one by one while continuing to pay the others to war. by having a high diplomacy when the time comes for peace ,you should be able to demand planets for peace. i hope this helps
Reply #2 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
yeah that's helpful. I do typically keep my diplomacy techs researched fairly high (generally higher than my opponent), but I don't typically use it to start the others to warring.

This does kind of stick you to early game warfare though. If you wait until mid-to-late game everyone ends up allied and nobody will war on their allies. Being able to break an alliance by paying one member off should be an option.
Ashes of the Singularity II
Reply #3 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Latest diplomacy aggravation:

So the Korath declare war on my ally the Krynn. Both the Altarians (another ally) and I honor our pact and declare on the Korath. 30 odd turns later the Krynn get peace, next turn the Altarians. But can -I- get peace? No. Now I'm stuck fighting the strongest race solo. This is really poor behavior on the part of the "allies" and makes me wonder, yet again, why I even bother fostering close relations with other races.
Reply #4 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
I also feel that any time alliance members honor the alliance pact, peace being declared means peace for all alliance members involved, the 'other guy' shouldn't be able to sue for peace with individual members, should be an all or nothing affair really.
Reply #5 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
I have a corrollary gripe: not only is the diplo system arguably the weakest part of the game, the Metaverse has a bias in favor of military victories.

IMO, the scoring formulae should be designed to be as "victory type neutral" as possible. At the very least, it seems like a score for a diplo win should include some portion of your allies' scores, like a partial version of what you'd have scored if you went out and murdered them all.
Reply #6 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Personally I use diplomacy all the time, in the ways mentioned above, starting wars, forging alliances, and ripping everybody off. I tend to use alliances solely for avoiding wars. I just check my neighbors, use the ethics choices to model their alignment, and then after I am allied with 2 or 3 powerful civs, I research xeno ethics and buy neutral for 2500 bc. Basically, for me, alliances are just to keep strong people off my back.