3 options to choose best use of my GS & GE

[Calder]

It appears my Secretary Of National Affairs has come unstuck on a important matter, which has not come at a good time with my Military Advisor screaming down my neck to go to war with Germany.
Playing as Greece, I've reached a point in the game where careful consideration is required for the best use of my GS and GE. I've attached my saved game, where you will see the city in question is Corinth, with its great research potential and Great Scientist farm. Both Great Scientist and Great Engineer are sitting in the city awaiting instructions.
Here are the options (there are other options for saving them for future wonders and techs, but I believe these are the 3 best options for taking an immediate advantage whilst keeping in mind future potentials.
(Remember I'm Philosophical).

OPTION 1. Great Engineer:- Rush Great Library
Great Scientist:- Build Academy
(next GP will be Scientist - use to pop my way to Liberalism)

OPTION 2. Great Engineer:- Rush Great Library
Great Scientist:- Pop Philososophy (change to Pacifism)
(next GP (quicker) will be Scientist - use to build Academy)

OPTION 3. Great Engineer:- Rush National Epic (forget Great Library)
Great Scientist:- Pop Philososophy (change to Pacifism)
(next GP (even quicker) will be Scientist - use to build Academy)

The other thing to note is that Athens is my Great Engineer farm which will enhance future options - rushing important late game wonders.
I'm nearing the end of my first phase (wiped out China (renamed cities to Greek names) and recover economy), and entering the second phase of expanding south through Italy (problem playing the Europe map is that the civilizations starting placements aren't too historically accurate). So I'll be declaring war on Germany soon. My strategy, as always with Greece, is to run an early Specialist Economy, until the cottages mature later in the game to help tech and fund my way to a domination victory.

Anyway I'm due to meet with my National Affairs Minister tomorrow to give him my preference of the 3 options. Not sure how my Military Advisor will react to changing to a Pacifist Government at this time! I'd be interested in hearing anyone elses input, or even different options.

 

[Galileo44]

Rush The Great Library in the GP farm.
Pop Philosophy (even more so if no one else has it yet)
2nd GS (faster due to GL) for academy probably in capital for synergy with bureaucracy.

 

[EEE_BOY]

i will choose option 2

 

[amaterasu]

Option 2 looks good to me, the GL will pick up research and more pop GS faster, and then philosophy will be a nice tech to trade around, will you get taoism from it pray tell? and what city will the holy city be?

AS said above, GL in GP farm, unless you have some mega science city then the lightbulb will be the better option in beaker terms for a long time.

 

[Calder]

That's my preferred option. I may however put academy in Corinth; with GL its synergy should be felt even greater (6 beakers each Scientist - running Representative), especially since if I'm changing to Pacifism and going to war at the same time, I may temporarily lose Bureaucracy to Vassalage (I'm the first to Maceman and probably soon with Trebs as well. (Never used Vassalage before) - as opposed to my usual Theocracy. Unfortunately I wont be first to Philosophy, but in this environment it'll be suicidal to convert out of Hinduism in favour of Taoism. Just ask Wang Kon, he's the only non Hindu in Europe and he's been getting bashed alot. It's just unfortunate I can't get National Epic up sooner, but I guess quality is better than quanity at the moment.

 

[futurehermit]

option 2. academy in GL city or simply use the GS on route to liberalism.

 

[cabert]

if it's 1045 AD already, I'm quite surprised the GL is still available.
If it is, yes rushing it is a good idea.

 

[facistal]

OPTION 2. Great Engineer:- Rush Great Library
Great Scientist:- Pop Philososophy (change to Pacifism)
(next GP (quicker) will be Scientist - use to build Academy)

 

[Wlauzon]

For me at least, Great Library is almost a no brainer, whether from building or from a GE.

The academy varies - depending on what I have. If I have a high beaker city already, then I go with that, otherwise I would go with the light bulb.

 

[Agent Cooper]

if it's 1045 AD already, I'm quite surprised the GL is still available.
If it is, yes rushing it is a good idea.

My thought exactly - no GL built in 1045 AD?

The GL, The Pentagon and The Three Gorges Dam are the only world wonders I pursue in pretty much every game I play, regardless of strategy or victory conditions. Most of the national wonders as well. Sometimes I chase The Great Wall, Stonhenge, The Oracle or/and Pyramids in the early game, but that depends of the overall situation and available resources.

I would take door no. 2 as well - Philosophy, Taoism and chasing Liberalism isn't that bad in exchange for a GS.

 

[Calder]

if it's 1045 AD already, I'm quite surprised the GL is still available.
If it is, yes rushing it is a good idea.

Yea I've been surprised by a few things in this game. One of them was getting the Pyramids via the Oracle-Metal Casting slingshot and using GE in 10AD which I've never achieved on Monarch level before. (The power of Philosophical). The Colossus and Hanging Gardens still haven't gone yet either. I think playing on the Europe map, if you're not settled in France/Germany/England, you're a bit more stiffled economically. I own both Germany and France and have never been this closely matched tech wise with the A1 at this stage of the game playing a non Financial leader.
By the way I've played my next turn, rushed GL and bulbed Philosophy. No one's willing to trade techs with me as I'm too advanced. Just by doing that, Engineering has come 5 turns closer. Now I'm still deciding whether to stay in Bureacracy or switch to vassalage, along with Pacifism. Switching now to vassalge will save me 1 turn of anarchy than later, and help with military upkeep, and I do like the extra experience for catapults and macemen. My capital now has fairly advanced villages, so the loss of Bureacracy shouldn't be felt too badly.

 

[Galileo44]

The loss of Bureaucracy will be worse if you have developed cottages in the capital as you are losing more beakers from switching away.

 

[Calder]

Just in case anyones interested, I've played up to 1342 today. I didn't bother with the Academy, nor changing to vassalage. Firstly I built up military and conquered Italy (Bismarck capitulated with one city left way out in Hungary which I left as fodder for the Barbarians), then I was first to Liberalism with the help of Scientist bulbing Education (Nationalism free tech). Rushed Taj Mahal for timely golden age with GE (another due in time for SOL). Upgraded to 20+ Knights from a Great Merchant trade. Great People are just coming out from everywhere! First time playing a Philosophical leader and I think I'm hooked! Heading now to Economics (GM-trade to upgrade knights to cavalry) then on to a fairly easy domination victory pre-Rifling. Can't wait to try Elizabeth next!