How to tech fast?

Hello! I have just joined and this is my first post, even though I have been lurking here reading this and that for quite a time.

I am still a beginner player (played around 10+ games, do not have much time) and when I read some of strategy guides here I always wonder how did you all tech so fast? For example, I read a cultural victory guide here and the writer can achieve the internet
in turn 2xx or so in standard speed. When I played, I get it around turn 400 even though I have slightly tech lead. I still won that game though, but it took longer than I thought. I think I opened tradition quite fine when I get 3 cities with 4-5 pops each in around turn 80, but everything gone slow afterward. (I played on King though, the guide was played in Deity)

So, I seek advice here. Did I miss something important? How do you all tech faster? Everything is appreciated.

0. Prioritizing science techs (writing, philosophy, education, ST, plastics) and getting the corresponding science buildings as fast as possible. This is a cycle.
1. On deity the tech pace is usually faster because of reduced tech costs for early techs.
2. Spamming RAs with AI when you have Porcelain Tower.
3. Getting scientists and bulbing them later in the game (at least 8 turns after research labs done).
4. In order to get the above 2 and 3, make sure you take some rationalism. It's like brussel sprouts.

Thanks for you reply.
So the early scientists should be planted all the way until the plastic?

Also, I want to know how exactly does RA work? I have quite a few RAs along the game, but each of them usually just worth enough 4-6 turns of teching as I recalled. (PT built)

I think RAs are really overrated unless you're playing on Deity and are way behind at the beginning of the Renaissance, possibly due to early war or bad dirt, and so on.

I've found that more than 1 academy is a bit of a waste of the tile yields, so I tend to save all GS after the 1st for bulbing when I want to jump ahead.

For example, I use one GS to complete Electricity the same turn that my Oxford University finishes, and choose Radio as the free tech. This is usually enough to take the tech lead even on Deity. The problem is that you cannot become complacent Deity AIs get way more out of RAs than you do, and they have all kinds of insane benefits. To keep the tech lead after Radio you have to maximise BPT, possibly even building Research in preference to marginally-useful buildings.

The other thing is that science goes quicker on the more difficult levels because for the first half to a third of the game, you're able to take advantage of the fact that the Deity AIs have already learned what you're researching, giving you a discount. If you're still behind when the WC comes round, you can suggest Scholars in Residence and that, together with spies, will help you catch up, and eventually, and hopefully, overtake them.

Good luck.

yeah, what he said
RAs mechanics can be seen here http://forums.civfanatics.com/showthread.php?t=514438&page=1

I think right now it's more or less 5 turns worth of average beakers of the weaker civ before boosts, but on difficulties below deity the AI doesn't generate enough beakers to matter a lot. Keep your scientists except for maybe one (first one for academy is debatable), then use them after you've maxed the beakers per turn. Try not to have too much overflow, so that you don't get more than 5 turns of beakers overflowing after bulbing the GS.

1. National College as late as turn 80-90 on Standard speed
2. Universities as late as turn 120-130 on Standard, staff them as soon as it's sustainable
3. Rationalism + Secularism (if not going for a Science win, stop there)
4. Save up all of your great scientists and bulb them one turn each around the time you swing past Hotels

If you do all of this, you should have Internet around turn 250 which is more than alright to snipe a culture win before anyone else launches.

To be the fastest you have to get the Libs, Unis, Public Schools in place almost as soon as you research the tech. IE you buy them. And you prioritize those techs before the others. 4 to 6 cites works best and lets you get over 1000 BPT in the second half of the game. You want to use the Rationalism tree and for the policy that gives more science with each specialist.

I will try again next time to see if I can improve with these. Thanks everyone.

is directly proportional to so growth is very important. Consider sending all your caravans/cargo ships to your capital as that needs to grow sharpish. Once it reaches 30 or so you can distribute them out. Additionally an empire that builds both Colossus and Petra has the potential to have 6 trade routes early on. Settle next mountains if possible as that gives +%50 to the base of a city, remember mountainous NW count for observatories.
Assuming a 4 city Tradition opening consider Commerce next as unlocking Mercantilism allows for the rush buying of buildings quicker. You can build the Oracle timing it to finish the turn you Research Civil Service.
Consider rushing Big Ben with a GE to compliment Mercantilism so labs are only 810 (non order civ).

stormtrooper412 said:

If you do all of this, you should have Internet around turn 250 which is more than alright to snipe a culture win before anyone else launches.

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Note for OP: That is turn 250 at deity. I think it about 50 turns longer for each level below that.

budweiser said:

To be the fastest you have to get the Libs, Unis, Public Schools in place almost as soon as you research the tech. IE you buy them.

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Clearly part of my bottle neck is economic. I never have enough funds to rush buy more than one science building at each wave. As with teching faster generally, I read all the advise here, and still am frustrated.

beetle said:

Clearly part of my bottle neck is economic. I never have enough funds to rush buy more than one science building at each wave. As with teching faster generally, I read all the advise here, and still am frustrated.

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You can always take out a loan. No one ever talks about that any more. I wonder if any still do it.

If you havent done it yet, read Sadato's OCC guide to Deity science victory. Play that for about two weeks straight until you grasp it. That will sort out your problems. My fastest Deity win is 237. Not great but good enough.

Well, loans require DoFs now, which have become rarer in BNW than they were in G&K in my experience. Besides, if you make too much DoFs, it might backfire, especially if you're using the good old divide & conquer diplomacy

You would not be dividing and conquering on speed science run. You could simply isolate the goat and have all the rest as friends.

beetle said:

Note for OP: That is turn 250 at deity. I think it about 50 turns longer for each level

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Huh that's huge different. Why did deity has so much quicker tech rate? I only know about the tech cost is reduced for what AI has already researched but never imagine thT the gap would be that huge. Is there something more in that which I don't know?

budweiser said:

If you havent done it yet, read Sadato's OCC guide to Deity science victory. Play that for about two weeks straight until you grasp it. That will sort out your problems.

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Is this the one? Deity OCC Science Victory - G&K Strategy and Tips I am sure I can adapt it for BNW, not the least of which will be playing as Venice!

My fastest Deity win is 237. Not great but good enough.

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I think that is great!

lutheus said:

Huh that's huge different. Why did deity has so much quicker tech rate? I only know about the tech cost is reduced for what AI has already researched but never imagine the gap would be that huge. Is there something more in that which I don't know?

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The tech discount is a fair part, but prolly less than half the equation. It is the RAs being worth something, and that your spies can steal plenty. Also, keep in mind that one can win at Deity without the games being over that fast! My experience is that an AI will usually win by turn 350, and sometimes as early as 300. It has been a challenge!

beetle said:

Note for OP: That is turn 250 at deity. I think it about 50 turns longer for each level below that.

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lutheus said:

Huh that's huge different. Why did deity has so much quicker tech rate?

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It's just another piece of theorycrafting without any evidence.

When I did my sub 200T science victory my attempts were: my first game was on immortal - 208T; second deity 208T, third deity 207T,finally fourth deity 199T - all games was very similar map with science civs - really hard to see difference.

Yes RAs are worth more (but who do it anyway) you have tech discount and can steal tech on immortal too and important world wonders are available much longer.

50 turn difference is just bad joke.

Also keep in mind currently fastest HOF science victory is on settler - 164T

IronfighterXXX said:

50 turn difference is just bad joke.

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I will confess to picking that number out of my... hat. Those are very quick games. I cannot come close to that. The faster you are able to win at lower levels, the less turn difference you will see at higher levels. And if you are not in the habit of using RAs, you will notice less difference. What are the science Wonders that would accelerate a lower level game? At all levels, one should be able to get Porcelain Tower and Hubble.

Also keep in mind currently fastest HOF science victory is on settler - 164

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Do you have a link? I can never navigate the HOF. But I will make the educated guess that this is before they patched the science overflow bug...

Here's the link to the t164 Settler science victory: http://hof.civfanatics.net/civ5/game_info.php?entryID=8101

beetle said:

Do you have a link? I can never navigate the HOF. But I will make the educated guess that this is before they patched the science overflow bug...

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I don't think he used the science overflow bug. It was so fast just because on settler you get tech and policy discount and much more happiness.

Link to his post: http://forums.civfanatics.com/showpost.php?p=13454538&postcount=62

stormtrooper412 said:

1. National College as late as turn 80-90 on Standard speed
2. Universities as late as turn 120-130 on Standard, staff them as soon as it's sustainable
3. Rationalism + Secularism (if not going for a Science win, stop there)
4. Save up all of your great scientists and bulb them one turn each around the time you swing past Hotels

If you do all of this, you should have Internet around turn 250 which is more than alright to snipe a culture win before anyone else launches.

Click to expand...

haha funny
never play that much unbalanced game... but Ill try...
must be hard to keep sustain army
effective enough to keep other civ out of your border tho?