Tech tree questiona

[Gwynnja]

Why is banking a prerequisite for replaceable parts? And why do macemen require civil service?

 

[Seraiel]

If you could research RP without Banking as a pre-requisite, you could go directly for Rifles without needing the higher and lower part of the tech-tree at all. That'd probably be overpowered.

And which tech should Maces need if not Civil Service? It must be a medieval tech that doesn't already give another unit, so which one would you take?

 

[Gwynnja]

That makes sense, except that what does banking have to do with replaceable parts, and what does civil service have to do with macemen? I'm trying to understand the congruity.

 

[rah]

Don't over think it or your head will explode.

As Ser said, some of it is just to differentiate the different paths and make you make a choice.
No method would ever make 100% sense.

I.e everyone always gets writing before alphabet.

 

[Windsor]

And which tech should Maces need if not Civil Service? It must be a medieval tech that doesn't already give another unit, so which one would you take?

There's no rule that techs can't open several units. There's many techs that opens up two units. Industrialism even opens up three.

That makes sense, except that what does banking have to do with replaceable parts, and what does civil service have to do with macemen? I'm trying to understand the congruity.

Tech tree doesn't always makes thematically sense. You could move macemen to feudalism+machinery instead of civil service+machinery. That should work pretty well.

Bit more unsure what to do with replaceable parts. The tech itself is rather weak, but rifling certainly shouldn't come sooner.

 

[Windsor]

I.e everyone always gets writing before alphabet.

But that one does make sense.

 

[Seraiel]

There's no rule that techs can't open several units. There's many techs that opens up two units. Industrialism even opens up three.

Sry, my games don't go that far.

 

[Windsor]

Sry, my games don't go that far.

You finish before construction?

 

[reddishrecue]

Better metal processing? Civil service has been known for cleaning out wastes.

 

[Gwynnja]

Maybe civil service has something to do with the maces' armor? Cause really, should a spiked ball on a chain require machinery to create? I can see why it would need metal casting, and I can see why crossbows need machinery, but one of the cool things about Civ to me is reading the encyclopedia brittanica blurb about the techs and why they exist where they do in the tech tree.

 

[elmurcis]

From one side game balance.... but I guess idea was that for repleacable parts you need some good monetary system to support it (you make parts before anyone actually need something to replace because product is not yet sold actually... and loan from bank here comes in place)

 

[GreatProfit]

I'm guessing:

Banking requires minting coins with speed and precision, which transitions into more general techniques in making replaceable parts.

Civil service allows for more professional armies, including men-at-arms on foot, which are presumably what macemen represent.

 

[Seraiel]

You finish before construction?

Warriors FTW .

 

[Pangaea]

I'm guessing:

Banking requires minting coins with speed and precision, which transitions into more general techniques in making replaceable parts.

Civil service allows for more professional armies, including men-at-arms on foot, which are presumably what macemen represent.

Or it's a representation of the taxman. You have an army of Axemen, and suddenly spot Maces. You'll fear running into them, almost as much as running into a taxman

 

[reddishrecue]

^^That looks a lot like a more advanced sewage systems through the use of copper and iron. Civil services did just that also. Sort of like an improved metal process but it isn't.

 

[Kallikrates]

Many of the things unlocked by certain techs do not make much sense. Except in the sense that it should not be too easy to beeline one tech for an uber-powerful unit.
The maceman is a fairly ridiculous unit anyway as that spiked ball on chain weapon was never really important. The only reason is to distinguish a medieval melee fighter from the older ones.

 

[reddishrecue]

Yeah thats why the maceman replaces both swordsmen and axemen while the crossbowmen is added in as an additional archery unit.

 

[Fractal Spiral]

Hmm I think it's always been fun how you can do multiple paths to some techs, to run your civilization differently like I.E. you can go for Guilds to get to Gunpowder or go for Education to get to Gunpowder. Or you can do Currency then Code of Laws or Priesthood then Code of Laws. It'd be kind of cool if you could unlock units with a few different techs too. Like what if you could get Maceman units at Civil Service or alternatively with Feudalism, I dunno just a rambling thought. Might be a little weird though if units could come out at different times.

 

[drkodos]

Sry, my games don't go that far.

Condolences.

 

[Lexicus]

Banking requires minting coins with speed and precision, which transitions into more general techniques in making replaceable parts.

In a word, no. Banking, in a loose-ish sense (institutions or individuals involved in the extension of credit) predates coinage by more than a thousand years.

Though, I think you're right about CS and maces. The way I think of it is that the units prior to maces are "primitive" or low-impact enough that they can forage for themselves, whereas fielding maces requires some provisions for logistics, which in turn requires some bureaucracy. It's a bit shaky, as bureaucracy predates alphabet and probably writing, too, but it works if you don't squint at it too hard.

Banking is required for Replaceable Parts because replaceable parts were historically developed to make production easier and faster, which is just what you'd expect when the emergence of modern banking systems, symbolized by the discovery of Banking, puts investors, who are looking to turn a profit, in charge of production.

Conceptually, we can see the Banking--> Replaceable Parts progression as an abstraction of the historical progression from proto-capitalism with all its novel financial instruments to the beginnings of the industrial revolution.