Why doesnt dipomacy work?

[The Stranger]

they some times even attack you while your relation is PERFECT and the turn before you just agreed to give them a 1000x10 turn tribute... i had that more than once... so giving them money wont work but it will get them more troops...

[baron_Leo]

What does annoy me is, when the frogs bring some troops into my territory, and do nothing with it. Really nothing. They do not intend to attck me, they are not allied, they don't do anything. They park there for 40 rounds and then leave. Theres is absolutely no point in doing that. Okay when Milan parks some armies in my terf I know what he is up to. He brings another army. And another. And another, Joins them, and attacks me and gets horriby beaten in Tolouse. (I would be so glad if they would attack Bordeaux one time - less troops and another scenery, maybe it would add a challenge:-).

[gardibolt]

But there is a point. If they're parked on your lands 40 turns, they're causing devastation and reducing your income from farming (and trade, if they're sitting on a road). So it's a very hostile act to go onto another's lands.

[Quillan]

Neutrals and allies don't cause devastation, only enemy armies. At the beginning of my Byzantine campaign, I had a Hungarian stack parked in the Sofia region for 20-30 turns that just wouldn't leave. Eventually they decided to attack, which started the long march to their extinction.

[econ21]

An AI army camping in your land is surely an indication that the AI is thinking about attacking you, just that the time is not quite right.

I've seen them march off sometimes, when I move a big army nearby - it's like they decide there's no point waiting for an opportunity to arise and go elsewhere.

I quite like the AI camping behaviour - it's sort of menacing. I just wish there were some diplomatic options for dealing with it - e.g. a "get of my land" type threat to force the issue.

[Joshwa]

I'll buy that even allied nations will look to shaft one another given the chance, but what i can't fathom is why the AI doesn't seem to comprehend what a Vassal is. Surely, once i become their vassal, they will leave me alone, at least for a while, right? Wrong. As the Byzantines, I have had the Hungarians attack me, demand i become their vassals, and then attack me again within 5 turns at least three times running. I could understand them getting in first if they percieve i am building up forces to attack, but within three turns? What was the point in asking in the first place?

[Snoil The Mighty]

An AI army camping in your land is surely an indication that the AI is thinking about attacking you, just that the time is not quite right.

I've seen them march off sometimes, when I move a big army nearby - it's like they decide there's no point waiting for an opportunity to arise and go elsewhere.

I quite like the AI camping behaviour - it's sort of menacing. I just wish there were some diplomatic options for dealing with it - e.g. a "get of my land" type threat to force the issue.

Hear hear!
I've thought since they upped the diplo options in RTW that the most glaring options that were not present at all were were: Not having a diplomatic way to warn off other soldiers, as well as the fact that there is no way to declare war diplomatically. Both options should be feasible without excessive coding issues. They would also be nice to further differentiate between whether your leader in that campaign was pursuing 'dreaded' as opposed to 'chivalrous' behavior and also both would make the reputation rating more meaningful. Taking a world-wide reputation hit because some snert faction keeps sending his soldiers into my countryside is something that should be remedied.

On a side note, I have to say I applaud the vision of M2TW even though it appears to have exceeded CA's reach. I like the direction even if the execution is currently a bit off, or more likely, rushed to sale for holiday time.

[Zuraffo]

actually, I find the diplomacy in this game was quite realistic. I was playing as Moors (H/H) and France, Venice and some other factions offered me alliance at the beginning of the game. Since at the beginning I was taking my time to conquer Iberia and fend off sicily, I accepted. Now that I have cleaned up Milan, I am actually waiting for France to break their alliance with me. But even though they hated me to boot (I think it's something like Abysmal), they are holding on to the alliance because they fear my armies.

It seemed to me the AI only uphold the alliance when it's beneficial to them (i.e. when they are weaker than you). In a situation where an alliance with you would be a hinderance to their expansion, the AI won't give much thought about upholding the alliance. Anyway why should they? If I have a weak alliance, I would want to attack them as well. Dogpiling on an already besieged target is good, realistic behavior. IMO, in order for diplomacy to work in your advantage is to maintain a strong army and scare everyone to your biding.