Exploit or strategy?

[species_8472]

Offer 200 gold in a lump sum in return ask for 20 gold per turn(for 20 turns). They almost always take you up on it.
Exploit or strategy?

[kmj]

could be considered a (very) high interest loan. I know some credit card companies that wouldn't consider it wrong. Perhaps you can call it extortion, more than exploitation.

Interesting, though... to answer your question, I'd say it's pretty cheap, taking advantage of a weak spot in the AI.

[nlmalph]

If they have Wall Street, its not quite as bad as you make it sound, might even be almost even.

[SofaKing]

There is an economic concept referred to as the time value of money. By giving the AI 200, he may be able to speed rush an improvement or a unit. Having that unit or improvement for 20 turns might be worth more than 20/turn. In other words, I don't think this is a cheat, but it would require some savvy on the part of the AI to make it worthwhile.
Also, I would say that if you have more than 1000 (the most efficient interest generator with Wall Street) you aren't rushing your improvements enough.

[Stryfe]

Originally posted by SofaKing
There is an economic concept referred to as the time value of money. By giving the AI 200, he may be able to speed rush an improvement or a unit. Having that unit or improvement for 20 turns might be worth more than 20/turn. In other words, I don't think this is a cheat, but it would require some savvy on the part of the AI to make it worthwhile.
Also, I would say that if you have more than 1000 (the most efficient interest generator with Wall Street) you aren't rushing your improvements enough.

That's funny...in my current game I have excess of 4000. But that's because I rake in 350 gold/turn, and usually only rush build about 200/turn. But it comes in really handy in invasions! Within four turns I can easily have a city with a temple, barracks, etc and quite stable. Also helps when you need a few more units quick.

However, the strategy of giving 200 for 20/turn doesn't always work. It depends on what the AI civ needs and what their income is.

[SofaKing]

I know what you mean. I have a problem late in the game when there is nothing left to build, so the cash starts to really pile up. My hope is that on higher levels (currently on Warlord), I will need more units and the end game will be more exciting.

[Stryfe]

Try playing on a huge map. Things become very stressful when a new resource pops up and you realize you don't have any of it, or your one source of coal disappears and you can't build railroads anymore. Also, you tend to be pretty small compared to the rest of the world...my current game, I spent most of the game being one of the smallest empires in the game. Only recently have I grown by anything but culture conversions, due to the necessity of securing coal, oil, and uranium...Trading with other civs becomes huge and can be the means to world domination.

[Allemand]

I like playing on huge maps. You have to work at making contacts with other civs very early, to get some technology trading.

[Sikander]

With the time value of money and the chance that a war will suspend payments I don't think this is a bad deal for the AI.

[HalfLotus]

Originally posted by Stryfe
Try playing on a huge map. Things become very stressful when a new resource pops up and you realize you don't have any of it, or your one source of coal disappears and you can't build railroads anymore. Also, you tend to be pretty small compared to the rest of the world...my current game, I spent most of the game being one of the smallest empires in the game. Only recently have I grown by anything but culture conversions, due to the necessity of securing coal, oil, and uranium...Trading with other civs becomes huge and can be the means to world domination.

It's good to hear that others are fine playing from behind. So many people ***** that the AI cheats, or corruption is too bad. I find it exciting trying to keep my baby civ out of trouble with bigger, badder civs. I won a space race game like this that was lots of fun.