AI sending SS without capitals

[SilexMT]

In my last game. the French sent their SS in 1890. No problem I think, just capture Paris. So I did, but they move the capital to Marseilles. So a couple of turns later I capture Marseilles, so the capital moves to Tours, and so on.

Then comes 1907, and after moving their capitals half a dozen times, and with only five or six measly cities left, their spaceship nevertheless arrives at AC as scheduled, a ship that was supposed to have 0% chance of success when I checked last (2-3 turns before launch). Now what gives? Is that a bug or a cheat? I thought capturing a capital was enough to destroy the ship, but here nothing would have worked it seems short of wiping them out.

This sucks, I had a good game up to then.

[SandMonkey]

if they have at least 1000 gold in their bank, they can move their capitol (just as you can if your capitol is captured). So therefore, if they can keep moving their capitol, their ship will not come back.

And also, most times a ship will go from 0% to 100% on the last turn of building parts, because that is when everything fits together. Checking 2-3 turns before will show a ship with maybe have of the parts they eventually launched with.

[Edward]

SilexMT,

I too was under the mistaken impression that taking a civ's capital grounded it's spaceship (perhaps this was true in CIV I or maybe it's true if the human loses his/her capital). Someone on this forum corrected me on this point. I now believe that once an AI spaceship is launched, nothing short of building a faster ship or destroying the AI civ will ground that ship. Can anyone confirm this?

Yes, I realize that the AI can relocate it's capital in the middle of the human's turn (a very aggravating ability of theirs). It seems that SilexMT did eventually drain the AI's coffers and rendered it capital-less.

[Tizzy]

You CAN take an AI Civ's capital and ground their ship.
I've only managed to do it successfully once, but I've come close a couple of times.
The Aztecs launched a ship after me, which was due to arrive one year before mine. Luckily I had anticipated it, and already had an army on the way to their capital. They didn't have the sense (or maybe the money) to move their capital, so I marched in to see their ship return to Earth with a bump!

The probelm occurs when, as Silex described, the AI move their capital jsut when you think you've got them!

[Edward]

Thanks, Tizzy. I stand corrected.

[SilexMT]

quote: Originally posted by Edward on 12-18-2000 10:38 AM SilexMT, I too was under the mistaken impression that taking a civ's capital grounded it's spaceship (perhaps this was true in CIV I or maybe it's true if the human loses his/her capital).

I wouldn't know about that, I played Civ 1 for close to eight years and could count on my fingers the numbers of spaceship parts that the AI ever produced, let alone an actual spaceship. The AI was no better back then than it is now, and moreover it didn't cheat as much.

[DaveV]

quote: Originally posted by SilexMT on 12-18-2000 05:01 PM I wouldn't know about that, I played Civ 1 for close to eight years and could count on my fingers the numbers of spaceship parts that the AI ever produced, let alone an actual spaceship. The AI was no better back then than it is now, and moreover it didn't cheat as much.

What about AIs building free wonders out of thin air, and generating instant trade routes?

[Caligastia]

I noticed that after they relocate their capital it is cheaper to bribe their cities. Does it get cheaper each time they move it?

[debeest]

It gets a bit cheaper each time because the bribe price depends partly on how much money the civilization has, and when you zap their cap, you take some money and they have to spend 1000 to rebuild a palace right away.

[Caligastia]

I see! Thanks for that!