Demanding tribute in OCC

[Rufus T. Firefly]

Played OCC at Diety for the first time last night; very fun, and I almost won! (Damned Aztecs landed one turn before I did). Anyway, here's my question: do you demand tribute in OCC? With all those alliances I found it tempting to do so, but whenever I did I was just as likely to get a useless tech as I was to get gold. I have to think that I might have actually won if I just ignored tribute, instead of demanding it and getting slowed down by Polytheism, Warrior Code, Mapmaking (I was land-locked), etc. What do you do? And is there any way to increase the odds of getting money instead of techs?

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Dig trenches, with our men being killed off like flies? There isn't time to dig trenches. We'll have to buy them ready made. Here, run out and get some trenches.
-- Rufus T. Firefly, the original rush-builder

[solo]

My experience is that they will always give you a tech first, so trade technology first. Even if you get something odious, like polytheism, the gold you make out of tributes will more than compensate a temporary delay in research.

To offset the sting of useless tech, give away technology yourself. It makes the AI like you more, and can lower the beaker requirement for your next advance, often in a substantial way. Often, I will give away everything I know to everyone just before I am about to discover something I want to keep to myself for awhile. I’ve had my beaker requirement drop by as much as 30% by doing this.


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It is more pleasant to live in the corner of a housetop,
than in a wide house with a brawling woman.

[Theben]

Even if land-locked you will want Mapmaking because you will want to trade maps with people. Then you can find untipped huts and sometimes cities of uncontacted civs. Also you'll have a better idea what that civ is currently capable of, and what commodities various cities are accepting. Yes, you can check in the trade screen but I like to check on the main map sometimes. Plus I know exactly where the city is.

Anyway I demand tribute only early in the game and after that try to make alliances. I haven't had too many problems receiving "worthless" tech gifts. Usually I give those away to other civs to improve relations (necessary after the early rounds of demanding tribute).

[Scouse Gits]

For what little it is worth -- my strategy at OCC with v2.42 is to alternate exchange maps and demand tribute with my allies each turn - OK they start off by giving 'useless' techs, but after the first turn or two they have no choice but to contribute to your coffers and you can happily spend the rest of the game in deficit budget.

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Scouse Git[1]

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