Colonies and Fortresses

[RikkL]

Does anybody else think that colonies and fortresses should be part of your empire?(i.e have a border and require takeover.) I have pretty much abandoned building colonies because as soon as someone builds a city close my colony it just disappears, even with troops garrisoned there. Fortresses don't disappear but I am forced to abandon them to someone else when they want my troops out of their territory. If I see that another civ has colonies but won't trade the resources I just build a city close enough to take over the colony. They should be absorbed by higher culture instead of just taken instantly. It would seem more accurate.

[Sarxis]

I don't really like losing my colonies and forts either, but at the same time, I love absorbing my enemy's stuff!

I have used the colony only once so far, and it was because I had just invaded an enemy's city (and the border shrinks right up after a takeover) and needed the uranium that was just outside the border. I built the colony and got my uranium.

Unfortunately, the AI knows the importance of a uranium colony. So I lost it soon afterwards.