Query re diplomacy

[Offworlder]

Is there a way to disable or at least make the AI less aggressive diplomatically (say through options)? In a single player mode, the biggest problem seems to be an overaggressive diplomatic AI which declares war wantonly ...

[Pocus]

This is doable if you edit some diplomacy files (text files), are you interested?

[Offworlder]

Sorry Pocus I though maybe there was a possibility with the present game. Unfortunately, I'm completely useless at programming (never done anything in that area)

[Captain_Orso]

Offworlder, you might try checking you game options before anything else. From the Main Menu -> Options -> AI

• AI Ranking: although it doesn't directly affect aggressiveness, overall it will allow the AI to be more aggressive.
  
  • Sargent: Neutral, the AI has no advantages; as close to playing against another person as possible, with regards to game mechanics (movement, cohesion recovery, etc.).
  • Lieutenant: Slight advantage in game mechanics.
• Activation Bonus: Normal give the AI a +1 advantage for leaders when checking for activation.
• AI Detection bonus: This can actually have a great influence on AI aggression, as the more 'targets' the AI can 'see', the more likely Athena is to carry out an attack further away from where you might expect her to recognize an opportunity.
• Aggressiveness: If you currently have 'High' set, try backing off to 'Normal'; if 'Normal', try backing off to 'Low'.

AFAIK diplomacy itself will not be directly affected by these settings. From my understanding the AI reacts more or less the same to Aggro-Level, IE the higher the Aggro-Level Holland has against Britain, the more likely Holland is to handle aggressively against Britain. AFAIK all factions react the same vs all other factions; IE no factions have built-in animosity nor benevolence vs each other.

You can of course influence relationships positively through your own diplomatic actions such as Propose State Visit and Commercial Agreement.

[Pocus]

I have to disagree with Cpt Orso, the factions have some scripted bias against each other in WON. Also a DOW is less probable if the target country is strong.

[Offworlder]

Thanks, I'll try to turn down the AI aggressiveness. However, the biggest problem seems to be an over eager Austria and Prussia to go after Bavaria and the smaller states (even when their forces have been reduced to a husk).

[Captain_Orso]

Generally speaking, that sounds normal; the weak praying on the even weaker

Of course, if Bavaria is still allied to France, and AUS or PRU are DOW'ing BAV anyway, and thus going to war with BAV AND FRA, that would be not only dumb, but if FRA and XXX have peace treaty in affect, IIRC such a behavior should have already been eliminated; no causing war between majors with a peace treaty still in affect, through war with allies.

[Offworlder]

seems that turning down the aggressiveness and AI detection to the lowest possible seems to slow down Austria and Prussia from declaring war on minors, but they eventually did go to war....