Social policy trees

mbuna120 · Jul 17, 2013

In gnk I got into the habit of picking my first policy tree and sticking with it til finished. Then with my next tree I would possibly splash into another tree before finishing or not. After reading many posts here, it appears that people open a tree and switch to another quite frequently in the early game. Is that the best method?
Why or why not?

GoodSarmatian · Jul 17, 2013

Depends on the situation and the tree. Tradition is definitely worth finishing early for the Aqueducts, but I'd recommend to leave Liberty alone for a while after you have the free Settler and Worker, except if you're really desperate for happiness, a golden age or a specific GP. I've found the Patronage finisher and Merchant Confederacy very meh and will be using that policy point for something else in the future.
When I take Aesthetics I'll also hold off on Artistic Genius until I have Museums. The other policies of this tree are best taken early, but Artistic Genius and the finisher can safely be delayed in favor of Commerce or Exploration.

TheMarshmallowBear · Jul 17, 2013

I believe mixing Tradition and Liberty openers is quite good, because you get A LOT of culture early (and in BNW, not sure if it's me, but Culture is hard to get by unless you focus purely on Great Works). And mix that with a Monuement (wether free or built yourself) it's quite a lot of culture going.

mbuna120 · Jul 17, 2013

So do you start liberty while building the monument then switch so that your amphitheater will be the free building in your Capitol? Does anyone skip building a monument until they tech the free one? Or is that too much tempo loss on culture?

I seem to face happiness issues very fast whether I go tall or wide. How far apart are you guys founding city 2 and 3 from your Capitol? I tend to found one a little further away for an important site then backfill a site that's just ok so that I can build roads more efficiently (solar to minimalist if roads in the old school ics) is that a problem play now that science takes such a hit from additional cities? Should I care only about location of cities and disregard road distance? (Within reason obviously)

TheMarshmallowBear · Jul 17, 2013

Distance from Capital is not an issue happiness wise, there's no mechanic like it was in previous series.

If you are hurting with happiness, try settling cities next to 1 or more unique luxury resources (i.e, Wine and Incense, Incense and Ivory, etc.) this way you get new luxuries, (although you can't really trade them).

Gold wise, however, you'll be hurting if you settle too far away and connect with roads (although Harbor isn't a bad idea, especially if you're Carthage).

I play on Warlord so my mistakes aren't that costly (nor is a good strategy). However, I try to built a Monument/Shrine as early as possible (don't want to lose good pantheon choices early).

Calouste · Jul 17, 2013

mbuna120 said:
So do you start liberty while building the monument then switch so that your amphitheater will be the free building in your Capitol? Does anyone skip building a monument until they tech the free one? Or is that too much tempo loss on culture?

I seem to face happiness issues very fast whether I go tall or wide. How far apart are you guys founding city 2 and 3 from your Capitol? I tend to found one a little further away for an important site then backfill a site that's just ok so that I can build roads more efficiently (solar to minimalist if roads in the old school ics) is that a problem play now that science takes such a hit from additional cities? Should I care only about location of cities and disregard road distance? (Within reason obviously)

When I decide I'm going for Tradition (based on civ and starting location), I usually skip the Monument in favor of a Worker or two Scouts. And which one I pick of those depends on the whether there is enough to do for the worker for a while and whether it looks like there is something to explore. Only when it looks like I am on a small island and there are no tiles to farm will I build a Monument. The Amphitheater is a bit too marginal to save hammers for, they are better used early on.

Social policy trees

mbuna120

Chieftain

GoodSarmatian

Jokerfied Western Male

TheMarshmallowBear

Benelovent Chieftain of the Ursu Kingdom

mbuna120

Chieftain

TheMarshmallowBear

Benelovent Chieftain of the Ursu Kingdom

Calouste

Deity

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