A simple way to catch up in the tech race if need be

[Verarde]

Does anyone use the trick of declaring war on someone, getting the upper hand, take a few cities and whatnot, then make ask for peace but they give you a bunch of tech and maybe a city or two for the peace?

I do this if I am behind sometimes, and it usually helps.

The best part is if you are really close to finishing them off, you can turn right back around and DOW on them again!

Then you just repeat the process.
Does this really work, or is it not a good idea?

 

[Spoonwood]

People often refer to this as "pointy-stick research". For some other strategies, see here. I've used pointy-stick research a few times, but not all that much really.

 

[Optional]

If you were able to beat the hell out of a tribe that was more advanced then you, then possibly you had overdone the unit building at the cost of science. Once you had so many units it was best to use them of course, but tech extortion is not a strategy for the whole game.
If you have the ability to generate commerce and do trading this would be an easier way to keep up with the tech pace. Even if you take a bunch of towns from the AI they're often still not willing to give up a tech; they also look at your military strength as a whole and if that doesn't impress them they're not so likely to cave in. So basically you have to make a real investment in your military for this kind of pointy stick research, and if you have to make that kind of investment for keeping up in science, then why not put it in science straight away?
So tech extortion is good if the opportunity comes along, but is not good as a gameplan. If your gameplan involves falling behind in tech you're probably better off doing something with the Great Library.
Also be aware that if you sign peace but re-declare within 20 turns, you're blowing your reputation, which will make the game much more difficult.

 

[dominatr]

yeah i agree with optional. i used to use that trick until one time i ended up going to war with 5 civs after re-declaring war on one.

 

[Sparthage]

I LOVE "pointy-stick research" and use it very often.

 

[rysingsun]

If i remember correctly this method works extremely well in vanilla. Or maybe I'm remembering unpatched vanilla. It's been a while. In C3C I use the technique a bit, I couldn't say I'm overly impressed by it.

 

[Illuminous]

Besides The Great Libray - if your first to research Philosophy, it gives you one free tech. With The Theory of Evolution you get three.

 

[vmxa]

Besides The Great Libray - if your first to research Philosophy, it gives you one free tech. With The Theory of Evolution you get three.

You only get 2 techs from ToE.

 

[Illuminous]

Oh, I thought it was three.

 

[vmxa]

Does anyone use the trick of declaring war on someone, getting the upper hand, take a few cities and whatnot, then make ask for peace but they give you a bunch of tech and maybe a city or two for the peace?

I do this if I am behind sometimes, and it usually helps.

The best part is if you are really close to finishing them off, you can turn right back around and DOW on them again!

Then you just repeat the process.
Does this really work, or is it not a good idea?

I would think most would try to not break any deals. It is a prqreq in SG's to attempt to keep your rep. Getting techs is not so easy in C3C as it was in PTW and C3. They sometimes will, but how often will I be behind in techs and be able to beat them up?

Often in an AW, but I cannot make peace, so it does not help. I have beaten the crap out of civs and they wold not give up a single tech for peace, but would take peace.

It is probably not a strategy in as much as it does not always work or at least not always works well. There are better plans, unless you just like to do it.