Missionary Units "cannot spread non-state"

[Jim Ryans]

Hello- I'm playing my first full length game against the pc, 9 players, year 1900, but so far I cannot get the Missionary units to spread religion anywhere except to my own cities, - anytime I manage to enter a foriegn city with one, the "cross" icon is unavailable and the problem in red says "cannot spread non-state religion (symbol) in this city"...
What exactly does that statement mean ???
Will I ever be able to spread Christianity in this game, or is it a waste of effort to try ???
Thanks for the info, Jim...

 

[Traxis]

Is the Civ you are trying to spread to have Theocracy as a civic?

 

[Jim Ryans]

Is the Civ you are trying to spread to have Theocracy as a civic?

Yeah probably, by 1900 we all do, is that what keeps the spread from working ??? So missionaries are pretty much worthless by the 1900s ???

 

[Randle]

Yeah probably, by 1900 we all do, is that what keeps the spread from working ??? So missionaries are pretty much worthless by the 1900s ???

Only if they are actively using Theocracy, which most of them won't be unless they are at war or something. They have to have selected Theocracy as one of their civics.

 

[karadoc]

Well the Civs must actually be using that civic to stop the spred of other religions. Some Civs will have Free Religion or Pacifism, and you can spred to those.

 

[Jim Ryans]

Well the Civs must actually be using that civic to stop the spred of other religions. Some Civs will have Free Religion or Pacifism, and you can spred to those.

Oh ok, maybe that's it, I've just been unlucky and only got open borders to civs that were using theocracy...

Thanks everyone !!! Great Game !!!