Looking for advice on Emperor Poland Pangaea @ T100, many screenshots+questions

So this is my first serious attempt at Emperor level in BNW. Playing as Poland on Pangaea, all standard settings. I generally tried to follow tommynt's guide, and stopped at T100. Hoping to get some feedback on how I'm doing so far, and some advice on how to proceed. More specific questions both interspersed and at the end.

Overview:


So the Inca and I share the southwestern portion of the Pangaea, with CS buffer from the rest. They founded Tiwanaku shortly before I founded Krakow, and then Machu shortly before I founded Lodz. Wroclaw founded fairly late for me, in time to get the spices before Belgrade but not the gems.

Conflict with Pachacuti surely coming soon:


Tech path was mostly as in tommmynt guide... 4 turns from Theology, then I think I'll maybe backfill a couple things (at least Optics) before going to Education:


Social policies look like this. I waited on Legalism until I got monument up in Wroclaw, so had to take Citizenship and Representation instead. Not at all sure what order to finish things out now.


I got Fertility Rites for my pantheon. Looks like I'm track to found religion pretty soon. Maybe go Tithe and Swords to Plowshares or Feed the World if they're still available?


I have 6 warriors, 4 workers, a scout stuck behind Inca lines, and a random chariot archer gifted from Valetta. The warriors are maybe not ideal but I didn't get archery until late and I needed to clear some barb camp quests and have some kind of defense.

Caravans are at Wellington and Vancouver now, not that lucrative but got me the two maritime allies.


Cities:


Demographics:


So, how does it look?

I think war with Inca is inevitable and I want to raze Tiwanaku and annex Cusco. Not sure about Machu. When and how should I plan to war? If I can deal with Inca I plan to just turtle and go for SV, I think I'll be in good shape for that.

Any clear mistakes/omissions in my play?

I guess most other questions are interspersed above. Looking forward to any advice.

Just a comment, Why building so much warrior? Melee Units are generally ineffecient while fighting (if you are not far ahead techwise). Just build some Archers instead and your fighting potential will increase immensly in offense and in defense.

I see you building Parthenon? Why? If you are not going for a CV its not worth the hammers.
As you have in all of your cities build your Libraries you rather should build the National College.

For other thigns i am too tired to notice

You have a lot of warriors (which you obviously know). You should have skipped parthenan and built archers. After philosophy gone construction, then upgraded the archers. Inca has CBs and catapults. Your warrors might be able to protect you. If you had archers, it would be much better.

From here, I'd start NC when parthenan finishes. I'd immediately switch to get construction. I'd build archers asap with every city except capital because of the NC there. I feel you don't have much time until you get DoW'd.

I think there was no reason to research IW. I would beeline to Theology and later to Education (maybe researching construction if I need a defence) I would also fill more tradition tree (after free settler I would switch back to tradition). This way your capital would grow faster. Your science is pretty low (you are last at literacy). As it was pointed out: NC before Parthenon (in fact I would not bother building Parthenon at all), and more archers instead of warriors. I would probably also use caravans to boost growth in my cities (at least one of them).

Build a scout or 2 and explore the rest of the map

marekb said:

I think there was no reason to research IW.

NC before Parthenon (in fact I would not bother building Parthenon at all), and more archers instead of warriors.

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main things I noticed as well.

It's generally a better idea to finish up tradition or liberty than cherry picking. The finishers are strong. You tech path must have been equally disjointed if you didn't get archery until so late. Iron working is a waste of early research. You could have built the same amount of archers, researched the much cheaper construction, and be much more secure military wise.

Build NC ASAP. Build archers in your other cities. Beeline education. Then get yourself to machinery. Fwiw I think you're better off reloading turn 0 and start again. Otherwise its all just catch-up. Focus a bit more on exploring the map.

i believe the policy mix & matching was intentional, from Tommy's guide (specific to Poland).

It's pretty obvious that your main issue on that game is your science per turn. At turn 100, 33spt won't cut it. You should be between 50 and 60 and on your way to education. But right now education is still 40turns away.

So a very simple fix is to build libraries faster in expansion (or rush buy them) and build the NC as soon as thats done. Aim to have your libraries at T70 so that NC can be completed around T85. With Republic and an extra worker, building libraries should be easy.

Once NC is completed you should tech way faster as long as you focused on growth most of time.

I also think that unless you really want a wonder, you should tech Civil Service before Theology.

NC not up I suppose...
And shrines? (are you in a rush? have 4 religions been founded? Judging from the screenie I'd say no...)

Parthenon is good culture and tourism anyway... and your warriors can just stay fortified to help you defend, but I recommend CB.
Otherwise things look A-OK. Happiness problems soon though...

(for those who cannot live without a religion, as Poland, piety + tradition is much better in my opinion than tradition + liberty)

I read the forum post discussing the benefits of tradition/liberty mix opener. I am not quite convinced. The benefits of aqueduct and faster growth rate accumulates exponentially. This effect is even greater with fertility rites.

Also, I use caravans/cargo ships to deliver food mostly, especially early on.

Who found Hinduism? I am assuming Siam (unfortunately, it would have been better if it was America - you will get food from camps as well). If nearby, one option could be not bothering with religion in the long term. You can use the Monasteries and +1 culture from pastures. Maybe interfaith dialogue for quick science boosts with your GPs (without enhancing your religion). Then allow your cities to be converted after that. Then save faith, from monasteries etc for Great Engineer etc. (I could be totally off, but typically when I have +4 faith by turn 100 I would not be thinking about religion. But things could be different at Emperor level).

You have a lot of farms with fresh water access. I would have teched to civil service before theology.

A personal take: tourism sucks in the beginning. I don't usually build wonders like Parthenon. Even if you are going cultural victory. The cost is too high. Exception would be if two or so city states that you want to become allies with desire the wonder. Otherwise, I would focus on buildings/units that will get me more production/science/money so I can make much stronger push for tourism late game, when it really matters (when hotels, visitor center, airport, and internet come on).

You may think parthenon has slots for great works, but they will be empty for a long time, as I never use great artists early game to make great works. Golden age.

YourHarry said:

You may think parthenon has slots for great works, but they will be empty for a long time, as I never use great artists early game to make great works. Golden age.

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Parthenon comes with a single great work of art slot that is automatically filled with a free great work of art (does not increase the cost of great artists, since no great artist is spawned to create that great work).

Browd said:

Parthenon comes with a single great work of art slot that is automatically filled with a free great work of art (does not increase the cost of great artists, since no great artist is spawned to create that great work).

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Yea, I know. What I meant was that any great artists I spawn, I use them to start a golden age unless I am ready to slow down my growth/improvement phase to start investing on tourism. (So I guess it won't be completely empty. THere will be one piece of art hehe.)

Tourism offers almost no benefit during the game aside from ... the final victory when you have acquired the amount of tourism needed to win.

Culture gives many benefits - border expansion, social policies, city state diplomacy points. The result = more happiness, production, money, growth, etc.

Same for science, faith, etc.

But acquiring tourism early in the game ... nothing. Post modern era, you need to have decent tourism to maintain happiness from ideology. Also, you can reduce the number of civil resistance if you conquer cities where you are influential on (new patch added this i believe). But these are minor benefits and often early on, you won't have tourism influence on anyone, anyway.

People say that tourism is acquired over long time. Sure, having +2 tourism from great piece of art for 200 turns will yield 400 tourism. But... that's so insignificant to how much you will/need to generate later on... ~400+ a turn.

YourHarry said:

Yea, I know. What I meant was that any great artists I spawn, I use them to start a golden age unless I am ready to slow down my growth/improvement phase to start investing on tourism. (So I guess it won't be completely empty. THere will be one piece of art hehe.)

Tourism offers almost no benefit during the game aside from ... the final victory when you have acquired the amount of tourism needed to win.

Culture gives many benefits - border expansion, social policies, city state diplomacy points. The result = more happiness, production, money, growth, etc.

Same for science, faith, etc.

But acquiring tourism early in the game ... nothing. Post modern era, you need to have decent tourism to maintain happiness from ideology. Also, you can reduce the number of civil resistance if you conquer cities where you are influential on (new patch added this i believe). But these are minor benefits and often early on, you won't have tourism influence on anyone, anyway.

People say that tourism is acquired over long time. Sure, having +2 tourism from great piece of art for 200 turns will yield 400 tourism. But... that's so insignificant to how much you will/need to generate later on... ~400+ a turn.

Click to expand...

Each work of art is also +2 culture. That can help both your policy acquisition and your border expansion.
The parthenon is effectively a +6 culture wonder (4+2). Finally having some tourism and culture will help not being influenced later.

I almost never build the parthenon because I usually don't have the time, but it's a good wonder.

As for great artist I also use them often for GA when I don't go for culture victory because I don't have enough slots or just because the culture output is more interesting than +2 per turn.