Early game - Steal worker or return?

[aluelkdf]

During the early game, if you capture a worker from a barbarian that belongs to another civ or a city state, do you guys return it or take it?

I always take it. If feel that the diplomatic benefit from returning a worker is negligible. And by the time that diplomatic benefit is needed, chances are enough time has passed that the other civ doesn't even care about your act of kindness at that point.

While at the same time, getting an extra worker for free in the early game can help a lot and can give you an advantage that lasts for the entire game.

 

[vcutag]

I take it, unless the extra unit cost is going to bork my economy. By returning it, though, the diplo boost could keep a nearby neighbor off your back during a crucial period during your early development, especially if they have an Ancient or Classical era UU.

 

[MarauderCH]

I keep it unless it's from a CS that I've killed a bunch of barbs nearby and can become friends with the CS. Otherwise, it's more useful to keep it and put it to work...

 

[IcyFrozen]

Keep it. Always. You can always disband it if it would hurt your economy and it will put a huge dent in the original nations development, especially if the original unit was a settler.

There would have to be a very important reason i wanted friendly relations with the orginal nation for me to give up an early worker. Exponential growth from a free early worker is huge (meaning that in the later game you will be much better off since you will produce more food before the average, etc)

 

[Tabarnak]

Your first steal should be yours. The rest should be returned to cs. If at war and conquering, keep some more of course.

 

[Camikaze]

If I've not neglected building workers, then giving it back can be a good idea; bonuses from a city state are worth more than improving tiles that you can't work due to your population. So if you have enough workers that your improvement building is essentially outpacing your population growth, then getting influence is a better idea.

 

[Aldor]

Never return units of other major civs. In the best case they'll get a worker back and can continue to improve their territory, in the worst case you'll give them their settler back and they'll plant it as a new city right next to your territory!

Remember: even if you play peacefully and want to maintain friendly relations, the other civs are still your competitors. You don't want to help them more than neccessary.

However I'll usually return workers of city states. Unless I'm short of workers myself of course but otherwise, the diplo bonus is nice and can help you to get an ally cheaper.

 

[The_Quasar]

I usually return the Workers of CS for the bonuses... which means you can create an early ally really cheaply, especially if you can kill a couple of barbarians around their borders too.

With other civs, mostly I keep them. Occasionally I give one back to a nearby Civ to delay the inevitable war by a few turns if I'm not quite ready. This can make a big difference, especially if you have 2 aggressive Civs next to you. It's usually a whole lot easier, in the early game, to take one at a time!

 

[joncnunn]

If I want to make that CS my ally, I'll return it.

If I'm not interested in making that CS my ally, I'll take it.

Unless the CS has a hostile personally, I'm usually more interested in making the CS my ally than an extra worker.

 

[Pisskop]

Depends on its distance form my lands, and if I want that particular ally. Usually I would rather delete it than give it away, however.

 

[CoolLizy]

Depends.

If it's a city-state I'll usually keep it unless I'm already on good terms with them or there's a mission I can complete very soon for them; otherwise the favor you get from it will deplete so quickly there's no point.

If it belongs to another civ, I'll usually return it to stay on their good side, unless I plan for them to be an early target anyway, or I'm just really in need of another worker.

 

[aluelkdf]

As far as I can tell, taking a worker has no negative diplomatic consequences. Its like the other civ/cs doesn't even know you took it. Which is realistic, how would they know unless if you told them? But returning the worker is a pleasant surprise to the other civ/cs.

Later in the game I may return a worker to a cs, only if I plan on allying with them and continuing to give them gifts to maintain the alliance.

But if if you are not greece and don't have patronage, then the influence you get with the cs will waer off pretty fast. So if I don't plan on giving them more gifts then I see no pint in returning the worker.

 

[Heerlo]

I always give workers back that I free.It might not always be the best thing for me, but it's just the right thing to do.

 

[ense7en]

Depends.

If it's for a city state i'm trying to ally with, then of course i return it.
in basically every other situation, i keep it, as i tend to usually have fewer workers than i'd like.

 

[duxup]

If I need it I keep it, always.

On the other hand if I don't need it.

A Civ Worker = Usually keep it and disband it if I don't need it. Rarely I'll give it back, then only if they're small, I want to be friends and I don't think much will come of them.

CS Worker = If I don't need it I give it back.