What is your archelogy strategy?

[marco_atk85]

How do you prioritize the digs?

Would you start with the ones in your own territory and create landmarks? or with the ones in other countries where you have an open border and steal their digs? or to go un-owned far territories, one tile islands?

 

[Der_Zorn_gottes]

Neutral ones first. I used to steal, but usually you only have open borders with civs that at least don't hate you, and it's not worth pissing them off for a artifact or two.

 

[azum4roll]

1a. Neutral (not in CS borders), especially those near other civs' borders. Gotta grab them before they grow into it. Prioritize CS quests.
1b. At the same time dedicate one archaeologist to work on nearby ones to keep a stable flow of them going.
2. The ones inside civs that are at war with me. They already hate me anyway.
3. The ones within CS borders.
4. The rest of them inside my borders, if there are still some left.

 

[Stalker0]

Here’s an important note, if you take one artifact from a civ, and then promise not to steal any more, the diplomatic penalty is actually quite small. So taking 1 artifact per civ really isn’t that bad

 

[azum4roll]

Here’s an important note, if you take one artifact from a civ, and then promise not to steal any more, the diplomatic penalty is actually quite small. So taking 1 artifact per civ really isn’t that bad

I think they still won't allow Open Borders ever again?

 

[L. Vern]

If I'm earlier than other civs and not competing for digs or I have a religion that buffs landmarks, I like to start with landmarks on tiles that my cities can work (those extra yields are quite significant and add up if you get them early), otherwise I prioritize those that will be rendered inacessible soon (close to other civ borders, near a civ that's been active archeologically)

If the dig is on a forest/jungle tile I always send a normal worker there to chop it first before sending Archaeologist so it doesn't have to waste turns chopping

If I'm stealing digs I usually do all 3 at once (start/end on same turn) so when they ask me to stop plundering their artifacts I tell them ok and they seem to be happy (not sure if this actually works but I play with transparent diplo and they seem to be pretty chill with it)

 

[alchx]

It is best to put a monument on the excavation site for diplomatic bonuses with friends. You can dig out from enemies during the war or put up a monument within the boundaries of the city that you plan to capture.

But there is some flaw - occasionally an archaeologist can dig up a piece of music (if I remember correctly) and then it is impossible to erect a monument at the excavation site, which is automatically theft of an artifact and leads to a diplomatic fine.