Razing VS Install Governor

[lmtoops]

In high level games, it's much better to keep the city and give it to another civilization. In some instances, the other civs will trade for the new city. But most of the time, the city is gifted.

If you use the gift strategically, there are some very good effects. First off, your relationship will be greatly improved, which is great for the AI civs that are stronger than you.

Second, you can make your borders multicultural. Some of the civs are close friends and the common border can be relatively defenseless. Forces can be concentrated on your true enemy border.

Third, if the AI civ is far away, the city will never be strong. Which means it may flip culturally. In case of war, they are easy to capture, if you capture a few of the weak cities the AI is much more willing to talk peace.

Two more things, which I believe to be true. Units that are in the gifted city are automatically returned to your capital (or nearest city??). I know this happens in the latest version.

I've not seen any unhappiness, when gifting the city. This may be because none of the citizens are my nationality; I'm not sure. Of the conquered civ is unhappy, but your already at war.

[Don Giovanni]

Originally posted by lmtoops
Units that are in the gifted city are automatically returned to your capital (or nearest city??).

This is true, and they don't even lose movement points! - btw it's a great way to bring back new leaders from far away continents.

[Zero]

Arrian. I also like the starving/taxing method, But I only starve to a point where entertainers can please content folks to a point where they can counter unhappy folks... without starving. At that point I will just cancel all the taxmen and let city function with few entertainers maintain control of city.

Afterwards I pump out workers until I either get all of unhappy folks out or I get all the foreign pop out.... but I dont mind having few foreigners so I dont go all the way most of the time.

[Theseus]

Originally posted by lmtoops
In high level games, it's much better to keep the city and give it to another civilization. In some instances, the other civs will trade for the new city. But most of the time, the city is gifted.

If you use the gift strategically, there are some very good effects. First off, your relationship will be greatly improved, which is great for the AI civs that are stronger than you.

Second, you can make your borders multicultural. Some of the civs are close friends and the common border can be relatively defenseless. Forces can be concentrated on your true enemy border.

Third, if the AI civ is far away, the city will never be strong. Which means it may flip culturally. In case of war, they are easy to capture, if you capture a few of the weak cities the AI is much more willing to talk peace.

Two more things, which I believe to be true. Units that are in the gifted city are automatically returned to your capital (or nearest city??). I know this happens in the latest version.

I've not seen any unhappiness, when gifting the city. This may be because none of the citizens are my nationality; I'm not sure. Of the conquered civ is unhappy, but your already at war.

I raze when simply punishing.

I capture when on blitzkrieg, and usually then abandon if expanding my territory with replacement Settlers, although I will some times starve out the foreigners if I feel culturally safe.

I often gift captured cities to distant AI civs... more enemies near at hand is a good thing.

[ghen]

I usually only raise if I have a fear of culture flip, and even then I roll the dice if I don't have a settler nearby.