A couple questions

[crdvis16]

I have a couple questions that I would be interested in hearing people's thoughts on.

First, my typical mode of play is to think out a strategy for the civ I am going to use next and then try to execute that strategy as best I can. This means that I typically know exactly what policy trees I will pursue (maybe I am undecided on ideology depending on the state of the game) and what victory condition I plan on. I might even have a religion roughly picked out and wonders I will go after. It's sort of like a scientific hypothesis->test type of thing.

However, there are some civs whose flexibility might be one of their strong suites so it would make sense for my strategy for them to be more open, as much as I like to pre-plan.

I think in general most other people seem to play civ with more flexibility and less pre-planning, so my first question is:

1) At what point do you typically make a decision on what victory condition to pursue. Do you need to decide about a diplomatic victory by the time you're opening your Renaissance policy tree (since Statecraft would seem to be pretty crucial there), for instance? What pivot points or deadlines do you have for the other victory conditions, if any?

Next, my MO for units is to typically pay the gold to upgrade them. I have a hard time justifying deleting units that I invested production into and then having to spend more production to build a new unit. I think most others will fairly regularly disband poorly promoted units rather than pay the gold to upgrade, saving that gold for rush-building infrastructure perhaps.

If I think about it, there is probably a rule one could make about when it makes sense to upgrade vs disband/rebuild. You can calculate the hammers you save by upgrading via gold vs. using that gold to rush build. You'd have to put a gold or production value on promotions, though- the new unit you produce would potentially have more or fewer promotions than the existing unit. In any event:

2) How do you typically decide when to upgrade via gold vs disband/rebuild military units? How much value do you place on the promotions you will gain/lose if you choose to upgrade or re-build?

 

[Bhawb]

1) At what point do you typically make a decision on what victory condition to pursue. Do you need to decide about a diplomatic victory by the time you're opening your Renaissance policy tree (since Statecraft would seem to be pretty crucial there), for instance? What pivot points or deadlines do you have for the other victory conditions, if any?

Depends on the game and what I'm playing. I'll make the decision by Medieval usually because by then you've got a good handle on who else is in the game and the general flow of the game. Plus, the Medieval trees are still fairly workable if you really need to pivot later.

2) How do you typically decide when to upgrade via gold vs disband/rebuild military units? How much value do you place on the promotions you will gain/lose if you choose to upgrade or re-build?

I very rarely disband units to rebuild them. Production > gold, and I'm pretty sure the gold to production conversion for investing in cities never reaches a point where it is efficient to disband/rebuild.

 

[tu_79]

At what point do you typically make a decision on what victory condition to pursue.

After I've met every civ in the game, and watched their strategies. Between first and second WC session. Then I'll know if I have to fight someone or I can keep going on my own, and which VC is more likely.

If I think about it, there is probably a rule one could make about when it makes sense to upgrade vs disband/rebuild.

How do you typically decide when to upgrade via gold vs disband/rebuild military units? How much value do you place on the promotions you will gain/lose if you choose to upgrade or re-build?

If it has same promotions as what a new unit would have, then disband any two eras old unit, and replace it with another more modern unit.

 

[CrazyG]

Some civs pretty much have their win condition pre-determined (like Arabia and tourism).

Otherwise, If I take statecraft, its a diplomatic win (but tourism can happen too).
If I take artistry, its a tourism win.
If I take fealty, its flexible. You can just see what direction the world is going (tourism or diplomacy). You can win diplomacy without statecraft, spreading your religion is a great source of votes.

I generally don't aim for a domination victory, I just conquer people until one of the other victories happens or I get bored. When I go for science I usually win by tourism before I finish the tech tree.

I like to upgrade units with gold. Its cheaper to build a warrior and upgrade to spearman, compared to just building/buying a spearman. I don't disband very often, but I do sometimes gift to city states. I don't think every single unit needs to be highly promoted, sometimes you just need a body to put somewhere. I also lose units occasionally, its nice to have a loser unit to sacrifice to pillage a key road or help get across a bridge or something.

 

[crdvis16]

Thanks for the insight everyone!

 

[Favorius]

If a unit has 2 promotions less than freshly built unit and it is not needed (a war is not expected soon), it gets donated to an allied city state or one that asks for units.