Delegations and Embassies: Worth It?

[sa1vy]

In the current state of the game, I find they provide very little benefit, especially so at the very beginning. That gold spent on meeting the first civ could (nearly) upgrade your slinger to an archer, which would be far more useful than the minuscule positive modifier from a delegation.
Additionally, the spam of info you get from your access levels with other civs gets extremely annoying and is almost never helpful. So, I'm sort of just lazy and don't pursue them for that reason.
The only time I ever send anything is if I meet a new civ in the late game, and they don't think I'm a warmongerer yet. Then I can (possibly) get friendly with them.
What do you guys think? Are they worth it at all?

 

[darkace77450]

They're indispensable if you want good relations with the AI.

 

[howard.seldon]

I agree completely, based on the way I usually play, at least for the early game. Because I'm a fan of early game war if there's another civ nearby, everyone on my continent usually hates me and will end up denouncing me anyway. The delegations then are just a waste of money because I'll lose them. Later in the game, I find them really useful because I usually stop warmongering (unless I'm going for domination) by the time I meet civs on the other half of the globe. That information is pretty useful because it keeps you from starting a wonder that someone else is already working on, or it lets you know if another civilization is getting closer to winning the game.

 

[CoccoBill]

...which matters very little, since you're bulldozing over everyone anyway, or at the very least can effortlessly kick off any invaders at pretty much any point, except the first 50 turns on deity. So yeah, they provide very little benefit and I usually don't bother with them at all.

 

[howard.seldon]

...which matters very little, since you're bulldozing over everyone anyway, or at the very least can effortlessly kick off any invaders at pretty much any point, except the first 50 turns on deity. So yeah, they provide very little benefit and I usually don't bother with them at all.

If you're miles ahead of everyone by mid-game anyway, then it doesn't really matter either way. If the game is still competitive, then they still provide useful information, and its necessary for friendships/alliances with civs on the other side of the world.

 

[sa1vy]

That information is pretty useful because it keeps you from starting a wonder that someone else is already working on

I didn't know that was a thing that was included. I haven't actually read any of them since like my second game.
Jeez, I wish we could have a better system for organizing that useless data. If they could make it like Crusader Kings II, that would be perfect. You get small notifications on the side, and you can organize the priority based on what YOU think is important.

 

[ShinigamiKenji]

I could say a thing about organizing message priority on CK2 but let's stop talking about other games.

I do it because it reveals hidden agendas right after Printing. Without special abilities or sacrificing a trade route, it's the only way to truly discover them. I can decide whether I'll be able to meet them or not, and fulfilling them may get me more favourable trade deals. For example 1-1 luxuries deals, better gold trades or even a couple Great Works for a crap city I settled in the middle of snow just for that.

 

[sa1vy]

a couple Great Works for a crap city I settled in the middle of snow

This is genius. Do they really value your cities that highly? You probably have to be on pretty good relations with them for this to happen, which isn't the case for most of my games.

 

[ShinigamiKenji]

I did it twice, I think. They don't differentiate between cities.

You can then declare war and take their other cities

 

[Victoria]

I find they provide very little benefit, especially so at the very beginning

This is where I find them the most use on deity. I do not tend to bother too much on prince but on Deity, especially when surrounded by other civs it is in my view key to understand why they are annoyed and deal with them accordingly.

 

[Yzman]

I did notice that if you are going to do them, do them right away. They will usually accept them on 1st turn, but if you wait a bit, they will get a reason to dislike you and then it will just compound and you won't be able to send a delegation because they dislike you. It snowballs.

 

[Nigel_Tufnel2]

Plus, if you know they are not nearby, give them Open Borders for a nice diplo boost.

 

[Victoria]

I did notice that if you are going to do them, do them right away

Its about first meetings and things I suspect, doing it straight away I guess indicates friendliness. Its like just after war they will accept a delegation but wait a turn and no chance.

 

[gimper42]

I always play for domination victories, so I almost never send delegations. BUT delegations can be very useful towards gaining AI friends. When there is an AI parked in an awkward spot, or I just don't want to go to war with my immediate neighbor until I have dealt with another aggressor, then delegations come in handy for me. Delegations, denouncing their enemies, declaring war on their enemies... these are very powerful diplomatic tools.

 

[RaidandTrade]

Could be wrong but I think delegations might give you early positive diplo modifiers with France for cooperating with their "we love spying" agenda.

 

[sa1vy]

Could be wrong but I think delegations might give you early positive diplo modifiers with France for cooperating with their "we love spying" agenda.

I do think that is the case. However, I couldn't care less about what France thinks of me early game because, in my opinion, they're the easiest civ to roll over, and I always invade them very quickly.

 

[ShinigamiKenji]

France is the easiest to please. Send a delegation to every neighbor and research Printing. You may want Mary Catherine Goddard or send a trade route to every civ for good measure, but often not required.

 

[Victoria]

I'm not sure you need an envoy with everyone, I think I have had her all gooey with less.

 

[kamex]

France + Delegation = Hidden Agenda

Kinda useful!

 

[Victoria]

Well there has to be some uses to France
It would be nice if their spies got a bonus or France just got +2 diplomacy for being France. The extra level I find is kinda vaguely early game useful.
The imperial guard are a great defensive troop and their wonder ability is kinda useful as is their Chateau
I just sort of feel like France is kinda OK