I've tried playing at Noble level twice now as Napoleon and Bismarck (my first two games with Civ4), and I am always 4 - 8 technologies behind the leading AI civs. I never have enough money to buy their technologies, and they won't trade them for any of my resources. I have achieved the most prosperous empire and even the largest+most prosperous empire, but I can't keep up technologically. Therefore, I am hesitant to start any wars. I have stayed even culturally in both games. To prevent bankruptcy, I have to lower my science allotment to 30% before I get to the middle game.

I build cottages as a priority, and I try to match mines with farms.

As Napoleon, I played the standard game, quitting when it was obvious that Persia was going to win the Space Race. As Bismarck, I'm only at 1550AD in a custom game (huge map...8 civs...no Space Race or Cultural Victory), but I'm way behind technologically compared to Asoka and others.

I would appreciate any helpful observations to keep me in the running technolocially.

To prevent bankruptcy, I have to lower my science allotment to 30% before I get to the middle game.


It sounds to me like you're trying to expand too quickly. I always call it quits for awhile when my research spending gets down to 40-50%. I'll even dip into my treasury for awhile if it goes into the red at 40%. When I start bringing in some money again, then I'll resume my expansion.

sounds like you overexpanded. try a smaller empire with 80 % science and don't add / take new cities if your science drop too low

you are building courthouses, arent you? you don't have the most expensive civics? you don't have units upkeep too high?

I've tried playing at Noble level twice now as Napoleon and Bismarck (my first two games with Civ4), and I am always 4 - 8 technologies behind the leading AI civs. I never have enough money to buy their technologies, and they won't trade them for any of my resources. I have achieved the most prosperous empire and even the largest+most prosperous empire, but I can't keep up technologically. Therefore, I am hesitant to start any wars. I have stayed even culturally in both games. To prevent bankruptcy, I have to lower my science allotment to 30% before I get to the middle game.

I build cottages as a priority, and I try to match mines with farms.

As Napoleon, I played the standard game, quitting when it was obvious that Persia was going to win the Space Race. As Bismarck, I'm only at 1550AD in a custom game (huge map...8 civs...no Space Race or Cultural Victory), but I'm way behind technologically compared to Asoka and others.

I would appreciate any helpful observations to keep me in the running technolocially.

The more information you give us, the better job we can do. What is the size and kind of map, how many cities do you have, what civics are you running? What do you mean by prosperous? Don't get too hung up on staying even culturally unless you're going for a cultural win, btw.

It definitely looks like overexpansion, possibly automated workers and perhaps inappropriate civics to me.

Tom