Rainbow Sages: Site-search vs. Re-search

[archaeolept]

no - research is relative to a nation. If I see Bog, and they have relatively poor research, what is there to dissuade me?

If I see some normal non-rush nation, and suddenly they have a giant spike in their gem income, saliva glands, mine and everyone else's, are activated.

If, then, I see that, as well, relative to that nation's normal capabilities, it does not have good research - why would I not go straight in? Free gems are even better than ones you find yourself.

A high research for a neighbour with good battle magic can, depending on when, be a real deterrent insofar as it looks like the costs for going to war are likely to be commensurately greater.

edit: I like how VFB put it. That's exactly it, all else being equal.

which reminds me, have you ever seen Ali G's interview w/ James Baker, about carrots and sticks? I think it's my favourite bit of political humour ever

http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=yXbNLkNhy1M