AS keeping allies

**Unintended BM** · 02-21-2010, 20:00

I don't get it. It's 260, and even Pahlava is still allied to AS. I've never seen them keep all of their allies for so long. Is it because I'm being the Ptolemies? I know starting armies change depending on who you be, but that's just weird.

**WinsingtonIII** · 02-21-2010, 20:33

Not to be annoying, but did you forget to activate the script? Because that's the easiest explanation I think.

If you did activate the script then as you know Pahlava, Hayasdan, Pontus, and Baktria should all break alliances with the AS at the end of the first turn, I don't think there's really any way around it because I believe it's scripted (unless one of those factions is the player). I guess it's possible that they made peace and reformed their alliances? But with RTW AI...... seems unlikely that that happened to me. I don't know, I feel like this has something to do with the script either malfunctioning or not being activated.

**Unintended BM** · 02-21-2010, 20:37

Yeah, I always activate the script. I didn't know it was scripted, I thought the army outside of Asaak or whatever just always attacked. Well, hopefully nothing is screwed up then.

**WinsingtonIII** · 02-21-2010, 21:00

Originally Posted by Unintended BM

Yeah, I always activate the script. I didn't know it was scripted, I thought the army outside of Asaak or whatever just always attacked. Well, hopefully nothing is screwed up then.

Yeah, I expected that you had activated it, but it was worth a shot.

I'm no expert on the script, so I might be completely wrong, but I sort of just assumed that the alliances breaking was scripted because it happens in every game (except yours apparently...).

As you said, the fact that you are playing as the Ptolies and the AI loves to single out the human player may have something to do with it, but that still seems highly unlikely to me because you do not share a border with Baktria and Pahlava. Hayasdan and Pontus I could potentially understand because it seems you border them, and I've certainly seen AI factions that normally hate each other ally to gang up on the player when they both border the player (happened to me as the Hai, when AS and Ptolies decided that fighting me was more important than decades of hatred). Baktria and Pahlava seem very strange to me though.

Edit: I notice that you're actually at war with Baktria, I'm assuming that the Ptolies start the game that way? Maybe that convinced Baktria to remain allied to the AS, because it wanted to single out the human player. Pahlava still makes absolutely no sense to me though.

**Epimetheus** · 02-21-2010, 21:15

I don't think there's any scripting to it. The Pahlava start out with an army right outside Asaak, and they start out positively hating the AS, even though they're allied, so they almost always attack immediately. But every so often, they'll decide not to. I've seen it happen in some of my games too.

I think the fact that you're playing the Ptolemaioi may have something to do with it as well. As I recall, the Ptolemies start out being at war with the AS, Pontos, and Baktria. Because you're the human player, both Baktria and Pontos consider you to be a much greater threat, even if you aren't anywhere near them, and thus remain in solidarity with the AS. However much the Pahlava and Hayasdan may dislike the AS, if Baktria and Pontos aren't willing to join them, then they won't attack.

I'm willing to bet that if you make peace with Baktria and Pontos, the Hai and Pahlava are going to start eating the AS up.

**Unintended BM** · 02-21-2010, 21:26

I've been at peace with Pontos since probably turn 2. I've had a diplomat heading toward Baktria for a while now, but I always forget to keep moving him. I think he's in Baktrian territory now though.

Maybe Saka has something to do with it. Baktria and AS look preoccupied by Saka, and I don't know if Pahlava is at war with them, but if they are, maybe that would explain it. Pahlava does have a rather large border with them.

**WinsingtonIII** · 02-21-2010, 21:42

Originally Posted by Epimetheus

I don't think there's any scripting to it. The Pahlava start out with an army right outside Asaak, and they start out positively hating the AS, even though they're allied, so they almost always attack immediately. But every so often, they'll decide not to. I've seen it happen in some of my games too.

Interesting. I've never seen that, but I'm sure your right.

**Epimetheus** · 02-21-2010, 21:49

One thing that also happens is that the longer you keep an alliance, the better relations you'll have, and the less likely it is for the alliance to be broken. There's a good possibility that because the Pahlava remained allied to the AS for so long, that their poor starting relations have improved to the point that they may no longer be interested in attacking them at all.

I doubt the Saka are much of a factor at the moment. The Pahlava and Saka start out being really close allies, and that only improves with time. I've almost never seen them at war, at least not any time in the early game.

**A Very Super Market** · 02-21-2010, 22:18

When playing as any of the lesser Diadochi, I find that the AI conspires to bring the brunt of the AS empire against me. The other one province factions seem to make peace with the AS only when I join in the fray, and treat my diplomats with fleeting animosity. I'm pretty sure that it's just another AI thing, and they you playing the Ptolies caused it.

**Ludens** · 02-22-2010, 14:49

I doubt it's the script. It's a pretty consistent observations that A.I factions at war with the human player get an easier time from the other factions. Nothing to do with EB, as even the Gamespy review of R:TW complained about this.

**artaxerxes** · 02-27-2010, 18:33

Originally Posted by WinsingtonIII

as you know Pahlava, Hayasdan, Pontus, and Baktria should all break alliances with the AS at the end of the first turn

in my AS campaigns, it's only Pahlava that - almost - consistently breaks alliance in the 1st turn. The others can wait years doing it - especially Hay and Pontus who are slow movers

**Cute Wolf** · 03-01-2010, 06:05

when I play as Saka, I have seen that Pahlava are forever allies to the AS...

it was a matter of Artificial Idiocy

**WinsingtonIII** · 03-01-2010, 17:59

Yeah, you guys are definitely right, I guess I just hadn't noticed when some of those factions remained allied to the AS. I did some tests and in some cases one or more of the factions would not break alliance. The Parthians did break their alliance and attack Asaak every time I tested, but I'm sure that there's an outside chance they wouldn't, it just seems rarer for them to remain allied to the AS then for the others to do so (probably because they start with that stack next to Asaak).