regaining tech after a long war

smellymummy · January 10, 2004, 03:20

i was just playing an emperor game where i was ito a lenghty early middle age war. because of that I starting falling way back in tech by the time i was nearly done crushing my opponent.

the other AIs were up to physics, democracy, metalurgy, while i was still researching invention/theology. I knew i was going to have troubles if I didn't gain a tech boost after the war.

what was going for me was that my opponent had the great library. So I knew at least I could gain at least 3 free techs, up to education. I didn't get just three though, I got each tech known by 2 or + civs, right up to physics (only known by one). luckily contact with all 8 civs was done a few turns before.

so basically if a sizable neighbor exists with the great library, you could put 0 gold into science and just overun the AI with units, and save the great library for last, at which point you could resume science funding to get back into the science race.

I imagine it would also be possible to save the great library until the AIs (at least 2) are way into the industrial age, while your civ keeps on consolidating your area with tons of military. Then for the final attack, take the great library and go from backwards people to technologicaly advanced

the save attached is right before I take the city with a great library. the following turn all the free techs come in, and it's for C3C.

vmxa1 · January 10, 2004, 05:39

Yes you can get all the tech known to at least two civs at that point. It can be beyond education.

Fatwreck · January 10, 2004, 06:26

you can? wow that´s really good to know

Cerbykins · January 10, 2004, 10:23

In previous civ games (civ 1 at least) it used to be that wonders ran out when ANYONE got the cancelling advance. but currently, it's when the owning civ gets the advance. And in this case, you only have it cancelled once the turn is doen with, and the effects used

In theory, you could pick up integrated defence with it

Plotinus · January 11, 2004, 21:57

Quote:

Originally posted by Cerbykins
In previous civ games (civ 1 at least) it used to be that wonders ran out when ANYONE got the cancelling advance. but currently, it's when the owning civ gets the advance. And in this case, you only have it cancelled once the turn is doen with, and the effects used

In theory, you could pick up integrated defence with it

Yes, that really puzzled me - I had assumed that Civ1 rules applied to this, but only recently did the penny drop!

Risa · January 11, 2004, 23:29

Quote:

Originally posted by smellymummy
I imagine it would also be possible to save the great library until the AIs (at least 2) are way into the industrial age, while your civ keeps on consolidating your area with tons of military. Then for the final attack, take the great library and go from backwards people to technologicaly advanced

That's a great strategy!

Catt · January 12, 2004, 00:24

Quote:

Originally posted by Risa

That's a great strategy!

It has its drawbacks -- principally among them that you haven't had a lot of time to build the infrastructure improvements that other civs have (cathedrals, universities, banks) -- but, yes, it can be quite the exciting "come back from last place" slingshot needed!

Catt

Risa · January 12, 2004, 02:16

Cathedrals can be built before Education.
Lack of universities and banks surely will hurt by a certain degree, though I think it's not too much. In normal games I seldom complete universities/banks before factories beyond the second ring of cities.

The major drawback I can think of, is losing the chance of building late middle-age wonders. And a lesser one is you don't know where AIs are in the tech race, you have to guess.

steven8r · January 12, 2004, 18:00

Be careful using this strategy. If you wait too long, then your units will be woefully obsolete and you won't be able to capture the GL.

Sure, 'theoretically' you could get all the wat to Itegrated Defense, but that would mean that you're using (at the most) Cavalry vs modern units.

Steven

Theseus · January 12, 2004, 21:26

I did it on my 1.12/1.13 experiment as Sumeria. Being resourceless, Archers and EWs against Knights and Pikes. Ugly.

Captured the GLib... MWAHAHAHA!!

Alexander's Horse · January 12, 2004, 21:41

how do you know where the wonders are?

asleepathewheel · January 12, 2004, 21:58

Quote:

Originally posted by Alexander's Horse
how do you know where the wonders are?

F7

Alexander's Horse · January 12, 2004, 22:00

ta

smellymummy · January 12, 2004, 22:10

its true that you will suffer a hit in infrastructure and unit upgrades. still, things can change if you get leo's workshop or if you save enough cash to rush things in later.

thats what i did in my last game. i conquered another neighbor and got leos workshop and then just started to upgrade everything, right in time for industrialization. i never did manage to get a tech lead though.

taking over wonders really has its nice rewards

vmxa1 · January 13, 2004, 00:22

AH if you liked F7, use F10 (spaceship) to see who is in the game from day one, if you care. No contact, not a problem.

Alexander's Horse · January 13, 2004, 00:51

I got Leo's from another civ and upgraded about 200 units over a few turns. It's very handy.