Your missionary failed to convert...

[WoundedKnight]

I am playing a game and had a very productive city (stonehenge, hanging gardens, several other wonders, 54 great people points/turn) that was cut off from other cities when the mongols plopped a city in between and then closed the borders. For a long time I could not get missionaries through.

Dozens of turns later after a war in which I took all the border cities from the Mongols, I sent a missionary to the city... only to get them message, "your missionary failed to convert [cityname]." I sent a second missionary who also failed.

The city already has 2 religions (Judaism, Taoism) and is size 13. Why can I not convert it? There are several possibilities:

(A) is there a max of 2 religions per city? (come to think of it, I don't think I've seen any 3-religion cities, but I haven't tried).

(B) Is it harder to convert more cultured or larger cities (seems doubtful -- in the past I've had missionaries convert big towns, size 8-9, although I don't recall having tried to convert a size 13 town with multiple wonders)

(C) Is it impossible to add a new religion to a founding city of another religion? (Also unlikely, and I am pretty sure that this isn't a founding city).

Anyone have this happen, and why?

Thanks,

-WK

 

[Scottamemnon]

edit: nevermind didnt realize you had taken the cities prior to sending the missionaries.

 

[xifeng]

(A) is there a max of 2 religions per city? (come to think of it, I don't think I've seen any 3-religion cities, but I haven't tried).

No. As many as you want


(B) Is it harder to convert more cultured or larger cities (seems doubtful -- in the past I've had missionaries convert big towns, size 8-9, although I don't recall having tried to convert a size 13 town with multiple wonders)

Don't know. Maybe.


(C) Is it impossible to add a new religion to a founding city of another religion? (Also unlikely, and I am pretty sure that this isn't a founding city).

No problem to add.

In fact, if you try once more time, you will succeed.

 

[Shillen]

It's harder to spread with each new religion you add to a city. Adding a third isn't too difficult, though. You'll most likely succeed next try. Adding a fourth is a lot harder, etc.

 

[hahntsak]

the more religions present the harder it is to introduce another - not impossible though. I have gotten a 6 faith city.


took many missionaries - especially the last ones.

 

[Pinstar]

"natural" spread seems to stop once there are already 2 religions in a city. I'm also sure that a missionary has a 100% chance of spreading the religion in a city with no religions.

Can somebody who is good at looking 'under the hood' of the game tell us what the % chance of success are for each # of religions?

 

[hahntsak]

"natural" spread seems to stop once there are already 2 religions in a city. I'm also sure that a missionary has a 100% chance of spreading the religion in a city with no religions.

Can somebody who is good at looking 'under the hood' of the game tell us what the % chance of success are for each # of religions?

not sure but if you look at the xml files CIV4ReligionInfo.xml has different values for judaism and christianity vs islam, and hinduism, etc.

what's that about?

 

[Si_Lurker]

I also think, though cannot be sure that religions that are more succesful (say 20-35% of World sharing it) have much better chance spreading than nonwidespread religions (2-4%).

 

[QiZhe]

After getting free religion and controlling all 7 religions, I've managed to spread all 7 into cities, so it's possible. It just takes a while.

 

[gakkun]

I've spread a new religion to a holy city once so that's definitely possible.

 

[Oglesby]

The Mongols may be running the "organized religion" civic (at least I think that's the one), which prevents the spread of non-state religions.

 

[BarbarianSlayer]

The Mongols may be running the "organized religion" civic (at least I think that's the one), which prevents the spread of non-state religions.

This would be Theocracy.

 

[Khaim]

Besides, he's trying to spread it to his own city.

 

[petey]

I had a missionary fail at one of my big cities, then I sent a second one in and he added the religion. It likely has to do with size/culture/religions present/religious buildings built.

The happiness benefits of multiple religions through the buildings and the Free Religion bonuses make it worth a couple of extra missionaries to convert your big cities.

 

[walkerjks]

I had a missionary fail at one of my big cities, then I sent a second one in and he added the religion. It likely has to do with size/culture/religions present/religious buildings built.

I think religion only, and not culture or size. In my least successful attempt at a cultural victory, I was on an island by myself and didn't found any religions. So my first taste of religion was post-astronomy after 1500. I had no problem spreading the religion to all of my cities, even theones with 10+ population and 5000+ culture.

On the other hand, I have had missionaries fail in BC on small cities that already contained 1 or more other religions. I really think the only variable is number of existing religions in the city (and perhaps religious buildings).

 

[Astax]

I found it past 2 religions you tend to fail more. Also it may depend how liong the other religions were in the city, if I had 2 religions in one city since begining of the game and I try to convert a 3rd at like 1000AD, I fail soemtimes 2-3 times. I usualy have 5 religions in everycity for my free religion civic. I suggest spreading religion early as later you wont be able to do it without changing civic to organized religion.

 

[meltron]

I hate the whole concept of missionaries failing. The cost of making missionaries and getting them to fresh cities vs. the benefit of expanding the religion just doesn't pan out if there's only a percentage chance of it actually working. I find myself saving before I try to spread religions via mercenaries and reloading and having them skip a turn if they fail. It's just not worth the effort imo otherwise.

 

[harry_horse]

I think the idea of missionaries failing is fine. Any religion is going to have a harder job getting established when there are existing one. Look at how long it took for Christanity to take hold in the Roman empire for example.

I have only really been playing on noble and below and have found it is only generally one turn for another missionary anway by the time you get to the point where a city you want to establisth your religion already has multiple religions.