Keeping a large enemy city

[markko]

Hi,

When I conquer a large enemy city, like a capital, I usually prefer to keep it for its 'cultural value'. At least, this is what I use to do in Civ III. In Civ IV, however, the city keeps revolting and it takes forever to dominate if the enemy civilization is still alive. Starve the city is not possible if the citizens are revolting.
What do you usually do to keep the city? I usually play at prince level.

Thanks.

 

[DaLuni]

Build a theatre the first thing I do, perhaps even buy it if possible. If the circumstances allow you, put an artist specialist in there to boost culture. You can combine the two with moving the culture slider up one notch too. Oh, and make sure you take out the other cities that apply cultural pressure on your new trophy ASAP!

 

[petey]

Large cities exert a lot of cultural pressure on the surrounding area and a captured large city is likely surrounded by other large cities. When a city is captured, it's cultural value goes to zero and has to start building up from scratch again, so the other large cities in the area exert a lot of pressure on it and the people want to go home to their own civ, so they revolt.

The only times to keep the cities are when you want to expand through the AI's area. If you're planning on capturing the other cities around it or you just want to use it as a beachhead onto the new continent, or it's on your own borders and your cities are also exerting cultural pressure on it, then keep it. Otherwise, it can be more trouble than it's worth and your best bet is probably to just raze it.

 

[Grimz101]

yeah modern wars are so wasteful like that especially pangeea usually have to eliminate whole civilization to stop cultral push, want to join the motherland and war discontent

 

[markko]

Thanks to all, I should have razed Cuzco in my last game...

 

[Excl]

I think a large military presence helps as well. I captured one city, and the cultural borders of my enemy were wrapped completely around it. I kept most of my invading army there (after calling for a peace truce), and it was able to stay calm long enough for me to rush a few cultural buildings.

 

[jerVL/kg]

I think a large military presence helps as well.

This is true, especially if you're running Hereditary Rule. Alexander captured a city that wound up getting totally engulfed in culture between me & Russia, but after 200 years the city never revolted, let alone flip! I couldn't figure it out until someone pointed out that he had about 30 troops in the city, suppressing any possibility of a riot.