Automatic White Peace question

[unmerged(2134)]

Ok, playing as Portugal, I've kept my nose out of Europe and have concentrated on building colonies and TPs in Africa and Asia. In the last 10 years or so, there has been peace in Europe. In that period I've only been in one war - DoWed by Aden (why does Aden ALWAYS DoW me, no matter what country I play?). Anyway, I figured that if I only Ally with a few minors, that would keep me out of the wars that the majors like to start against each other. My Alliance consists of myself, Navarre, Brittany, Eire, and Milan. In the last month, Europe seems to have gone into a frenzy of war. First Brittany asked me to honor the Alliance so I got involved in a war with France and it's allies Savoie, Parma and Genoa. Then Milan called and I got embroiled against Sweden, Venice and Ragusa. Then, in the SAME month, Eire called on me to honor the alliance and now I'm in a war against Teutonic Order, Brandenburg, Prussia, and the Hansies. Three other wars started in the same month that I am NOT involved in: 1) Austria, Hungary and Helvetica vs. Sweden, Venice and Ragusa 2) England, Spain, Scotland, and Norway vs. France, Savoie, Parma & Genoa and 3) Pol-Lith, Russia & Pskov vs the Hansies, Brandenburg, Prussia and Teutonic Order. Sheesh, all those years of peace must have built up all this war fever.
I've been wondering about all this war activity starting up simultaneously. especially when NOBODY has a high BB rating, but it just hit me - alliances last 10 years, but then they get extended in there is a war right? SO the computer AI starts wars to extend alliances.
Well obviously as Portugal, I haven't really built up a large land force - I've been very careful to keep relations with Spain good. I do have a general (received as a random event), but he is protecting Tangiers against the Morroccans who are eying it. I do have a decent sized Navy that can probably beat back any attempt of a sea-borne invasion, as unlikely as that would be. I haven't conquered any European provinces so I don't have to worry about rebellions. SO I'm thinking of kinda just sitting this out and waiting for 3 years to pass. My question is this: Will I be offered the 3-year no activity white peace if I do nothing while my allies are going at it, or do my allies have to be inactive as well?

 

[BiB]

Don't think so.

Ur mistake was made in ur alliance members choice : Navarre, Brittany, Eire, and Milan. Apart from Milan all countries who have a CB against by the big countries. Spain, France and England will declare eventually.

 

[unmerged(2134)]

Originally posted by BiB
Don't think so.

Ur mistake was made in ur alliance members choice : Navarre, Brittany, Eire, and Milan. Apart from Milan all countries who have a CB against by the big countries. Spain, France and England will declare eventually.

Yeah, now that I think about it, it was kind of stupid. I only did it since I was getting these alliance offers all the time and it was annoying me. So I figured I would start my own alliance. Getting late in the game I didn't have that much choice in alliance members and I started with countries that I had relatively good relations with. THe only reason I honored my alliances was that I didn't want to take the Stab hit. Oh well, I can wait 3 years. I really can't imagine anyone bothering to try an invasion from sea.
I guess the only surprising thing is that Eire wasn't DoWed by England, but by the Hansies?

 

[BiB]

Take the stab hit. A one religion nation that isn't oversized easily gets a level up.

 

[unmerged(2824)]

As Portugal I allied myself with Mughal Empire, Hyderabad, Mysore. Until I wanted their land, at which point I allied with China. China's a good one for awhile, especially if you have any desire to take Siberia.

Mind you, these alliances cost serious $$ since all four hate you to start with...

 

[unmerged(2392)]

1. Computers have a much greater tendency to declar war on someone who is at war than someone who isn't. So, one single war in a cornor can trigger multiple wars involving multiple alliances, which is a very historically accurate and interesting design.

2. You most likely won't get the 3 year no activity white peace. I have played Portugal and I've been invaded by sea by some of the most absurd countries imaginable: Denmark, Mameluks, Turkey, Sweden, Britanny, Algiers, Poland, Oman etc etc. Pretty much anybody who has a port and who is at war with you has a chance to invade you by sea, because computers pay little attention to attrition issues.

3. Intercepting the invasions at sea is a bad idea. Fleets are expensive to build and maintain and you have to constantly keep an eye on the sea zones to see if an invasion fleet is coming in (or you just place them there and let them suffer attrition, which is also bad). You are much better off to forget building and maintaining the fleet, and use the money to build a strong land force.

4. One more thing, when I played Portugal I found out that the favourite target of the AI is Opporto, not Tago. So, my strategy was to station all of my army in Tago, and let them pack more and more men in Opporto. When the city is about to fall and after they have suffered massive attrition because 6 nations packed 100k soldiers there, I turned on the offensive.