This is annoying (Caravans and ZOC)

OK, so Caravans ignore Zone of Control, but why the hell do they at the same time enforce ZOC? I mean either Carvans ignore other units or they don't!

I didn't notice this annoyance in regular games of ToT, but playing Civ2 and the Rome scenario, it's extremely annoying when a single Carthagian Caravan is blocking all my settlers. I tried provoking a war with the Carthagians by demanding tribute, but insteald they paid me 200 gold, so at least that's something.

 

I believe also Diplomats and Spies do the same. But you're right, they shouldn't enforce it if they ignore it.

 

Build a diplomat and use it along with the unit you wish to move - since it ignores ZOC, you can stack it with other units that don't have this feature and move them wherever you want.

 

Nice trick; I'll have to remember that. Using it to avoid the ZOC of actual military units (if that too works) sounds like cheating, but against caravans it's a fair tactic IMO.

 

It does work - very handy for moving a whole army deep into enemy territory once the AI has built railroads.

I guess it is cheating though.

 

Why don't you just purchase the caravan?

 

Hate when my caravan finally gets to a faraway city requiring the goods the caravan's bringing only to find out their demands have recently changed and my goodies'll bring in a lot less dough than expected. Or when caravans get destroyed by a sneak attacks by ai's military units before getting to their town.

 

Another reason to build a looong ship chain and deliver on the same turn the van is produced. No time to change demand and no opportunity to get attacked.
Though of course, often it's not that easy, but if you're about to send a van that will take several turns, it's best to send a relatively universal commodity, like dye or beads and if the city demand changes, another will probably gladly take it.
At the very least you can just park the van in a close but safe location and wait for another change.

 

I've used that trick since I discovered it in my first or second game of Civ back in 1995. I don't see it as cheating, I see it as using my units tactically smart. It can many times also be achieved with only military units (one helping another). Sometimes the AI does it too, but it looks like it's random.

I've traded with many AI cities and the AI tends to get more gold than I like. I think it's better for me to trade with as few AI cities as possible. I try to deliver high value commodities (oil, uranium, sometimes coal) to cities which demands it, but other commodities I just send to my AI pet cities.

 

Civ 2 is easy enough on Emperor level that it's not really necessary to use tactics that may be deemed as cheating.
I don't even use Caravans, except to help build Wonders.