Ancient Ruins

I don't know if anyone has had time to figure the strategy out yet, but...

I understand that when you get Archeology you can create archeologists (I know; I didn't spell that right!!) who will dig up the ancient ruins and maybe (?) find great works of art. So... What's the strategy when you find ancient ruins before this technology?? I've not been waiting since (except for the freakin' maps they sometimes give you!!) normally they give you some pretty valuable "stuff" for earlier in the game. The problem is... By the time I get Archeology there won't be any left except for overseas or on small islands...

So, what's the best strategy for handling them? Am I already getting the biggest bang for my buck in claiming them as soon as I find them? If it matters... While I inevitably win playing at the chieftain and warlord level, I REALLY like getting settlers and workers out of the ruins and typically play at "settler" (i.e. chicken poop) level. I will admit that it makes going to war pretty darn boring (though I REALLY like getting all the wonders -- even though that isn't much of a challenge ).

Thanks.

they don't dig up ancient ruins, but another type of resource - so called antiquity sites. Only archaeologists (I don't know how to spell it too) can dig that, and you can't just pop it with any unit llike ruins. The artifact yield from the sites is 100%, at least I've never seem them fail the dig.

Hmmmm... I think you misunderstood elementary things:

you have 2 types of ruins in the games:
- Ancients ruins, which are supposed remains of antediluvian civilizations, and give you some bonuses (settlers, workers on lower diffuculties, faith, culture, tech,...) these ruines are "available" at the very beginning of the game, and become rarer on late eras.
- Antiquity Sites, which are revealed when you reach the tech Archaeology: they spam on places where batlles took place or former barbarian camps. These ruins give you artefacts or can become a monument, but they can only be worked by an... Archaeologist

nanomage said:

they don't dig up ancient ruins, but another type of resource - so called antiquity sites. Only archaeologists (I don't know how to spell it too) can dig that, and you can't just pop it with any unit llike ruins. The artifact yield from the sites is 100%, at least I've never seem them fail the dig.

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You're faster than me
I love popping ruins with settlers

Archeology might work fine - unless your playing American and digging a site outside your borders - then you crash the game....

terveurn said:

Archeology might work fine - unless your playing American and digging a site outside your borders - then you crash the game....

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I wonder why it would be specific to America causing the crash?

And if America is controlled by an AI, does that mean you need to win the game before America tries to do that?

Ancient ruins provide bonuses with any unit while antiquity sites provide bonuses only with an archealogist.

terveurn said:

Archeology might work fine - unless your playing American and digging a site outside your borders - then you crash the game....

Click to expand...

joncnunn said:

I wonder why it would be specific to America causing the crash?

And if America is controlled by an AI, does that mean you need to win the game before America tries to do that?

Click to expand...

You are kidding me right?

terveurn said:

Archeology might work fine - unless your playing American and digging a site outside your borders - then you crash the game....

Click to expand...

joncnunn said:

I wonder why it would be specific to America causing the crash?

And if America is controlled by an AI, does that mean you need to win the game before America tries to do that?

Click to expand...

pilot00 said:

You are kidding me right?

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Sadly, no, I've had two games crash while playing as America, both as a result of an Archaeologist working an Antiquity site that was outside of anyone's territory.

Firaxis is aware of this bug. See this thread for more details.

Grifftavian said:

Sadly, no, I've had two games crash while playing as America, both as a result of an Archaeologist working an Antiquity site that was outside of anyone's territory.

Firaxis is aware of this bug. See this thread for more details.

Click to expand...

:Facepalm followed by head slamming to the nearest wall:

nanomage said:

they don't dig up ancient ruins, but another type of resource - so called antiquity sites. Only archaeologists (I don't know how to spell it too) can dig that, and you can't just pop it with any unit llike ruins. The artifact yield from the sites is 100%, at least I've never seem them fail the dig.

Click to expand...

I've seen it fail. Basically, you only have the improve tile selection.

pilot00 said:

:Facepalm followed by head slamming to the nearest wall:

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You mean like this?

No my question is did they do this on purpose?

ezaura said:

I've seen it fail. Basically, you only have the improve tile selection.

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It can not fail, however, if You don't have any free slot for a potential artifact it won't give you the option to choose between artifact or tile improvement. So don't dig if you can't use it

Jerman said:

You mean like this?

No my question is did they do this on purpose?

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Yes thank you, for some reason I couldn't find the emoticon

EDIT: Basically if you have gold to spend (maintenance costs) and no slots at the moment but still want to tap a site you can simple waltz the archeologist on top, the others cant dig when he is on the hex.