Tech Trading for Dummies

[Nohbody8]

In general, I'd appreciate any tips in this area as this portion of my game is severely lacking. Specifically, though, I'd like to know what techs the AI will trade an arm and a leg for.

[Theben]

The AI for the most part goes by the cost of research for the techs in question. It generally will not do an even trade so you have to have a slightly more expensive tech to offer.

This is somewhat skewed by certain techs that are highly desired by the AI. Techs that give religions or more advanced units are prized. In those cases they will likely do an even swap (cost-wise) if you have that tech, or may refuse even a much more expensive tech if they are the ones giving up said tech.

[slnz]

General stuff:

If you have tech brokering enabled, don't trade away monopoly techs (techs that only you have) easily; wait until you can trade it to many Civs at the same time to avoid them brokering it around. You can also try to steal enemy monopoly techs with spies, then broker them around while they are holding on to it.

Before each tech trade, mouse over the leaderhead in the diplo screen to see if anyone has this Civ as their worst enemy. If they do, assess if you want to risk getting diplo penalties with that Civ by going ahead with the trade.

If the enemy Civs offer very lopsided trades (like 200 gp for Education, or just IW for Aesthetics even though they have Math to trade as well) they're not being jerks, they just have most of it researched already. Go ahead with the trade since soon you won't get anything for your tech.

^ An extension, enemy Civs magically know how much you've invested in each tech and assess their asking prices for them accordingly.

If you get Alpha before others, you are in a very commanding position to control the tech trade situation for a short while. Don't trade it away right away, rather trade other techs you have instead so they can't start trading amongst themselves.

Good "trade bait" techs early-mid game (mostly techs that AIs often don't prioritize and hence are good for trading):

Aesthetics: on higher levels you can tech this, then tech ~15% into Alphabet, then trade this for Alphabet and then optimally Math, IW and other older stuff from other Civs.

Philosophy: often gained by bulbing with a Great Scientist. Great trade bait.

Education: good trade bait, but beware not to give enemies a shot at the Liberalism race when trading this around.

[Blaupanzer]

As with Education above, the AI are reluctant to trade wonder techs before the wonder is built (as you should be). Once the wonder is gone, they will sometimes trade the tech at near equal value. Currency is absolutely key to getting the AI to tell you the add-on price, e.g. one equal-valued tech for another + $85. Theoretically the higher you are on the friend scale, the cheaper the add-on amount becomes. I'm not sure I see this in action steadily, but I haven't devoted any dedicated time to study it either. The AIs also go hard after the techs with great people as a reward to the first discoverer.

[Ming]

The AI LOVES military techs. When you have an obsolete one (and I mean one that you have now advanced past and can beat on the field), you can usually get a lot of filler techs from the AI's that don't have it yet. And since many times, I beeline the key military techs, you can really fill in the holes for the techs you have put off.

[Theben]

The same holds true for "military" resources... a civ with iron will still be generous when you trade them copper, fe.

[Ming]

So true.... copper is one of my favorites to trade later. They will give you cash and sometimes multiple resourses.

[trev]

Generally I find Civil Service is easy to get first, Guilds sometimes, Gunpowder very good chance, so I often go this route, can get multiple trades in return, Replacement parts and Rifling fairly good odds also. This route gives you good value tradeable techs as well as good military stuff.
Late in game Medicine, Refridgeration, Superconductors, Genetics is routes AI avoids, however they are often unwilling to trade their favoured techs unless relations extremely good at this stage. I like this route because easy to found Sushi corporation and get its valued food + culture benefits, especially great to spread to newly captured cities, prevents much starvation and gets cities useful much quicker without need to rush theatres etc for culture.

[rah]

I'd be a little leery giving Rifling away, (at least till I had Infantry)

[Theben]

Gunpowder can be traded away safely, as long as you're ahead. The AI will only build a few musketeers and tends to mix them with longbows. Once rifles are available, ALL defenders get upgraded and AI defenses get a lot stiffer.

[wodan11]

Gunpowder can be traded away safely, as long as you're ahead.

Unless you're playing WolfRevolution or something where you can upgrade to Muskets.

[rah]

Yes gunpowder is one that I used to trade (when I left it enabled) since nothing upgraded to them.

[trev]

Assembly line is not too hard to get as well, I will trade Rifling, Assembly line if I glance through the possible trades and see I can get 4 or more in total in return from the AI's plus a reasonable amount of cash to help my upgrading. But I will often wait 10 turns or so to have an advantage for a while, maybe longer if in multiple wars without allies.

[Ming]

Assembly line is one I never trade (unless I already have tons of tanks). I just don't like the AI getting infantry if that's the best I unit have. They are always slow to Assembly line, and I like it that way

[rah]

I always get annoyed when someone steals it.