With the exception of the "Immortal player" part, I usually have the same reaction. By the time I see a worker I can grab, it is way later than I want and should have just built one already. That said, more workers are good to have for your other cities!
Worker Thieving
- Thread starter cairnsy44
- Start date
With the exception of the "Immortal player" part, I usually have the same reaction. By the time I see a worker I can grab, it is way later than I want and should have just built one already. That said, more workers are good to have for your other cities!
Arachnofiend
Perturbed Pugilist
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I specified my difficulty level because AI's start with more techs higher up and that means the city-states have more techs. I think city-states tend to build a worker when they get the tech for whatever their luxury is since that seems to be the first thing they try to improve. As such you'd think that a CS with Gold and whatnot would pump out a worker pretty fast since they start with the prerequisite tech but I guess not.
TractorBoy
Prince
Playing on Deity quick speed, they almost always produce the first worker on turn 16 as long as there is land that can be improved.
Going back to your earlier point about rescuing and giving back workers, playing Deity quick speed with raging barbs switched on, it is quite possible to be returning the same worker every couple of turns!
I have gotten into the habit of stealing a worker from the nearest City State. It seems to give a nice boost at the beginning when everything takes so long to build. They hate me for a long time, but I think it's worth it. I also enjoy scouting barb camps for free workers.
Is it cheating? I don't know.
Is it cheating? I don't know.
neoaspilet11
Chieftain
agreed. after my warrior scouts nearby places and about to go home i usually do worker harvesting from city states. 2 to 3 stolen workers really mattera lot.
I personally love the Aztecs for this... build some jaguars instead of scouts, and watch as the AI gets screwed by the jungle movement/combat bonus. 
I've stolen 5 workers from a single AI this way... needless to say, they were screwed and behind in tech the whole game and eventually got wiped almost out but some bigger fish.
I've stolen 5 workers from a single AI this way... needless to say, they were screwed and behind in tech the whole game and eventually got wiped almost out but some bigger fish.
GhostSalsa
Emperor
worker stealing is obviously essential on deity. but deity with worker stealing is probably as "easy" or easier than immortal with hard-building. one wonders what the point is. the game allows you to steal workers, but it also allows you to just set the difficulty down. in the end all that matters is you are getting the game you want..
right now i like immortal with no worker stealing which leaves tradition starts pretty untenable unless i'm a really strong civ - otherwise i have to start liberty or honor so i'm usually lagging all the way into industrial which makes the late game a lot more interesting. for example world congress is actually a fun threat element when you have no votes. however i lose most games early on.
they should really just improve AI worker guarding and completely scale down caravan costs in early eras.
right now i like immortal with no worker stealing which leaves tradition starts pretty untenable unless i'm a really strong civ - otherwise i have to start liberty or honor so i'm usually lagging all the way into industrial which makes the late game a lot more interesting. for example world congress is actually a fun threat element when you have no votes. however i lose most games early on.
they should really just improve AI worker guarding and completely scale down caravan costs in early eras.
neoaspilet11
Chieftain
how do you steal workers from AI? I tried twice but my warrior was immediately squashed. the AI got 3 warriors from start in Immortal.
It's actually a bit easier on Deity, since the AI starts with 2 settlers, which means workers move between the two cities (occasionally undefended).
I've started playing on Diety, Marathon, Huge map, Continents a year ago, never built a worker and I intend to keep it that way. AI starts with two workers, you can pretty easy snatch one of them from closest neighbor with a scout, you can snatch two if you are lucky. Focus hammers on important things.
Workers and settlers are different but perhaps similar in this regard. I have noticed that sometimes (not always) when I take an AI's early settler their civ stagnates and does not grow at all.
Cool thread, I started several games in the past two days or so for the sole purpose of playing the beginning and practicing stealing workers.
I used to just take two from the nearest CS then make peace; the first one that pops at turn 20-25 and the one they make right after. Annoying though if a barb rolls up on their land, or they decide to make a boat instead of the second worker.
I was inspired by watching LPs to try taking them from other civs instead. On Deity, you can start getting workers basically as soon as you find a civ, which is way earlier than waiting for a CS. I saw Moriarte in a game have two workers already improving his tiles on turn 17. Yes please, I want some of that in my games, too.
I've haven't seen a civ move a settler without a warrior escort so IDK bout stealing one and glitching its AI. The first lesson I really had to teach myself about getting workers was stop being greedy and make sure I actually can get the worker and my warrior/scout both out safely. It's definitely worth waiting a turn or two for a worker to get in a vulnerable position, and it almost always does.
The first game I had it working really effectively I had 9 or 10 workers from Austria by the time I was starting to plant cities @ turn 45-50. I pillaged a farm then sat 2 forested hill tiles away with my scout, and they just sent worker after worker over to repair it. I ended up bringing a warrior down to fortify in city range and eat shots, the scout wasn't getting enough heal time between workers showing up. After that it was like a lightbulb had gone off in my head. I haven't ever taken that many again, but most of the time I get 2-4.
Occasionally though, it seems like civs are too far away, maybe through a lot of rough terrain, or the real killer, a barb camp spawns right next to my steal spot. I suppose then I'd have to settle for a later CS worker or two.
I used to just take two from the nearest CS then make peace; the first one that pops at turn 20-25 and the one they make right after. Annoying though if a barb rolls up on their land, or they decide to make a boat instead of the second worker.
I was inspired by watching LPs to try taking them from other civs instead. On Deity, you can start getting workers basically as soon as you find a civ, which is way earlier than waiting for a CS. I saw Moriarte in a game have two workers already improving his tiles on turn 17. Yes please, I want some of that in my games, too.
I've haven't seen a civ move a settler without a warrior escort so IDK bout stealing one and glitching its AI. The first lesson I really had to teach myself about getting workers was stop being greedy and make sure I actually can get the worker and my warrior/scout both out safely. It's definitely worth waiting a turn or two for a worker to get in a vulnerable position, and it almost always does.
The first game I had it working really effectively I had 9 or 10 workers from Austria by the time I was starting to plant cities @ turn 45-50. I pillaged a farm then sat 2 forested hill tiles away with my scout, and they just sent worker after worker over to repair it. I ended up bringing a warrior down to fortify in city range and eat shots, the scout wasn't getting enough heal time between workers showing up. After that it was like a lightbulb had gone off in my head. I haven't ever taken that many again, but most of the time I get 2-4.
Occasionally though, it seems like civs are too far away, maybe through a lot of rough terrain, or the real killer, a barb camp spawns right next to my steal spot. I suppose then I'd have to settle for a later CS worker or two.
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