Tech question

[ramela]

Is it possible to buy a technology that you don't have the prequisites for? I've noticed that I hardly ever have the chance to buy/sell technology and am wondering wheter it is because the AI nations just keep up due to some cheating mechanism, stealing or because they are too undeveloped to utilise my techs and I'm too advanced?

[Luddite]

No, I think you can only trade those techs that you can research. I often dump enlightenment techs on minor nation trade partners to boost my income, but if like Genoa they don't have access to a University you can't push them past the first tier.

[ramela]

Thanks for the quick answer.

It's good to know so I can plan my tech swapping/buying/selling/dumping strategy accordingly.

[Phog_of_War]

Just a warning, the AI is extremely stingy with its techs. You have to sell them the farm in order to get even a crappy tech.

[ramela]

Yeah, I've heard. Some factions (Spain) can propably afford to sell some unwanted provinces (only to be reclaimed later) for tech. Maybe. Worth a shot.

Selling some enlightenment techs for a little profit and to pump up my trade partners' economy is the main application I'm considering though.

[Megas Methuselah]

If you conquer a city with the most advanced barracks, you'll have acess to(i.e. the ability to research) the more advanced technology that that barracks allows to be researched (such as machined rifling) without needing to research the prerequisites.

[anweRU]

Yeah, I've heard. Some factions (Spain) can propably afford to sell some unwanted provinces (only to be reclaimed later) for tech. Maybe. Worth a shot.

In my VH campaign I traded Florida with GB for Jamaica & their naval tech, sold Flanders to France for 7.5K + plantations, and Lombardy to Prussia for 1K (2K?) and plug bayonets. Gave me a good starting advantage.

The only other time I've managed to get techs out of an AI nation is as peace compensation after I've given them a good beating.

[phunkbot]

In my Austrian short campaign I've managed to get some 6 or 7 techs from my protectorates (Bavaria mainly) and allies (GB) which is more than the 3 or 4 I managed to steal (albeit mostly from my protectorates again :whip: )

They seemed willing to trade some low-mid tier techs for higher ones straight away, or mid-high tier + payment for mid tier, and were completely obnoxious with lowest tier techs, refusing amazing offers of 6-7 high end techs + payments etc in typical braindead ally manner.