A Question about Trade Route AI?

[MattZed]

Is it me, or does the AI tend to send trade routes to you pretty much only when you're already trading with them? I always thought this was the case, and it seemed true when I played a game as post-patch Germany and no one sent me trade routes except for those who had to. (Pre-Astronomy, I was the only one in caravan range for Mongolia)

Can anyone confirm if this is a thing or just a coincidence?

 

[EK834]

Is it me, or does the AI tend to send trade routes to you pretty much only when you're already trading with them? I always thought this was the case, and it seemed true when I played a game as post-patch Germany and no one sent me trade routes except for those who had to. (Pre-Astronomy, I was the only one in caravan range for Mongolia)

Can anyone confirm if this is a thing or just a coincidence?

I think it's a coincidence. In my current game I have one coastal city from which I can send all my cargo ships to CS and to Austria. The others, by sea, are currently beyond reach. That doesn't stop the four other civs on my continent from sending me quite a few caravans.

In an earlier game I stopped sending TR to Japan that was constantly DoWing me. He still sent plenty of caravans during peace (and I knew that when he reassigned them to CS or Poland, his new DoW would come shortly after).

 

[phillipwyllie]

The AI seems to use the religious pressure from trade routes a tactic to passively convert your cities. In my last game Arabia pounded one of my cities with most of his caravans. Needless to say I had no option but to DOW him.....