I often destroy them, but on one game (I forget what leader/Settler) I had enough culture to culturally subvert them, and they joined my empire. I was pretty shocked: has this happened to anyone; its a good thing, but does it happen often?

lately, it has been Hunting , Archery, and a Barracks first build.

then three combat archers set to auto explore

usually all three will get combat2 to amphibeous.

Barbarians- how do i deal with them- i make them turn archers into combat2/amphibeous archers, their workers to build a mine on top of silver, and their cities as a breeding ground from their women and amphibeous combat2 archers to pop rush a library so they can read about it.

this is the superior

I often destroy them, but on one game (I forget what leader/Settler) I had enough culture to culturally subvert them, and they joined my empire. I was pretty shocked: has this happened to anyone; its a good thing, but does it happen often?This might vary based on the level on is playing, so someone who generally plays at a much higher level than I current do, might counter..

1) Since I usually play for conquest/domination, barbarians are a tool to get a unit up to level 4 so I can build the heroic epic for the increase in military production as soon as possible.

2) I try do deal with them at the perimeter, and try not to allow them near the city or key resources (Iron mine, and perhaps quarry if I'm building a wonder that needs it).

Yeah, that makes sense, I like to destroy them anyway, but especially if they are near iron or some resource I need. Or if they have iron, and can chuck out swordsmen.

I've never had any barbarian cities join my empire willingly and I've played many a game of Civ.

I find myself a member of Civfanatics, part of an intellectual elite, preparing to subjugate the barbarian hordes. But even though this is a totally convincing reality for me in every way, nevertheless Civfanatics is actually a construct of my psyche. I am mentally divergent, in that I am escaping certain unnamed realities that plague my life elsewhere. When I stop going to CivFanatics, I will be well. Are you also divergent, friend?

lately, it has been Hunting , Archery, and a Barracks first build.

then three combat archers set to auto explore

usually all three will get combat2 to amphibeous.

Barbarians- how do i deal with them- i make them turn archers into combat2/amphibeous archers, their workers to build a mine on top of silver, and their cities as a breeding ground from their women and amphibeous combat2 archers to pop rush a library so they can read about it.

this is the superior

Haha. Sounds like something Attacko would say.

I've never had any barbarian cities join my empire willingly and I've played many a game of Civ.

I find myself a member of Civfanatics, part of an intellectual elite, preparing to subjugate the barbarian hordes. But even though this is a totally convincing reality for me in every way, nevertheless Civfanatics is actually a construct of my psyche. I am mentally divergent, in that I am escaping certain unnamed realities that plague my life elsewhere. When I stop going to CivFanatics, I will be well. Are you also divergent, friend?

Nay. I'm just 100% unadulterated insanity, instead. Barbs have joined me for this reason. I've flipped cities belonging to WILLEM, without intending to do so.

OP: My preferred method of dealing with barbs is city spam. Cities are the best fogbusters. If you don't have early metals then archery will serve to get you decent defensive forces, otherwise you can dial up great wall or strategic resources.

Barbarians: how do YOU deal with them?

I erm...*cough*... switch them off.
In the game options...
before the game starts....
You know...

*runs away*

I often destroy them, but on one game (I forget what leader/Settler) I had enough culture to culturally subvert them, and they joined my empire. I was pretty shocked: has this happened to anyone; its a good thing, but does it happen often?

Quite common. If the barb city doesn't build any culture buildings, it will nearly always flip to you eventually. The barbs never garrison enough units in their city to eliminate the revolt chance.

I think that barb cities always fail revolt checks anyway and flip immediately.

I think that barb cities always fail revolt checks anyway and flip immediately.

Not so, sometimes they can be stubborn. Once I had a barb city that not only failed to flip after being pounded by one of my cities on its third border pop, to add insult the barbs built a culture producing building , popped their borders, and even consumed one of MY resources!

i rush the great wall and i always have raging barb on :D