Can't Build Railroads Suddenly

[coreya]

Hello - I am in the middle of a game and have built a large network of cities connected with railroads - all of a sudden my workers cannot change roads into railroads - does anyone know why this would happen?

Thanks!

 

[chunkymonkey]

1. You have somehow lost access to iron.

and/or

2. You have somehow lost access to coal.

 

[gmaharriet]

Yes, what chunkymonkey said OR, if you are trying to build RRs on a separate island or continent, you'll need a harbor to get access to the iron and coal on your home area.

 

[coreya]

I see......or perhaps it is becasue I traded it with another civilization! How can I cancel trade agreements without starting a war? Is it possible?

 

[The_Unforgiven]

I see......or perhaps it is becasue I traded it with another civilization! How can I cancel trade agreements without starting a war? Is it possible?

You can't. If it expires after 20 turns, wait for it and if it does not automatically expire, do it yourself. Or, get a trade for it with someone else.

If you want it back NOW, the best way is to make them declare war...

 

[chunkymonkey]

Sorry - you are going to either have to go to war - or stick out the 20 turn deal.

And a tip for the future - unless they give you an amazing price for it - never trade iron or coal to opponents, especially your last source! - it is just far too valuable.

The only times I would trade any strategic resources would be to a weaker civ who I was trying to prop up for economic/strategic reasons, or as a bribe for somebody to go into an alliance with me.

 

[Renata]

Only after 20 turns have passed. At that time you can go into the trade screen with the civ you're trading it to, choose 'active deals', and cancel the trade. I'm not positive, but I think that doing it sooner results in a war. You can get around this by pillaging all of your own supplies of whichever resource it is -- that'll break the trade route, and that doesn't cause war. It will, however, destroy your trading reputation: you will no longer be able to buy hard goods (technology, maps, contacts) using any amount of per-turn goods (luxes, gold per-turn, resources), even in combination with cash.

Renata

 

[Himalia]

It should make no difference if you have traded the resource in question as you can only trade excess resources.

 

[TheBB]

No, you can trade away your last resource as well.

 

[Himalia]

Really ? Im sure on the negociation screen if you dont have any surplus it just shows up as zero. Im gonna have to check this out. As a rule tho i would never trade stuff like Iron unless i was getting something pretty amazing in returnl.

 

[Tomoyo]

It shows up as "zero", but clicking on it will still put it on the trading block.

 

[jm chen]

Or, if you had two sources and were trading away the excess, and then one of the two sources either: a) expired, or b) was absorbed by someone else's borders, the one you have left is exported to honor the trade agreement.

 

[Himalia]

Hmm i see what your saying. Losing stuff because of border changes occured to me but being able to put in the tradeing table resources that say zero actually just means you have no excess and to trade it means none for you. Ok thanks for that learn something new everyday.

 

[Pounder]

Just pillage the roads on your iron or coal, then the deal will be broken.

 

[Moonsinger]

Just pillage the roads on your iron or coal, then the deal will be broken.

Sure, the deal will be broken as well as your reputation!