What is the rule on trading workers?

[Breunor]

I'm looking for some help here.

I know in previous games I've been able to trade workers, and would often get a good deal to trade them back to their original country.

I hadn't paid a lot of attention to it, but I'm now in the mid game (around turn 240) and it looks like I can't trade anymore. Is it a matter of time? Of techs? Of Governments?

Thanks for any help.

Breunor

 

[Tomoyo]

They need to be in your capital. By the way, selling workers is a bad idea. You want all the workers you can get, especially slaves.

 

[punkbass2000]

You also need one city on the same continent.

 

[ybbor]

im preety sure you don't punkbass, you just need a route to their capital

 

[Renata]

You don't need a trade route. All you need is a worker in your capital (to sell) or a worker in the AI's capital (to buy). The latter is almost impossible to predict; you just have to keep watch on the trade screen or use a trading-assistance program.

Renata

 

[bed_head7]

I believe punkbass is right. There was some issue with MapStat showing available workers, but the workers could not be purchased because they didn't have a city on the same continent.

 

[Breunor]

Thanks everyone for your responces.

In my game, I did have their workers in my home city. I definitely had a trade route. I'm not sure if I had a city on their continent or not?

Tomoyo, I generally agree with you -- those free workers are great. However, trading them back to their original owner often gives a very good price, especially if you are on the cusp for a deal.

I suspect, having read your responces, that the issues is that you ahve to be on the same continent or something like that; maybe the capital have to be on the same continent.

Best wishes,

Bruce

 

[ybbor]

In my game, I did have their workers in my home city.

okay, i'm hoping by home city you mean your capital, becuase that's th only way you can trade workers becuase unlike civ2, there is no such thing as home cities

 

[Breunor]

Ybbor,

Yes, I mean my capital. I'm on an archi map; I captured some Iriquois workers who are on a different continent. I've captured some workers, put them in my capital, but I can't trade them to the Iriquois or to anyone else for that matter. I've never played Civ 2!

Best wishes,

Bruce

 

[punkbass2000]

You definitely need a city on their continent or vice-versa. I can gather saves with proof, if people really are demanding it.

 

[amtrick]

Just finished a Middle Ages as the Turks. Being that in this scenario the AI civs will actually send settlers to the (literal) ends of the Earth to establish new cities, I found myself swamped with settlers and spearmen from all over ... and very far away. Since they insisted on wandering around MY territory, I started whacking them and picking up two slave workers. The "owning" civs were so far away that any military they sent to avenge the insult were obsolete by the time they made the trip, and just meant more VPs for me. I used the slaves to actually build a wall of fortifications around my core cities, make roads, mines and do a bunch of irrigation and finally actually ran out of things to do with them. So I sent a bunch to my capital and started a lively slave trade. The Abbasids were particularly eager to buy slaves at about 25 gold each, so I turned down my science and financed my research through slave trading. It felt kind of grody to tell the truth, but set me up for big late game finish.

 

[The Last Conformist]

Always buy any workers you can from the AI. Benefits you, and hurts them.

 

[thetrooper]

The cost is high in most scenarios tho.

 

[citizen001]

Always buy any workers you can from the AI. Benefits you, and hurts them.

what are the benefits and how does it hurt the AI?

 

[Tomoyo]

Benefits: More workers for you
Hurt the AI: Less workers for them.

Workers are everything unless you play a DocTesque version of the game.

 

[thetrooper]

You should publish your own dictionary Tomoyo!

DocTesque is...

 

[hIdDeN_eViL]

You also need one city on the same continent.

yeh, punkass is right, but a trade link is NOT required.

buying workers is always beneficial, if only to deprive your opponents of a worker.

 

[Breunor]

You definitely need a city on their continent or vice-versa. I can gather saves with proof, if people really are demanding it.

Thanks punkass! I take your word for it (and it matches what happened in my game)!

Breunor

 

[Turner]

You should publish your own dictionary Tomoyo!

DocTesque is...

DocTSican'tspellit...of RnR fame?