Trading or Surrendering Cities

[wilro85]

I was in an early war with China yesterday (classical era, marathon speed). I had their capital surrounded and they offered a surrender that handed over their second largest (pop 5) city. I accepted the deal as I did not have the seige units I needed to capture their capital (yet).

When the city was passed to me (basically a "peaceful" trade) I noticed it had no buildings in it what so ever. Does trading a city cause the same building loss as conquering a city? I always assumed a trade would keep everything intact. I expected to atleast see a monument, grainery, and possibly a library.

 

[VainoValkea]

It doesn't wreck all buildings, at least - I sued Attila for Beijing today and it still had the courthouse intact!

 

[mintcandy]

When the city was passed to me (basically a "peaceful" trade) I noticed it had no buildings in it what so ever. Does trading a city cause the same building loss as conquering a city?

Which buildings are preserved when a city is exchanged is a complicated answer. For the purposes of this conversation, "city exchange" encompasses cities acquired through any means other than by settling your own Settler, which means both cities acquired through trade or through conquest.

Let's start with the easy parts first:

World Wonders are preserved after an exchange, National Wonders are not preserved.

Buildings that generate culture are NOT preserved after an exchange, with the exception of World Wonders. That means that Monuments and Theaters (for example) are not preserved.

The next one I'm a bit shaky on. I THINK that buildings that grant combat experience are NOT preserved after an exchange. That means that Barracks and Armories are NOT preserved.

For all other buildings, the game randomly determines whether they remain intact after an exchange after a conquest...but for a trade, I THINK all other buildings are preserved.

Hope this helps.

 

[Razor Rex]

So what about cities that you conquer? What wonders do they keep? (Sorry, I'm new...!)

Ex: In my current game I am in a war with Siam. I am knocking on their capital right now
and will take it soon. They have Broadway constructed there.. Do I keep it when I capture it?

 

[Octonde]

So what about cities that you conquer? What wonders do they keep? (Sorry, I'm new...!)

Ex: In my current game I am in a war with Siam. I am knocking on their capital right now
and will take it soon. They have Broadway constructed there.. Do I keep it when I capture it?

Broadway is a world wonder and will remain intact. The art may be removed. (I'm not sure if the AI will evacuate art if a city is going to fall) As far as I know, art is not destroyed. For practical purposes, you'll want to remove the art once you capture the city, since it won't be generating any culture/tourism while the city is in revolt.

 

[mintcandy]

So what about cities that you conquer? What wonders do they keep? (Sorry, I'm new...!)

Ex: In my current game I am in a war with Siam. I am knocking on their capital right now
and will take it soon. They have Broadway constructed there.. Do I keep it when I capture it?

You'll have to forgive me, because I haven't played any of the expansions.

World Wonders (I'm assuming Broadway is a World Wonder) are preserved when you keep a conquered city.

National Wonders are NOT preserved when you keep a conquered city. I don't know the precise reason, but it prevents ridiculous situations like a civilization having TWO (or more) National Colleges.

I believe there is a Great Works of Art mechanic attached to some World Wonders introduced in the Brave New World expansion. I have no idea if Great Works of Art are preserved when keeping a conquered city.

 

[newarkinvaders]

i took a city that had a writers guild in it already , not sure if this is buggy or wai

 

[VainoValkea]

Artist guilds are bugged, you can also sell them even thought I don't think you're supposed to be able to sell national wonders.