Stealing Workers Early

[Favorius]

Repercussions are actually bigger than you think. That AI is likely to hate you for a long time.

Well they already hate us so a little bit extra hate does not seem to hurt

 

[Moi Magnus]

We could always just convert "steal" to "kill" ...

Which would prevent the possibility of re-capturing stolen workers.
(which is, to be fair, the only reason why I'm tempted to add "capture great people" to my mod list. I don't like the possibility of stealing other people's GP, but I hate that you can't recapture them because they are destroyed).

If there was anything to be done, I would put to workers the promotion that give a probability of running away when attacked (if it works for civilians).
It would make the "war to steal a worker" a risky choice, because if the worker run away inside the city, you would have the diplomatic penalty without any gain.

 

[Rekk]

If there was anything to be done, I would put to workers the promotion that give a probability of running away when attacked (if it works for civilians).
It would make the "war to steal a worker" a risky choice, because if the worker run away inside the city, you would have the diplomatic penalty without any gain.

That's a neat idea.

 

[Mad Madigan]

This whole argument is why I disabled the AI from getting a free worker at all difficulties. In most cases I'm happy to take the diplomacy hit to steal a worker if there's one available, and disabling the free worker took away that feeling that I was leaving chips on the table by not B-lining to my closest neighbor and stealing theirs right at the start. By disabling the free worker I know that when I do see an AI worker it's because they had to build it (or stole it from a CS), and it eliminates that start of game rush to go steal the AI free workers to create a power gap.

 

[Stalker0]

If there was anything to be done, I would put to workers the promotion that give a probability of running away when attacked (if it works for civilians).

That's a decent idea.

 

[civplayer33]

Seems a bit much to have that and the enslavement malus for 50 turns, though, doesn't it?

 

[Gazebo]

Seems a bit much to have that and the enslavement malus for 50 turns, though, doesn't it?

I think I'd replace it with a 34% chance to evade capture for workers and settlers. Seems like a fair trade-off for avoiding capture.

G

 

[TheBigFundamental]

Will that also apply to barbarian workers/settlers?

 

[civplayer33]

Will that also apply to barbarian workers/settlers?

Good question; IMO it shouldn't.

I think I'd replace it with a 34% chance to evade capture for workers and settlers. Seems like a fair trade-off for avoiding capture.

So just the 34% capture avoidance, then? Will that mess with Capture Great People? I'd hate to lose support for it again shortly after you fixed the thing breaking it.

 

[Gazebo]

Good question; IMO it shouldn't.


So just the 34% capture avoidance, then? Will that mess with Capture Great People? I'd hate to lose support for it again shortly after you fixed the thing breaking it.

It would only apply to workers/settlers (it'd be a free promotion).

I could set a nobarb flag for the promo.

G

 

[pineappledan]

But just on the initial, free settler/worker, right? a 34% chance to run during a normal warfare situation would be incredibly annoying.

 

[chicorbeef]

Why don't we just give 50 turn immunity for the first Worker/Settler?

 

[pineappledan]

A 60-100% withdraw on attack which expires after 50 turns on the first settler/worker, maybe?

 

[Gazebo]

Whatever sounds fine to y'all, I'm ambivalent on this one.

 

[civplayer33]

But just on the initial, free settler/worker, right? a 34% chance to run during a normal warfare situation would be incredibly annoying.

Why? When recapturing your own workers you mean? Personally I don't much care for capturing civilians (except Great People) in regular wars...

Why don't we just give 50 turn immunity for the first Worker/Settler?

Nooo that's just lame, c'mon. I guess it could make sense to restrict the promotion to the first worker or the first 50 turns, but please no immunity...that's just boring.

 

[Stalker0]

Nooo that's just lame, c'mon. I guess it could make sense to restrict the promotion to the first worker or the first 50 turns, but please no immunity...that's just boring.

Could we tie this in to tech somehow? I like the 50 turn limit immunity the best, but its incredibly gamey. However, if a tech allowed me to start stealing workers than that makes it a lot more palatable.

 

[civplayer33]

However, if a tech allowed me to start stealing workers than that makes it a lot more palatable.

Animal Husbandry because "They're not people!" or Mining because "Send 'em to the mines!" ?
This game is getting darker by the hour

Personally I don't know why a tech should be tied to this...I'm sure hunter gatherer tribes stole people form one another long before the Bronze Age.

 

[Stalker0]

Personally I don't know why a tech should be tied to this...I'm sure hunter gatherer tribes stole people form one another long before the Bronze Age.

It was my attempt to give at least some rationale for why you can't steal workers for 50 turns other than "just because". In other words, making the mechanic a little less gamey.

Your right that ultimately it doesn't make 100% sense, but its at least an attempt at flavoring the game mechanic.

 

[Gazebo]

I think, if you do it, you apply it to all workers/settlers, all the time. Just make it slightly harder to capture them. Or don't. I wouldn't make it too complex.

G

 

[Moi Magnus]

I think, if you do it, you apply it to all workers/settlers, all the time. Just make it slightly harder to capture them. Or don't. I wouldn't make it too complex.

G

Would a promotion that only apply if it is the original owner (so a kind of "loyalty" promotion) would be possible?