Trading For Commitment: Literature GPT Deals

[Donovan Zoi]

My apologies for jumping the gun on our Trade Department, but I believe I have found the trade opportunities for Literature that we should pursue. I had posted this in the most recent science discussion, but want to make sure it gets full exposure here.

In talks with America and the Aztecs, I have found that both will part with either Mathematics or Code of Laws for Literature and a marginal payment on our part. Here's the lowdown:

Aztecs give Mathematics

We give Literature, 15g, 1gpt (35g total)

Aztecs give Code of Laws

We give Literature, 28g, 2gpt (68g total)

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America gives Mathematics

We give Literature, 10g, 1gpt (30g total)

America gives Code of Laws

We give Literature, 22g, 2gpt (62g total)

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As you can see, America offers the best deal on both trades. However, I believe that we should trade to both the Aztecs and the Americans using the gpt method. I really don't care which tech we get from whom, but we can save 1g by getting Mathematics from the Aztecs and Code of Laws from the Americans. Here is my reasoning:

1. By using gpt instead of a full lump sum, there is a good chance that we can keep America and the Aztecs from signing an alliance with Egypt. A commitment of 1 or 2 gold per turn is still a commitment, and these civs will most likely not want to ruin their reputation. If they do, we keep the remaining gold on the contract. Plus, the upfront gold we would save can be used to continue the Legion upgrade process.

2. We can use Mathematics to build the ocassional Catapult.

3. We do not really need Map Making right now as we have no port cities.

4. We do not need Philosophy at the moment, as it seems we are more geared to head for Monarchy than Republic. Plus, I believe that making a deal to ward off a possible alliance with our enemy is more important than the additional 11 gold we would receive from either civ for a Philosophy trade.

5. I also checked our lump sum opportunities for these trades and found that we could only save about 10g total by paying lump sum only. Once again, the benefits of the gpt deal would outweigh the extra gold.

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[DaveShack]

I believe that gold for tech deals are a good idea, and agree with DZ's assessment. Likewise I didn't want to jump the gun on trade, so stuck to tech/tech deals in the science discussion thread. If we're going to do this, it should be both trades at the same time, and be sure to do the more important one first. Gotta run, more info to come...

[Octavian X]

Not to worry about jumping my gun, DZ. I would've gotten to it tomorrow, anyway.

Either way, I'd go for the American deal, just for the sake of being very cheap. I think that if the Aztecs were ready to make the deal, then they still were never willing to go to war with us.

[Sir John]

I would say go with america on both. It would make it easier to beat the aztecs as well. We dont have to worry so much about the americans yet as they are far away...

[Cyc]

I agree with the president on this one. Mathematics from Monty and CoL from Abe. We save a gold piece and get both nations into a long term agreement. I think we'll be busy enough with Cleo that Sir John's concern about the Aztecs is misplaced. Just my opinion.

[Sir John]

Well. We will slow down the aztecs if we dont trade and we will eventually border them and then it would be good to have an upperhand. We still have a way to go to reach the americans so those arent really importnt neither as a friend or a enemy...

[Eklektikos]

Literature is not a required tech, so denying it to them would not necessarily check their progress up the tech tree. If they want it they will be able to acquire it more cheaply from another AI civ (quite possibly America following our trade with them), the only difference being that we would see no profit from that trade. Essentially the people we are most likely to slow down by your suggested course of action are ourselves.

Also note that we can only trade Literature to America once. We would need to find something else to sweeten a second trade with them, thus making the whole affair much more expensive for us.

[disorganizer]

if we only trade with abe, he will sell it to the aztecs

[Sir John]

yeah. I guess youre rihght..

[Stuck_as_a_Mac]

we should do both. (@ekle- nice to see Mr. Smith back). Preventing the AI from Dominoing us by imposing GPT deals is a good idea, especially since we dont want to trigger our GA.
I like the deal that Mr. Zoi has proposed

[Donovan Zoi]

Poll has been posted:

Trades for Literature

[Rik Meleet]

New point of view. I agree to get Maths and CoL with a twist. The twist is: sign the 2gpt Literature to the one MOST LIKELY to declare war on us ! If they do it will save us some gold. If they are considering it this might just be the straw that breaks the back of their war plans. So instead of asking: Do we want these trades ask: Who is most likely to attack us. America or Azteca ?