diplomatic shopping tour

[sethos]

If I manage to build the SoL, I switch to fundamentalism for a while to make some money. Then I send my diplos to go "shopping".
I like to bribe cities with WoW in it. I prefer the Pyramids, Sun Tsu's and J.S. Bach, but I will take any other non-obsolete wonder. At this stage of the game I'm at war with every other civ, that's normally 4 or 5, the others have already been eliminated.
For the AI don't keep any treaties, I do the same. If there's a cease fire, I'll break it as soon as it seems useful for me.
I don't care about my reputation.
If I've bought a weakly defended city, I rehome the units in it and let the AI take it back, then I rebribe it. Now there are some more units in it. Money isn't the problem.
Normally I build more diplos and spies than fighting units. A diplo or a spy is more powerful than dozens of marines or armors.
Diplos and spies are the best research program, too

 

[bellisaurius]

At least unitl the AI gets some brains and goes democratic.



Get 'em hard and fast.






As my wargaming pappy Wendel taught me, "Always finish your meals."

 

[Ace]

and then you send in your spies to plant nukes, blast em and a few fanatics to occupy them!

 

[ArmOrAttAk]

Yea that's a good strategy. I used to play like that, costs alot with diplomats though. Take a spy and sabatoge something to get vet status, next turn use her to bribe for another 50% price reduction. Only problem is getting enough gold to buy them all. Now I use it with Democracy/freights, keep my reputation spotless, and peace with everybody. When somebody breaks the peace I'll have plenty of gold onhand to shop.

 

[sethos]

The AI will switch to Fundi, Monarchy or Republic very soon, even if they have discovered demo. It seems they don't forget. If they're in demo, take your spies to destroy their temples, cathedrals and so on.
I also take my spies for damaging armors and battleships, so they can be destroyed by weaker units.

 

[ArmOrAttAk]

OH YEA, republics are great for bribing with that strategy. Destroy their happiness improvevments, next turn civil disorder for another whopping 50% off.

 

[starlifter]

by ArmOrAttAk:

Now I use it with Democracy/freights, keep my reputation spotless, and peace with everybody. When somebody breaks the peace I'll have plenty of gold onhand to shop.

You're one of the few people besides myself that self-imposes the "spotless" rule. IMHO, the game is too easy if I just break AI treaties. Keeping one's record spotless forces one to plan far ahead, and have more options at any given time. In short, it make the game more complex for the human. And given the well-discussed AI shortcomings, I think the AIs can use such things as equalizers. Most people probably don't appreciate the huge advantage the a person's though process gives them over the AI. That's why I don't mind all the AI "cheating".... without it, the replayability of Civ 2 would be reduced .

 

[Simon Darkshade]

I have different sorts of shopping tours, where my spies take a boat over to AI land, and get lots of lovely NONE units, many of which I gifted to the AI, just so I could get me paws on some NONE Veteran Stealth Bombers.

 

[starlifter]

just so I could get me paws on some NONE Veteran Stealth Bombers.

I will be honest and say I've never built a Stealth bomber in a game.... but sign me up for NONE Stealth Bombers!!! The'd be great in a Democracy, because no unhappiness would be introduced with them .

Like you, I use lots of Dips and Spies to troll for units, esp. Barbs and units from poor civs (yeah, I pinch my gold, LOL). What's the going price for a vet stealth bomber?

 

[Simon Darkshade]

Depending on the situation 2500-5000 usually. Not very expensive when you have good income. They are very nice in democracy.