Trade discussion: 1120AD

[Eklektikos]

As a result of our discovery of Democracy during the last play session, we now have some rather tempting trade options open to us. The most impressively profitable being this one:

(Fanatica) Democracy <-> Chemistry + Economics + Navigation + Furs + WM + 41gpt + 109g (China)

I believe that this trade is the best option available to us at this time, as almost all other trades for Chemistry would involve us giving Democracy + a significant sum of gold. The other possible tech trades can be found in the first post of the Trade Ministry thread, but I do not consider any of the others to be even remotely good value when viewed next to the above.


Next up, we have this trade:

(Fanatica) Banking <-> Spices + WM + 23g (Japan)

Which, considering that the genie of Economics appears to be well out of the bottle, is hardly going to have much of a negative impact on our tech lead or our wonder building. Whether we really need spices at this juncture is debatable so I'm not really pushing this one, just pointing it out as decent value should we wish an extra luxury.


Finally, we have this:

(Fanatica) Saltpeter <-> 13gpt (China)

I'm not sure how we feel about trading a resource as militarily powerful as Saltpeter, but thought I'd point out this possibility nonetheless. If it is rejected outright I will stop posting any but the most compelling trades that involve us parting with this resource.

Please post your opinions regarding the above trades, and I will hopefully be able to get them polled by the next TC

 

[Stuck_as_a_Mac]

As I stated when I introduced the China trade in my thread, I like it. Depending on the outcome of this trade, the next tech poll will either be in regards to the current "next" or the "next" after this trade.
As for Spices, heck, why not?

I urge the people to accept the China Tech Trade

 

[Donovan Zoi]

Great work yet again, Eklektikos.

Regarding your proposals:

Democracy trade w/China

Full steam ahead! 3 new techs, a luxury, and substantial gpt. This is a sure winner.

Banking trade with Japan

I don't believe this one is necessary but will have to check the save to see if the luxury will help us right now.

Saltpeter trade with China

I actually like this one. Somewhat substantial, and it would be nice to have an ally on that continent should things ever escalate with Persia due to their wayward cities. Do we have enough saltpeter for ourselves should one of our sources dry up?

 

[Eklektikos]

At present we have only the two sources of Saltpeter, so that's a "no" to your query DZ.

 

[Donovan Zoi]

In that case, I really don't think that 13 gpt is worth the risk. On the other hand, I have never had a source of Saltpeter expire during the period of its usefulness. I usually found myself shrugging off the urgent memo of its loss sometime during the Oil Era.

Thanks for the quick response.

 

[Stuck_as_a_Mac]

Ekl- please post this soon, so that I may post the tech poll which corresponds.

 

[donsig]

China may not even pay us 13gpt for saltpeter if we sell them democracy first...

But we should be making the fist trade. Or should I say we SHOULD be making the first trade?

By all means sell whatever old techs we can for luxuries!

 

[zorven]

I have to say I am not a big fan of trading techs for temporary benefits (luxeries, RoP, etc).

 

[Stuck_as_a_Mac]

Rather then try to convey it with words, this picture will show what I intend to say. Black Boxed techs will be in the poll for "What Next"

 

[zorven]

I think that trade with China is a winner. And if we are going to trade Demo to China, we might as well see what we can get for it from the other civs.

 

[Eklektikos]

I'd agree with that, Zorven. It's just a shame most of the other civs are so pauperesque.

As regards your earlier post about not liking trading tech for temporary benefit, the Japanese will most certainly acquire banking from someone or other before too long. We might as well be that someone and profit from it rather than let our enemies take the spoils, particularly since there's no real strategic reason for denying it to them any longer.

 

[zorven]

Eklektikos, that is a good point about Banking. Again, if we do trade it, we might as well trade it to everybody and be the ones to get something for it (this assumes that Jap would also trade it to everyone).

 

[Stuck_as_a_Mac]

http://forums.civfanatics.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=60629

The poll

 

[Eklektikos]

Trade polls are up:

Trade Saltpeter to China?

Trade Democracy to China?

Trade Banking to Japan?

 

[Donovan Zoi]

I'll post here what I posted in the Polls thread:

Yes, let's shop Democracy for all it's worth.

Then let's use some of that money to investigate cities currently building wonders. Once we determine how far ahead or behind we are in the wonder race, we can decide whether to switch to Democracy ourselves.

I don't see why we should wait to enter Democracy. We have the happiness, we have a decent amount of infrastructure, and we don't have many military units. Why let the other civs spring ahead because of a few wonders. Let's make that leap now.