Embassy...or not?
- Thread starter casualty
- Start date
Bakspatel
Prince
I have found the AI to be choosing an embassy for three reasons:
1 - The first start of a possible friendship
2 - In earlier parts of the game: to make some money from you, because they do not like you
3 - The first signal of a plot against you
The first is quite obvious,
the second as well when the AI is asking extra funds in exchange,
the third one usually happens after a war or time in which that civ didn't like you and both didn't had an embassy in each others capital. If you accept and they request an open borders treaty the next round its obvious that they want to invade you. Some are even persistent, I once had Adolphus asking for open borders three times in a row.
1 - The first start of a possible friendship
2 - In earlier parts of the game: to make some money from you, because they do not like you
3 - The first signal of a plot against you
The first is quite obvious,
the second as well when the AI is asking extra funds in exchange,
the third one usually happens after a war or time in which that civ didn't like you and both didn't had an embassy in each others capital. If you accept and they request an open borders treaty the next round its obvious that they want to invade you. Some are even persistent, I once had Adolphus asking for open borders three times in a row.
PhilBowles
Deity
- Joined
- Nov 20, 2011
- Messages
- 5,333
No, you can spy on people you have no embassy with (embassies are automatically closed if you're at war, for instance). There's no negative penalty with other civs for having embassies wherever you like, and it does give a weak positive modifier with the former enemy. You don't have to subsequently accept open borders, and there's no penalty for refusing that either. So it really comes down to whether you want to cultivate good relations with that civ, or you want the options for open borders, defensive pacts or (with DoF) research agreements with that civ. If not there's not a lot of point in setting up an embassy.
Anvari
Warlord
An embassy has more pros.
4 - to gain influence with city states for discovering the land of another civ
but these won't apply because you most likely are beyond that stage of the game which leaves number five:
5 - you can choose to not accept an embassy, because it gives away our capital city for espionage. they can't spy if they don't know, where your capitol is.
It's enough to have an embassy one time. Because the terrain around the capitol is discovered, you can send a spy. Regardless an open embassy or not.
something i'd like to add to the third argument: you know where to go with your troops, if you are going for a war with another civ. It's not just an AI-thing.
4 - to gain influence with city states for discovering the land of another civ
but these won't apply because you most likely are beyond that stage of the game which leaves number five:
5 - you can choose to not accept an embassy, because it gives away our capital city for espionage. they can't spy if they don't know, where your capitol is.
It's enough to have an embassy one time. Because the terrain around the capitol is discovered, you can send a spy. Regardless an open embassy or not.
wpfossil
Chieftain
The embassy's biggest perk is pinpointing the civ's capital IMO
Ghonasiflaids
Warlord
Depends, if you dont have writing, and they offer you anything less than 25 gold, its a trap. If you have writing theyll always offer mutal embassies in their request, so you can only tell if the deal is in your best interests by your history with them
Tachii
Procrastinator
Always do them. It's usually a huge bonus for DOFs. The only negative is being spied on, but you are often in a scenario where you're behind tech or so far ahead you don't really care if they do spy on you.
Hostile civs tend to do embassies just so they know where you are, so I often delay this. Give me a few turns to gather some archers.
Hostile civs tend to do embassies just so they know where you are, so I often delay this. Give me a few turns to gather some archers.
Peacemongerer
Prince
My rules for embassies:
1) Only exchange if they have seen your capital already. If they have not, then by giving them an embassy, you have opened yourself up to spying later. I tried this tactic later by making sure a full 5 civs did not get embassies with me until I had a firm tech lead (Then I needed embassies for RAs).
2) Don't exchange them for money early unless you know you'll be on good terms. I find that often I'll do this bc I waited to tech writing and by the time I tech it, the AI has grown hostile to me and demands more cash in return for an embassy in their capital than I paid for theirs.
If they know about your capital and you can get an even exchange though, go for it.
1) Only exchange if they have seen your capital already. If they have not, then by giving them an embassy, you have opened yourself up to spying later. I tried this tactic later by making sure a full 5 civs did not get embassies with me until I had a firm tech lead (Then I needed embassies for RAs).
2) Don't exchange them for money early unless you know you'll be on good terms. I find that often I'll do this bc I waited to tech writing and by the time I tech it, the AI has grown hostile to me and demands more cash in return for an embassy in their capital than I paid for theirs.
If they know about your capital and you can get an even exchange though, go for it.
