The Mid-Game Culture Lull

Aaron90495

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May 17, 2012
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In my many BNW games I've noticed an interesting pattern with regard to policy acquisition. Regardless of what measures you take to counter it, you're pretty much guaranteed to have a huge lull in policies in the middle of the game (specifically around early Medieval to late Renaissance). The reason for this seems pretty obvious - policies are getting more expensive, and chances and you've probably settled some cities, ratcheting up the cost of new policies even further. Plus, Great Work acquisition isn't particularly effective at this point in time. This lull lasts for quite a few turns, but eventually Archaeology kicks in and the culture skyrockets. As well, near the end of the game you start to have enough gold to buy off cultural CS's.

In culture games, it tends to happen right as I try to fill out Aesthetics, making it especially costly. What are some counter-measures to avoid this happening?
 
It's because Amphitheater, Opera house and Museum only give 1 culture now, if there's no great works stored in them. And you can't really get many great works early due to low(er) pop in cities and other priorities.

I don't like it either, especially when I'm not going for high culture build.

Only way to really boost your culture in that period are culture city-states, if you can befriend or ally them. The bonuses are the same as in G&K, but due to lower culture output of mentioned buildings it's actually bigger boost then before.
 
There was a lull in G&K, too. There are a few jumps in the game to force you to pick up the next level of techs to continue. For example, growth slows way down until you pick up Civil Service and aqueducts.

Seems about the same to me. In G&K I'd finish roughly two trees before Industrialization. In BNW I will finish roughly two trees before Tenets kick in.
 
If this really bugs you, play Siam, the Wat is great at this. 3 culture from a medieval era building is pretty darn useful, especially when you (or at least I) tend to mass build universities at that time anyway.
 
The only thing you can really do is rock those great writers as quickly as possible and CSs.

Of course, more science to get to archeology faster helps a lot too =)
 
Well, at least it's not just me. I guess overcoming the lull is just a matter of either hoarding gold and buying off the CS's or toughing it out until Archaeology kicks in.
 
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