How do I make AI factions go to war with each other?

[QuintusSertorius]

I know the diplomacy AI is tricky and random at the best of times, but I'm having problems with it right now. It seems nothing I do will cause the Lusotanii and Qarthadast to break their alliance and go to war with each other. I've got an ahistorical situation where the Iberians are acting in support of their Punic "oppressors", and only Force Diplomacy is keeping them from warring with my single army in Spain.

I recently took Sucum-Murgi off the Lusotanii and gave it to the Qarthadastim, in the hopes that might provoke something, but no. They meekly wandered off into their lands. Early I gave Qarthadast Arse and similarly there was no response.

Is there anything that can be done in the console commands to sour relations? Anything short of taking control of one of them and actually attacking?

Would boosting the Lusotanii's military through create_unit help? Or giving them money in the console?

Help!

[Olaf The Great]

2 Things I can note


1-The AI does not disband troops, if the Luso is millions in the red, they can't disband their military to recoup, and if they have no money, they don't attack, sometimes the cost of the military is so much the script can't give enough money. So you should cheat using add_money 40000 about 10 times, then give them it.
2-Use the force diplomacy mod and ask them to -Attack Carthage- sometimes this doesn't work if they're allied, but if they have enough money they sometimes attack them anyway, or they suck up rebel provinces and attack once they are large enough.

[Conqueror]

Force Diplomacy mod may be your best bet. You could also send spies and assassins to cause riots in Sucum-Murgi; if the town rebels for the Lusos, it'll trigger a war.

[QuintusSertorius]

Aha, some spy action might be my best bet if rebellions trigger war. I'm already using Force Diplomacy.

Is there any way of checking how much money they have?

[Conqueror]

The Faction Rankings scroll displays graphs comparing chosen factions in overall strength, military, size, and economy.

EDIT: it doesn't show negative values though, so if a faction is "in the red" it will look like it's treasury it at zero level.

[PershsNhpios]

I made a few threads on this subject.

Generally, I wanted to see if others had managed to use the, "Attack Faction", offer in the diplomatic menu effectively.

Apart from a few flukes, I can't say it is at all.

The AI sends one or two units into the territiory of the target, and considers the debt repaid.

As for your situation, the AI isn't half as random and stupid as everyone criticises, especially on Medium campaign difficulty.

If I were playing with other people, I would behave the same way - in that I would not by into anybody's schemes - because everyone plans for world domination in Total War games.

So generally, unless there is really something in it for the AI, they won't agree to a deal - especially in matters of security.

Now, there is one way already mentioned to create wars though - brilliant for taking out large empires such as the Ptolemaics all the way from Britain.

All you have to do is have a great economy, stimulated enough to pay a faction of your choice 1000 mnai per turn.
Money makes for warfare as far as the AI is concerned.

I do this all the time when I am not a western faction;
I note the Arverni are besieged and defeated by the Aedui - and start paying them 1000-2000 mnai per turn, and within twenty years they have not only taken Gaul, but Italy also.

Money is the best way to influence the growth of factions, you won't manage anything otherwise.

You can cheat of course, and pay as much as you like - but I enjoy earning my right to create kings from slaves.

[QuintusSertorius]

What about the diplomatic_stance console command? How does that work? Does it still work?

Having done some searching, apparently it goes thus:

diplomatic_stance {faction1} {faction2} {stance}
diplomatic_stance gauls germans allied

Where stance is allied/neutral/war. No idea if it works, though.