How often should you trade techs?

[LightSpectra]

I'm a tech monger, and I find that to stay as far ahead as possible, I NEVER trade my techs to others, though I sometimes try to get other leaders' for gold or a world map.

Maybe that's not so wise, though.

 

[axident]

I'm a tech monger, and I find that to stay as far ahead as possible, I NEVER trade my techs to others, though I sometimes try to get other leaders' for gold or a world map.

Maybe that's not so wise, though.

Trade crappy techs that you don't have a de facto monopoly over.

If in a tight race and you are 2 techs away try trading for the prereq and then going as fast as you can to the target tech. E.g., maybe you spent too long on the other side of the tree, so you find yourself 2 techs from Liberalism and think that if you trade for Education or something you can research Liberalism faster than the guy who just started on it.

 

[Ozbenno]

Some techs are not useful to your own game, so trade those. I like to keep a pathway free (usually Monarchy --> Feudalism --> Guilds or Compass --> Optics) ie I research other pathways to allow for some trading opportunities.

If you do trade techs, make sure you can get more than one tech in return for the same tech. Also, after the AI has Alphabet, if you trade a tech, trade it to all AIs (don't let another Ai get some trade value out of your tech) at the same time.

 

[DaveMcW]

Refusing to trade is pretty arrogant. You can only get away with it if you are researching faster than the rest of the world put together.

 

[nullspace]

Tech trading is very powerful. When you make a trade, you gain one tech, and one opponent gains one tech. By gaining a tech, you've improved your position versus all your opponents, but giving a tech has improved the position of only one opponent. You've gotten stronger compared to all your opponents except the one you traded with. This is a great way to become more powerful, and you should do it often. Try not to trade with your strongest competitor, and don't give military techs to a civ you will fight soon, but otherwise, trade away.

 

[MrCynical]

Refusing to trade tech when possible is generally detrimental. If the tech allows a wonder I haven't finished, or a substantial military advantage, I'll be cautious about trading it, but beyond that I'll trade tech wherever possible. You progress through the tech tree a lot faster (at least as long as the other civs keep up). There are also diplomatic benefits if you are willing to be generous on tech trades. Once a civ is a certain distance behind you can afford to trade old tech for gold, maps, or just a relations boost, with no real harm to yourself.

 

[Orion071]

Tech trading is very powerful. When you make a trade, you gain one tech, and one opponent gains one tech. By gaining a tech, you've improved your position versus all your opponents, but giving a tech has improved the position of only one opponent. You've gotten stronger compared to all your opponents except the one you traded with. This is a great way to become more powerful, and you should do it often. Try not to trade with your strongest competitor, and don't give military techs to a civ you will fight soon, but otherwise, trade away.

Even better is when you trade a tech like Philosophy (which I love to lightbulb for this purpose) to Civ #1 for Fuedalism, then to Civ #2 for Currency and Horseback Riding, and then to Civ #3 for Metal Casting. You've gained a monsterous advantage over the rest of the world be getting 4 techs and only giving up 1.

 

[Carnage04]

You should certainly trade techs as often as is reasonable.

1. Trading for other Techs

There will be times when the AI has a bunch of good techs that you don't have and you have some mediocre techs that they don't. By all means go out and get them! Trade "Drama" for for whatever it is they want to trade. The flipside is...don't trade that Philosophy tech away for Drama...especially if you are still trying to get that free tech at Liberalism. Just remember to trade mostly based on your need. Later in the game, Civs will always be trying to pawn off Divine Right on me which is a tech that I have no use for. Never give up something that might allow them to come kill you just to fill in your tech tree.

2. Trading techs for cash.

This can be an effective tool, as every civ is willing to dump most of their cash for whatever tech you propose. Be careful which civs you are selling techs to. If you have someone that is only 4 techs behind you, selling them 1 of those techs for 180 Gold is unwise, as it leaves the possibility you will fall behind them in the tech race. Conversely, there are leaders (Ragnar being MY favorite) that almost always have piles of cash and are WAAAAY behind in techs....