Dealing with aggressive AI in Civilization 6 can be a challenging aspect of gameplay, especially in the early stages. Certain civilizations are notorious for their early-game aggression, and understanding how to anticipate and counter their moves is crucial for survival. This guide will provide you with actionable steps to identify potential threats and effectively manage conflicts with warmonger AI.
1. Identify Potential Aggressors
Understanding the AI’s behavior patterns is the first step in preparing for potential conflicts:
- Observe Early Interactions: Some civilizations, like Cleopatra and Alexander, are known for their early aggression. Pay attention to their troop movements and diplomatic status.
- Recognize Aggressive Patterns: If an AI is massing military units or has a history of early wars, it is a clear sign to prepare for possible conflict.
- The AI will “park” a unit or two on your borders and wait for more units to arrive, which is a 99% sign that a war declaration is coming, even if the AI’s disposition is positively high.
2. Prepare for War Preemptively
Once you identify a potential threat, take steps to prepare for an inevitable conflict:
- Accumulate Resources: Focus on gathering gold to quickly purchase units in case of sudden conflict. Chop bonus resources, trade with AI, start joint wars.
- Build a Defensive Army: Start building Slingers early and upgrade them to Archers as soon as possible to strengthen your defense.
- Strategic Unit Placement: Position your units on defensive terrain such as hills, forests, or across rivers to gain fortification bonuses and reduce enemy movement.
- Levy City States: One of the quickest ways to raise an army is to levy units from a vassal city-state. However, be cautious of competing envoys—if an AI takes over suzerainty, you will lose control of the city-state’s units and waste the gold spent on the levy.
3. Take the Initiative: Declare War Early
In some scenarios, declaring war first can be an effective strategy:
- Preempt the AI’s Plans: By declaring war, you disrupt the AI’s buildup and force them to attack you before they are fully prepared.
- Attacking AI first would allow for better defensive terrain for your units.
- You would also be able to pillage and cripple districts.
- Manage the Attack Flow: Declaring war early can lead to a trickle of enemy units rather than a concentrated assault, making them easier to manage.
4. Distract and Kite Enemy Units
Use weaker units strategically to divert the AI’s attention:
- Utilize Scouts for Distraction: Place Scouts near enemy units to lure them away from your cities. This can help break up enemy formations and reduce the number of units attacking your main defenses.
- Kite with Slingers: Use Slingers to bait enemy units into unfavorable positions, leveraging terrain for defensive advantages.
- Civilian Units: You can also utilize civilian units like Builders or Great People for bait and distraction.
5. Focus on Key Technologies and Tactics
Adopting the right technologies and tactics is essential when facing aggressive AI:
- Prioritize Military Technologies: Research Archery early to enhance the combat effectiveness of your ranged units.
- Consider Pillaging: If the enemy AI has not built defensive structures like walls, consider pillaging their lands to disrupt their economy and weaken their attack force.
- Light Cavalry is an amazing unit for pillaging, especially with the additional promotions.
6. Understand Other Warmonger Civilizations
Knowing which civilizations are likely to be aggressive can help you plan your strategy:
- Geopolitical Awareness: Assess the AI’s expansion options. If they are limited in terms of land, they are more likely to initiate conflict.
- If the AI is geographically isolated, only borders your civilization, or has only met your civilization, there is a higher risk of conflict because it has limited room for expansion.
- Potential Alliances: Explore diplomatic options to align with other AI that may share a common enemy, using alliances to your advantage.
By applying these strategies, you can better navigate the challenges posed by aggressive AI in Civilization 6, enhancing your chances of survival and success.