Barbs!

[Tassadar500]

Conquest is not easy now, so I'm not sure what you're talking about.

[GePap]

Well, unless we implement a system in whcih is square is always populated, Barbarian units should spring up every so often from the wildernesses and jungles. There should be 3 types, based on tech level and age.

1. Sea people's- barbarians that invade from the seas and both take cities and raze cities. They would only appear in the very early ages and be of a similar tech level to the leading civ. Basically the Phillistines. BY the mid-middle ages they should no longer appear.

2. Nomadic hordes-the Arayans, Huns, Mongols, Magyars would all fall under this class- massive invasions of powerful mounted units, interested in both pillage and conquest- would be a danger well into the middle ages

3. Wilderness barbarians: randomly pop out of dense jungles or forrests to pillage and rob- they last during the entire game and advance in tech accordingly. They would represent random tribes in such areas, bandits, guerrillas and other groups.

The idea of massive barbarian hordes in modern ages like in civ2 should not occur since this should be dealt with the political and unhappiness engine. But barbariand in Conquest are too weak.

[Tassadar500]

I also think it would be neat to negotiate with barbarians, and even bribe them to attack another person. However, it would cost a lot, and there was a chance of it being discovered by the other civilization.

[GePap]

Well, you could always institute 2 diplomatic options or choices:

Pay tribute, which means that for a certain amount of gold you keep barbarians away for some time and

Bribe barbarians to attack.

That would be easier to implement than actual negotiations.

[Tassadar500]

That is what I meant. I'd like to see an option as giving the barbarians units to attack the other civilization as well.

[MORON]

ohhh bribe barbs to do stuff, me likey

Barbs should take/raze cities depending on time period and type, and any barb that takes cities becomes a normal civ. (minor civs are just too limited imo)

[Max Sinister]

One city isn't enough, every barb tribe can be lucky and conquer a town at the right moment. The minimum should be: two towns or one city (bigger than 6).

[Kuciwalker]

I like the "two towns" requirement.

The barb should also get a significant number of helper units and not transfer into a "real" government until it has several more cities.

[Addled Platypus]

Originally posted by Nuclear Master
I also think it would be neat to negotiate with barbarians, and even bribe them to attack another person. However, it would cost a lot, and there was a chance of it being discovered by the other civilization.

Simply fantastic,
but for a higher price paid for by the civ you tried to hurt, they could do unto you

this could prove to be very entertaining

[Addled Platypus]

Originally posted by Kuciwalker
I like the "two towns" requirement.

The barb should also get a significant number of helper units and not transfer into a "real" government until it has several more cities.

follow me on this thought:

As they grow they could become a minor civ, as they get up to 20 cities, they become a major civ. AND the could be attacked by the barbarians?

[Nikolai]

I'd like(as some others here I see) the barbs to be much like Civ2, in regards of them having units that moves around and makes mess(untill modern times that is). But take the mongols IRL for example. They are a good example of a barbarian tribe turning empire. They had been a nuisance for quite some time for the Chinese, then they suddenly get lucky(?) and quickly takes their neightbours by force, grows and grows, and becomes an empire. Good example of lajzar's idea basically.

Then take the goths(both ostro- and visi-): They comes out of "nowhere", conquers parts of RE, but remains weak and small compared to f.ex. the Mongols. A good example of barbs turning minor civ?