Stealing a city from your ally by conquest when he/she softened them up is a time-honored trick. The AI do it to each other all the time and will do it to you, if you let them.
Capitulation is one of those things -- get it if you can or be aware some AI will. Civs don't die off willingly and capitulation leads to survival. Beware of such a gift, however. If another AI is determined to push this civ off certain land or out of existance, you need to be tough enough to defend both of you. I noted on another thread the strong motivation of a civ to drag you into a war they are losing by capitulating, even though you are neutral. If you accept their capitulation, you are war with all the civs attacking the surrenderer. This can disrupt trade routes, resource deals, and previously favorable relations in a flash. In fact, vassals cost money for little immediate return. (Running up your score is nice, but this only matters if you play through to the last turn. A real time investment at epic speed.) You do get a little happiness in each of your cities, but those lost deals could easily have more smilie resources than having a vassal can replace.
Capitulation is one of those things -- get it if you can or be aware some AI will. Civs don't die off willingly and capitulation leads to survival. Beware of such a gift, however. If another AI is determined to push this civ off certain land or out of existance, you need to be tough enough to defend both of you. I noted on another thread the strong motivation of a civ to drag you into a war they are losing by capitulating, even though you are neutral. If you accept their capitulation, you are war with all the civs attacking the surrenderer. This can disrupt trade routes, resource deals, and previously favorable relations in a flash. In fact, vassals cost money for little immediate return. (Running up your score is nice, but this only matters if you play through to the last turn. A real time investment at epic speed.) You do get a little happiness in each of your cities, but those lost deals could easily have more smilie resources than having a vassal can replace.
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