Influence points

[Taiko]

Anyone have succinct tips for increasing influence? I want a LOT of suzerain.

[tempest.of.emptiness]

Move to more advanced governments as soon as possible.

Use the diplomacy card that adds +2 influence per turn.

If possible, use the diplomacy card that gives 2 envoys for the first envoy you send to a city state, until you have sent an envoy to each of them that you care to invest in.

Spend time in Monarchy (I think that's the one that boosts influence gains), but not at the expense of upgrading to a third-tier government.

Edit: Oh, and do quests for the city-states as soon as possible. Each time you advance to a new era each city-state gives you a new quest - but only if you don't have a quest from them already. (IE if you advance to a new era without completing a quest for a city-state then the total number of quests you can get from that city-state over the course of the game is effectively reduced by one.)

The corrollary to that is that you should contact city-states as soon as possible, to give yourself and many opportunities to do quests for them as possible.

[WimpyTheWarrior]

+1 for doing the quests quickly to increase influence.

Do trade routes by themselves also help influence? I cant' recall....

[Sentient_Toaster]

http://forums.civfanatics.com/threads/improved-tech-tree.603703/
will also help you notice which civics give you envoys, which will help w/ this.

Trade routes to city-states don't give you any influence or envoy benefit unless the city-state has an active quest for you to establish a trade route with them, in which case it's the usual +1 envoy.

[Hannibal Barca]

some General and Admirals can retire as +1 envoys

[Taiko]

Thanks all