How to rob CPUs by trading communications.

[Jackc]

Ok...lots of people might know it, but this is good.
Here's how,
(Caution: more civ is better, and quicker is better too, and you need to know at least 2 civ on opposite direction for each other)

1. trade communications with your already known Civs.
2. trade communications with your communication-traded Civs.
(make sure you give them few communications, money if possible, same goes with step 1)
3. when you succeed to keep touch with all of Computer Civs,
trade communications with all civs by money
(ex. America on West of the map cannot get touch(quickly) with India on East, so, trade America's money for keeping touch with indians,
and...Russia on South cannot get touch(quickly) with India...
so trade Russia's money for keeping touch with India...and so on)

The reason this is possible is, they call the price of communication really exspensive...so you can take all their money!

anyway... Just make sure you do it quick as possible.

 

[GIDustin]

You dont want to do it too quick though. You gotta give em time to get the money to pay . . .

Good strategy. My friend was just telling me almost the same thing. I got mad at him when I traded him communications in MP, and then he SOLD them to the other AI, and got ALOT of money.

GIDustin

 

[Xerol]

i usually repeatedly rob the AI of techs at harder difficulty levels if i have my hands on 4-5 of a few luxuries. every 20 turns, i trade the luxuries for whatever techs they've researched, and it comes at no cost to me. also, since i own several luxuries and am buying all my techs, i can set taxes to 100%

 

[Perfection]

I like to block communitications to help combat AI tech trading

 

[Lt. 'Killer' M.]

QwertzxSoft: I'd like to see that lux for tech deal thingy.

 

[TrailblazingScot]

Yes, I always find I need to add some cash to a luxury for tech deal to get things moving.

 

[sixpackAb]

If I can't prevent AIs from getting in touch with other AIs, I sell communications and make a profit; otherwise I will try to keep the isolated AI in dark as long as possible, and buy tech from the trading AIs and sell it to the blocked one.

 

[Bismarck]

Originally posted by sixpackAb
If I can't prevent AIs from getting in touch with other AIs, I sell communications and make a profit; otherwise I will try to keep the isolated AI in dark as long as possible, and buy tech from the trading AIs and sell it to the blocked one.

I've thought of doing that, but is it a realistic strategy? On higher difficulty levels, you can't long prevent the advanced AI's from discovering each other (and those who aren't advanced can't afford to buy your techs anyway). Hence if you wait, you just run the risk of having them discover each other on their own. I mean, there's no way of monitoring just how far their Caravels have progressed...

 

[Knowze Gungk]

It always gives me great satisfaction to sell comunications for a ridiculously high price when the AIs are One turn away from meeting each other (i.e. you can see both of them in your units line of site)

 

[Scyphax]

An isolated CIV is a backward CIV

I also like to block communications.


I have done it very successfully in 2 situations -
1) you can usually discover other islands/contients before the AI
and you will have a period where only you have access to all
civs. I have sunk AI galleys to prolong this.
2) I have sometimes been in a situation where I control all the land between one civ and the others. If this is the case I order them off my land.