When should I trigger my Golden Age?

Bull's Eye Standard Scenario PTW v1.04
4 CIVS : Ottomans (Me), Vikings, Spanish, Japanese.
Emporer Level

For those of you that don't know this map is set up like a dart board with ocean between each ring of land. The 4 civs start in each corner with lots of water seperating them, and it does not make for early warring.

It's currently 1900 and I have just researched Mass Transport. I have only radio, flight and advanced flight left to research before the modern age.

The vikings just declared war on me, but I'm not worried at all, as I'm 4 techs up on the AI, and I have fortified infantry in each city and I pounded them with artillery before landing, then sunk them with my destroyers.

My question is this: Should I use a sipahi to trigger my GA now? Or would you recommend that I wait until the Modern Age and use my GA to rip through the newest techs so I can get SETI, Manhattan Project, and most importantly NUKES !!!

Since I own the "Bull's Eye", and it consists of the only mountains
on the map that don't have iron, I know uranium is there. I'm thinking that I should wait to the modern age to trigger my GA, but I would like to hear others opinions. It seems to me like a waste to use my GA for flight and radio, when I could use it to research Nuclear Power etc. Your thoughts/opinions are appreciated.

I personally like a late golden age. My sugestion to you is either trigger it now in the late industrial age, and mass mass mass tanks, to take out the Vikings or if you hold off you can get the modern age techs quicker and let the AI be at the mercy of your nukes. I personally would try to activate it now mass tanks, try to cripple the AI, so you can still get to nukes well before any of your opponents.

@Civ..... There are 6 mountains in the middle of the map, the ONLY mountains without iron, which means that uranium will be mine all mine !!!

I'm not worried about them nuking me, this map has a pattern for where the resources show up, and I know there are all those mountains in the bullseye, because it takes forever to get there, and the reward to the first one there HAS to be a Uranium Monopoly.

Having said that, what do you think now?

I agree with your asessment, SD.
Sipahi will give you a GA anytime you like so the most efficient thing seems to be waiting for nukes and then trigger it.

Well, unfortunately I built Hoovers Dam, and that triggered my GA before I wanted it. Fortunately though, I've managed to make it into modern times, and my GA was triggered just before I finished researching flight.

The good news is that I'm pumping tanks, artillery and infantry out every 2 turns, and since I captured the first viking city and rush built and airport, I am now air-lifting 10 units a turn into their territory. I bet they're sore they messed with me !!!

In fact, you don´t have total control to trigger a Golden Age. Sometimes it happens very early, making almost useless. I hate when I build The Colossus in the beggining, with small cities, and it wastes my GA...

I accidently triggered my GA in my current game as America. I was lucky enough to get a SGL in the Ancient ages for a rushed pyramids. Then, in the Middle Ages I completely 4got corprecons Observitory was considered expansionist trait wonder, and I got my GA way to early for my strat. Oh well.

I trigger mine as soon as I can build the Sistine Chaple.

Early middle ages are usually a good time to trigger GA (to get those happiness wonders).

I got a Golden Age right on feudalsim on Regent as Maya (Unit victory) and wiped out Inca with Med Inf and got a big continent to myself.

Any time after ancient is fine.

Got dom vic before flight.

Siphai are so good you HAVE to use them 20 Siphai = >6 captured cities easy if the enemy has not got riflemen. Plus a big early industrial tech lead and pop and ter lead - how can you lose?