Researching or stealing research?

[FactionHeir]

I find Westphalia and Georgia consistently very advanced in Enlightenment and Agriculture. Only in 1 game did Württemberg actually pick up pace.

3 gents is optimum. While more still boost research, its not quite as effective and diminishes heavily. 4 is still alright if necessary, but don't go above that - you might as well put him in a new school.

Regarding stealing, tier 1 has a decent chance if you got a very good starting gentleman. If not, don't bother unless you are the constant reloading type. Reason being that you'd research it yourself quicker than you can steal it.

[Hosakawa Tito]

I used to just pile all my gentlemen into my colleges to research. I haven't tried stealing research too much, but after reading this thread I will try stealing research more often especially since more than 2-3 gentlemen doesn't aide in gaining tech speed anyway. I do use my gentlemen with dueling traits to target my enemy's gentlemen for elimination.

If you are caught attempting to steal research is it counted as negative points in the "They like me/They like me not" meter as the espionage/assassination attempts are?

[jsberry]

If you are caught attempting to steal research is it counted as negative points in the "They like me/They like me not" meter as the espionage/assassination attempts are?

Yes, but as we know, that meter is irrelevant.

[dismal]

I have tried to trade for research in the diplomacy screen, but this seems near impossible.

I have offered 6 technologies for 1 to allies and gotten nowhere.

[jsberry]

I have tried to trade for research in the diplomacy screen, but this seems near impossible.

I have offered 6 technologies for 1 to allies and gotten nowhere.

Try 7, and $5000.

[Slaists]

I find Westphalia and Georgia consistently very advanced in Enlightenment and Agriculture. Only in 1 game did Württemberg actually pick up pace.

3 gents is optimum. While more still boost research, its not quite as effective and diminishes heavily. 4 is still alright if necessary, but don't go above that - you might as well put him in a new school.

Regarding stealing, tier 1 has a decent chance if you got a very good starting gentleman. If not, don't bother unless you are the constant reloading type. Reason being that you'd research it yourself quicker than you can steal it.

Well, if you have only one school, then stealing level 1-2 techs ACROSS the spectrum adds considerably to what you can research in the same time span in the early game. You cannot be researching bayonets and naval shore facilities at the same time, but can research one while you're stealing the other.

[Obadiah]

I've only tried to steal research once or twice, but didn't succeed. It seemed to indicate that I either had a 25% chance of success, or maybe that I was stealing 25% of the knowledge per turn? But either way, after two years, I was found out and given the boot. Try this a few times (plus travel time), and it seems that doing your own research is the faster option.

Is there a way to accelerate production of gentlemen? IS there a way to "level them up"?

[Slaists]

I've only tried to steal research once or twice, but didn't succeed. It seemed to indicate that I either had a 25% chance of success, or maybe that I was stealing 25% of the knowledge per turn? But either way, after two years, I was found out and given the boot. Try this a few times (plus travel time), and it seems that doing your own research is the faster option.

Is there a way to accelerate production of gentlemen? IS there a way to "level them up"?

The key is that anything above 3 gentlemen in a school does not add anything to the research speed. So, if you have extra gentlemen you might as well try to use them to steal techs. The chance of success is small, but rewarding if you succeed (at some point).

As I mentioned earlier, you can be researching one tech while trying to steal others. Especially, in the early game, if you start with a high-star gentleman, you can significantly boost your "research breadth" by stealing. A 4-5 star gentleman will have around 40-45% chance to steal level one techs. Of course, you will need repeated attempts to succeed.

I have not seen gentlemen gaining stars, but they do get extra character traits that boost research in a certain specialization. So, if a gentleman succeeds in stealing military tech, he is likely to get a boos to his military research (and stealing). Before 1.3, it was possible to just "visit" a foreign university and at times, gentlemen would pick up character traits just from sitting in foreign universities. Post 1.3, there are only two options though: steal or duel.

[Fisherking]

The key is that anything above 3 gentlemen in a school does not add anything to the research speed. So, if you have extra gentlemen you might as well try to use them to steal techs. The chance of success is small, but rewarding if you succeed (at some point).

As I mentioned earlier, you can be researching one tech while trying to steal others. Especially, in the early game, if you start with a high-star gentleman, you can significantly boost your "research breadth" by stealing. A 4-5 star gentleman will have around 40-45% chance to steal level one techs. Of course, you will need repeated attempts to succeed.

I have not seen gentlemen gaining stars, but they do get extra character traits that boost research in a certain specialization. So, if a gentleman succeeds in stealing military tech, he is likely to get a boos to his military research (and stealing). Before 1.3, it was possible to just "visit" a foreign university and at times, gentlemen would pick up character traits just from sitting in foreign universities. Post 1.3, there are only two options though: steal or duel.

The only time that having more than two Gentlemen in a school has an effect is if they all have 4 or more stars. Otherwise two is all you can really use.

[FactionHeir]

Add more and they always have an effect, its not based on their stars in a certain research area.
Every tech has a certain number of points required. Adding more gents who have a low skill level may not visibly decrease the number of turns needed, especially for higher end techs. And of course diminishing returns after the 3rd gent, not the second.

Gents can get traits which boost all research (tenure, librarian etc) and traits that boost a certain area. Note that the trait gain for specialties is not entirely dependon on the research at that school. YOu can be researching enlightenment and getting agriculture traits for instance. This only seems to be the case for those 2 research areas tough, military gives military only (except for ancs, you can get anti military ancs while studying military).

Note the cap of 12 for any agent type.

[Obadiah]

What are you guys doing to get so many gents????