I've put about 150hrs in and for better or for worse the Ardent Mages are my faction of choice. I will usually play on impossible so by and by I do ok. I play a fairly passive game, running quests and building my empire. But I typically will not warmonger. However 2 of my friends I play with consistently do. Points wise I'm able to keep up fine, but I don't wish to have to keep up militarily. What are some good strategies to use (say via diplomacy or the market for example) to help keep them at bay without having to reallocate my resources for war?

It just seems to me, in mp with 2 warmongering friends, you'll have to keep up your military/deterrent. Unless the game allows you to build the Swiss Alps, I don't see another alternative.

remember the good old rule: Si vis pacem, para bellum "wanna peace? be prepared for war"

you can start from reading Sun Tzu "Art of War" if you have some free time IMHO all comes to a couple of thoughts: let them fight each other and let them think that fighting you isn't a best option



in game mechanics you can build some diplomatic relations, but is nothing for true bloodthirsty warmonger

another option is playing Roving Clans faction (or any other) and get as much gold as possible and in the darkest hour of war hire mecenaries as many as possible

I agree with the above. Have two large armies near your borders with your friends' empires. Total of 4. So that they can see the losses they might take if they attacked. Depending on how long your borders you may need more armies. To keep your over all army amount down do not have units stationed in your cities. Keep gold hoarded in case they attack so you can hire mercenaries. However they may decide to agree to ignore each other until they have completely conquered you. If this happens let them both know you are going to let one player have cities freely while the other will be fought completely. And if they decide to attack do this. You can then try to ally yourself with the friend you've been fighting, letting them move through your territory with your armies to fight then other friend. This other friend might try to attack the friend you are allied with. This would be foolish and make them spread thin allowing for either them to conquer territory of the other friend who put too many armies in your area or be spread to thin allowing the to be overrun. This could lead to weakening the person your allied with and you might be able to take some provinces? of the opposing friend. Since this is a computer game and not real life people are going to be more likely to take risks as the people dying and the cities lost/conquered are not real. So keep that in mind.

Maybe try deceit and build alot of low production nearly worthless units to make them think your army is enormous, using confusion from seeing big armies and highly guarded garrisons.



Not saying this is a good idea considering what Wraiedt wrote, it's probably a better approach.

Basically your choices are between:

- machiavellian deceptions and playing them against each other, which is kinda easy - e.g. get privateers, raze a city and then inform your friend those privateers started in the other friend city

OR

- pleadging alliance and playing as vassal of one of them until you can put a knife in your liege back.



Hava a nice betrayal.



BlackByte, correct me if I'm wrong, but I think you can check status of units of enemy visible armies (just click them as if you were to select your own).