Razing cities while at war

[kokomo]

Since I ain't the warmonger type guy but one who usually comes to war under no other choice, I come to you asking something that's been wandering in my mind lately

1) Do you raze the enemies cities you conquer or you keep them for yourself?
2) Does razing cities penalize the human player in any way? ie: unfavorable attitude from other leaders such as "your barbaric acts are outrageous" or sth like that?

Thnx! It'll help me a lot in future games

 

[r_rolo1]

1) Certainly. A good number of cites that AI builds is of no worth for you.....

2) Yup... you gain a diplo - with the offended civ ( "you razed one of our cities" )

 

[kokomo]

Thnx, but do you get negative diplo points with OTHER civs as well?

 

[CHEESE!]

No, other than the "you declared war on our friend!" - if the other AI is Pleased or Friendly with the AI victim

 

[Howard!]

No...................

 

[Shadzy19]

Unless you raze the holy city of their religion .

 

[AlessioCerci]

but you do get partizans sometimes....

 

[drono]

Every now and then I raze cities of too-powerful foe. Every coastal city may be easily destroyed with minor forces, and nothing the AI may do will prevent that. So if I may not win a war, or if someone is going to launch before me, I go to kill... but I ever prefer not to raze or sabotate or pillage anything.
It comes to me another situation where a raze city may be indicated: minor boundary city conquests. You conquer, 20 turns after it revolt, or starve with no square to cultivate: much better to raze down.

 

[Wolfshanze]

If you're too weak to hold a city you can take, then razing may be an option...

Also, if your goal is invade and conquer as fast as possible and you have a solid industrial base back home, you can conquer, burn and raze as you go... it saves on garrisoning city after city, which will put a big dent in your overall available attack force, and you simply don't have to guard territory with no cities in it! Your Stack of Doom will never shrink for garrison reasons.

I would never raze early in the game if you can hold the city, but in late-game when you already have a good industrial base, it can be an option to burn everything you see, then you never have to worry about a garrison force or "city revolts".

You probably won't be popular with the guy who's cities you are razing (the penalty is cumulative per city razed), but you're going to destroy him anyways, right?

Personally, I'm not into the razing thing... but it is a strategy that could be used.

 

[kokomo]

You probably won't be popular with the guy who's cities you are razing (the penalty is cumulative per city razed), but you're going to destroy him anyways, right?

RIGHT! If I'm thinking of razing, that implies I'm not really fond of him and his fate will be total annihilation (a matter of time).

Another question... do other Civs penalize you when you destroy a specific Civ? I know they tend to get worried and get negative points when their enemies become your vassals, but when you do destroy other Civs? Do you get anything such as "you destroyed our best friend" - 8 diplo points ???

 

[kokomo]

What happens if you destroy a holy city? you don't destroy the religion at all, do you? But what do worshippers think about it? Do Civs with that Official religion hate you immediately? Do you get negative diplo points?

 

[JustinianVII]

The religion still exists, just no holy city or the shrine that rakes in ...and this does offend the civs following the affected religion

 

[Arkatsson]

RIGHT! If I'm thinking of razing, that implies I'm not really fond of him and his fate will be total annihilation (a matter of time).

Another question... do other Civs penalize you when you destroy a specific Civ? I know they tend to get worried and get negative points when their enemies become your vassals, but when you do destroy other Civs? Do you get anything such as "you destroyed our best friend" - 8 diplo points ???

No you don't.

 

[Verge]

I raze liberally.

Even if I intend to occupy the conquered territory, I prefer to raze everything except for the capital, holy cities, and possibly a city with a wonder in it. I can re-plat the new territory with cities more to my liking, but more importantly, razing helps keep maintenance in-check.


If I'm conducting an overseas pillaging wars, then I will generally raze absolutely everything. Wonders, capitals... I'll wreck everything down to the wine cellar. I'll pillage every improvement possible, and after I raze a city, I'll pillage the ruins too.

 

[Ekmek]

I raze liberally.

Even if I intend to occupy the conquered territory, I prefer to raze everything except for the capital, holy cities, and possibly a city with a wonder in it. I can re-plat the new territory with cities more to my liking, but more importantly, razing helps keep maintenance in-check.


If I'm conducting an overseas pillaging wars, then I will generally raze absolutely everything. Wonders, capitals... I'll wreck everything down to the wine cellar. I'll pillage every improvement possible, and after I raze a city, I'll pillage the ruins too.

man, you must always play as the mongols

I raze periodically especially to cripple my enemies vassals 9that'll show them) sometimes after conquering a city I know I cant keep I give it to a neutral power. it makes them like me more and prevents the enemy from getting it back.

 

[Bahacles44]

man, you must always play as the mongols

I raze periodically especially to cripple my enemies vassals 9that'll show them) sometimes after conquering a city I know I cant keep I give it to a neutral power. it makes them like me more and prevents the enemy from getting it back.

This is what I was going to say. In my current game I'm macing my way to the Chinese capital city where the Pyramids are. In between me and China is my ally Hammurabi. I'm gifting him all the piddly little Chinese cities I don't want or need, for that matter, and making him very happy in the meantime. In my defense, it is a huge marathon great plains map, so there is no shortage of territory, and my Salish Confederacy is currently as large as I can stand it to be.

 

[christian_a]

To raze or not to Raze...

It's really a question of economics, wonders, placement and resources.

Often, if I wage war for expansion with a neighbour, I take and keep the border cities, and then move on to raze the next "ring" of cities, to get some clear space and time for my Culture to build up.
With the new rules for Colonies, it's often good to take an entire island/landmass, keep them for a short while, and create a new vassal.