Trade contact or not?

[Orcin]

This is my first experience on a huge map with all 16 civs (emperor difficulty). I sent warriors east and west, and each has met one new civ. Each of those civs knows a few others.

Should I acquire contacts from the east civ and trade them to the west civ for techs (I am behind naturally), or am I better off to keep them from knowing each other as long as possible?

 

[SirJethro]

On a pangea...you might as well trade them and get something good for them. If they meet through some other means, you've lost the advantage.

HOWEVER...if you are playing on continents or islands, especially if you have the Great Lighthose and you don't think the other Civ's could make it across the sea to make contact, DO NOT trade the contact. It is a tremendous advantage for you.

 

[Orcin]

Good point, I forgot to mention that it is a pangea map.

 

[Yndy]

It very much depends on the situation. On most of the cases Sir Jethro is right. But if you can keep them apart you should do as long as you can. If you have mapmaking and can see their location you can isolate some of them. On a pangaea map i met one ai west one east. Didn't traded. Then another one north. Didn't traded. Than the fourth north knowing thr third. Then the third met the other two and I traded them immediately to the north as the location was close. Never traded first and second civ contacts. Second got contact inceadibly late so that i could play the middle man between him and the others.

The first ... I totally isolated him and sold contacts one turn before declaring war and smashing him as we was 5 techs behind.

Having said teh above, on the majority of my games i sell contacts early but maybe shouldn't have

 

[island007]

You are in an excellent position.

Your goals should be:

1) Get all contacts
2) Get all techs
3) Give no contacts

This is what I would do.

1) Lower science to 0%-20% you may need the cash.

2) Visit each original civ. Write down what they have and what they want. Be sure to label everything.

3) Visit the civ that wants a tech from you. Ignore their techs and trade for contacts. Get all the contacts even if you must close the deal with cash. Do NOT trade your contacts.

4) Visit the new civs trade them the same tech for their techs get techs that the other original civ does not have. Do NOT trade contacts.

5) Visit the other original civ. Trade them your knew tech for contacts. Get all the contacts even if you must close the deal with cash. Do NOT trade your contacts.

6) Visit the new civs trade them the same tech for their techs get techs that the other civs do not have. Do NOT trade contacts.

7) Go back and forth to fill in all gaps

Should be fun --- Good Luck

 

[RufRydyr]

I like to trade contacts. You can get a lot for doing so. Also, the AIs will trade techs which will bring the cost down.