Barbarian Scientists?

[Barington]

Was playing ToT last night; Diety; Raging Hordes; had just captured a small remote AI city which was immediately lost to a Barbarian horde. Anyway on the next turn I swear I got the message 'Barbarians discover Bronze Working' I always thought Barbarians never went in for research. Has anyone else caught Barbarians discovering things; or had I just played for too long.

[This message has been edited by Barington (edited March 13, 2001).]

[ravagon]

I think you must've been playing for too long. I once lost a fairly large city (size 12+) to barbs and spent the next couple of hundred turns or so sending in spies to keep an eye on what they were doing. They built different units that did increase in sophistication up through armoured units over this period of time but never once did they ever have any beakers/coins so I think research is out.
Unless its event-driven of course...

Q: Did you have MP's embassy in this game?
Maybe thats why you got the message.

[DrFell]

Actually, it has been known for the barbarians to discover things! It's a rare occurance, even when the barbs have captured a city (or even several). Sometimes though, the city is somehow generating beakers and the barbs discover a tech. I've only seen this happen a couple of times though, and the barbs don't 'remeber' the tech, i.e. if you establish an embassy it will show the barbs as having no techs. The barbs just get given better units according to what techs the other civs have researched.

[Barington]

Thats reassurring. As they had just captured the city they must have used up some beakers left by the AI civ. I did not have M Polo but did have UN so same effect. It was 1951 which was why discovering Bronze Working caught my eye.
I did not know you could establish diplomatic relations with the Barbarians; interesting cannot think of a way of using this though.

[DrFell]

Just send out a diplo to establish an embassy with the barbs. You only get one chance to see the embassy screen though (it's quite funny to see that Attila is a civilized expansionist )

[Barington]

Civilised Expansionist with poor public relations skills perhaps!
[This message has been edited by Barington (edited March 14, 2001).]

[Steve5304]

Barbs have a certain self-destructive charectoristic about them. They always revert to sending a city back into the dark ages. An intersting thing tho would be if we were able to contact the barbs and make allainces with these natives.That would add an interesting dimension to the game.

[Dhalsim]

I like that, Steve. Bribable barbarians or through negotiation, that could appear anywhere, sought of mercenaries.

------------------
Yoga Flame

[Barington]

But if they have no cities may have to wait until they discover the cell phone

[Thoth]

quote: Originally posted by Dhalsim on 03-15-2001 03:32 AM I like that, Steve. Bribable barbarians or through negotiation, that could appear anywhere, sought of mercenaries.

That's pretty much how I use them. Barbarian cities are wonderful recriting grounds for NON mercenaries. A couple of diplomats, a treasury full of gold and away you go. If you decide you need a forward base, a couple of hundred gold, and the city is all yours.