Stealing workers from City-States

[Jaroth]

Do many players steal early workers from city-states? Is this the optimal strategy?

I don't really incorporate this strategy into my games, but may reconsider it.

My concern is: Does it affect your long-term relations with all city-states and get you the -2 decay sooner? I like to conquer the occasional city-state if it's worthwhile to me, even more if other city-states wants them eliminated. But I don't want to start pissing off the city-states sooner than if I didn't steal a worker at the start.

 

[Martin Alvito]

Just steal them from the rival civ next door. Build a bunch of Warriors and go to town.

Even on Deity, it's not difficult once you get the hang of it.

 

[milk steak]

After a certain number of DoWs against city states, all CSes will declare against you. Stealing a worker will definitely count towards this.

If you unlock Aesthetics from the Patronage tree, it will completely offset the negative hit from stealing their worker.

If you're planning on engaging in future wars with CSes, I would probably not steal a worker. If not, it's definitely a viable strategy that I used to use.

 

[Louis XXIV]

It reminds me of buying Civs workers in Civ3 (which could cripple them). It's a bit more balanced, though, since no one really cares if a City-State is crippled.

 

[Tyrael]

The city-states do.

 

[cembandit]

I'll steal any worker I find, city state or major civ. Done early enough and the war will be over without any blood before your worker makes it home many times.

 

[delra]

This might be an exploit - but if you start thinking about it, steady supply of slave labour was what kept many empires afloat for centuries. For example many historians will tell you the economic collapse and eventual fall of the Roman Empire in large part might be attributed to lack of new slaves inflow when empire's borders were set and no conquests taking place.

 

[nodule]

Did this in my last game. Worked so well, I did it again 20 turns later from the same city state. Result: PERMANENT WAR

 

[delra]

Yea, never twice on higher difficulties. ;-)

 

[Andoo]

I found hostile, non-maritime citystate worker to be a good prey..

 

[THE_COW_IS_OK]

Its good strategy with 1 important condition:
Do it once really early. but make sure you Don't make peace afterwards.
Wait for the second worker. take it then make peace.
Not doing so count as 2 DOWs and trigger the CS penalty. 1 DOW and you are k.

 

[jairocon]

Did this in my last game. Worked so well, I did it again 20 turns later from the same city state. Result: PERMANENT WAR

Same here... stole 1 worker early on... then in the AD one citystate spear was blocking my advancement on a different continent, so I cleared him out, thinking I'd just make peace next turn... Result: Permanent War. Also - I believe that it resulted in faster decay of my relationships with allied City States!

 

[Jaroth]

Did this in my last game. Worked so well, I did it again 20 turns later from the same city state. Result: PERMANENT WAR

Interesting... good to know!

 

[Jaroth]

It's also nice to find those barbarians with workers (which always belong to someone else).

Most times, I usually take them early in the game, unless for some reason I'm looking to butter-up a specific city-state (one that I haven't trespassed on either thru my early, rigorous explorations).

 

[swordspider]

City State workers are easy prey and can help you out a lot. You're going to conquer all the city states eventually so what does it matter anyway.

 

[Bibor]

City State workers are easy prey and can help you out a lot. You're going to conquer all the city states eventually so what does it matter anyway.

City states are far more valuable as allies.

 

[the_lor]

City State workers are easy prey and can help you out a lot. You're going to conquer all the city states eventually so what does it matter anyway.

I rarely conquer city states, and generally only if they’re military and in my way.

 

[Infiltrator]

City state worker jacking can be situational. Sometimes city states aren't numerous, close by, or they don't even spawn a worker first. If you opt for that and make more scouts you better calculate if its gonna be worth it by the time they reach your capitol.

 

[Udey1]

City State workers are easy prey and can help you out a lot. You're going to conquer all the city states eventually so what does it matter anyway.

haha-

 

[Uranus Reamerz]

steal? .. I suppose but Being the fine German I am .. popping barbs for troops ... I also manage to liberate captured workers ... which I usually keep. Popping barbs can provide positive results with City States, and a well thought "release" of a captured worker can too. I Find the ruin gift of "new" weps interrestingly crazy ... nothing like Xbow scouts blowing up barbs (or anything else)in ancient times.