Advancing the Tech tree in C3C

[Berenice]

I usually pick Germany, because of the scientific advantage. I usually trade as much as possible to stay ahead of the curve technically, but many times find myself behind other civs that aren't scientific. Also, I usually put as much resources as possible to research, but still fall behind. This can be a big problem around Feudalism and Replaceable parts.

I try not to give in when I know I'm being swindled on a trade, but sometimes it doesn't seem like there's any choice. Don't trade and get left behind.

Any hints on how I can advance quicker on the tech tree?

 

[vmxa]

Not enough information. What is the level, what settings? One thing is to not pick Germany. It is what Mil/Sci? I am guessing you ar enot a true warmonger, so that trait is not getting you much other than cheap harbors.

Sci, not bad, but Commerce can do as well on most maps.

Falling behind suggest your empire is not large enough and or not manage to it fullest. That is the most common cause.

The way to research faster (other than get techs from AI) is increase your income and the ability to get boost for it (banks/markets). Same for beakers (libs/unis). If you have them where it makes sense (and not else where), then you have to reduce maint or increase income.

 

[Turner]

Also, the AI tends to research faster (or at least appear to) by trading with other civs. If four different AI research three different techs at the same time, they will all trade it around, and net three techs for four turns, as opposed to your one tech per four turns. The trick is getting into that trade deal and using it to your advantage.

I always try to cripple the AI economically. Once I get into the industrial age, I'll start selling techs to the AI as soon as I get them for gpt. The more gpt they give you, the more money you have for rushing/upgrading and research, and the less they have for research. Since the AI is giving you a lot of gold for the techs, they're basically fueling your research, and allowing you to get a tech every four turns and sell it to them.

With a resource like MapStat or CivAssist (links in my sig), it's easy to tell how much gold they have and what techs are available to trade. This helps in keeping them down in gold and tech later in the game.

 

[Berenice]

Thanks VMXA, the settings are all victory conditions except Great Wonder. I'm at the Monarch level and let AI pick the other 7 civs. Avg conditions for everything else.

Is being a true warmonger either being in a battle or planning for one all the time?

Can you explain a little more about the last part you wrote about having libs/unis and banks/markets in certain cities, and not in others. THX

 

[Berenice]

Thanks, Turner 727, I think I understand what you're getting at about getting into the AI's trade circle, so I try to get in often, especially after I'm done researching a new tech. From the very beginning I try to trade to stay ahead. Doesn't seem to always work and I fall behind, any help on that.

Why not start the selling of techs earlier than the industrial age and cripple them earlier? What's gpt?

THX

 

[Turner]

GPT is gold per turn. And usually I have to wait until the AI goes for Nationalism all at once in order to get ahead with Steam Power and Industrialization. If I can get ahead sooner, great. But usually by the time I'm ready to do my ToE - Hoover builds, I can start crippling them.

 

[killercane]

gpt=gold per turn. You can take their gpt earlier, say middle ages, but in industrial its most effective I believe bc they have a pretty set number of cities and income w/ markets and banks generating a lot more money than in the AA and MAs. This is also around the time their unit support hurts them more.

 

[vmxa]

Thanks VMXA, the settings are all victory conditions except Great Wonder. I'm at the Monarch level and let AI pick the other 7 civs. Avg conditions for everything else.

Is being a true warmonger either being in a battle or planning for one all the time?

Can you explain a little more about the last part you wrote about having libs/unis and banks/markets in certain cities, and not in others. THX

If a town make 6 gold and has no structure and no corruption it gets 6 gold and if the reserach is at 50% it makes 3 beakers, plain enough.

It you have a lib then you get 50% boost on those beakers and a uni does the same. If that town makes 1 beaker those structures are worthless and cost you money as you pay maint.

Banks and markets are the same, but for gold. Markets are special as they also give happiness boost for you lux.

So what I meant was some will go ahead and build all these structures without regard to weither they are making a profit. If you move that research slider up or down, it changes the value of libs/uni.

 

[Lord Parkin]

About Germany and falling behind - just thought I'd mention that the Scientific trait by itself really isn't very much of an advantage. You've actually got to be an active trader (and a devoted researcher) to maximise the benefits of being Scientific.

 

[Trev]

If you are serious about research, then do not waste time building banks, they do nothing on 100% science which is what I run just about all game, trading the tech I learn for gpt to fully fund my empire. On demigod I succeed with 100 % science, so you should be able to do it at lower levels, just make sure that you bypass some techs in your research that the AI's will rush for, you can get it later by trading them for it. For instance if you are successful in learning Atomic Theory first, you can successfully trade it for Nationalism, Communism, Fascism and Espionage with no problems and get lots of gpt as well. So bypass those others. Bypass nearly all optional techs, you can always trade for them later easily, including Military Tradition.

 

[budweiser]

Beware of making too many gpt deals with the same ai. If they over extend themselves finincially, then they will declare war on you to get out of dept and you could loose hundreds of gpt from multiple deals. This sucks because you will not only lose all that money, but they will just trun around and make new deals with another civ while you are locked out by the war.

 

[Turner]

That's why you sign MAs with the rest of the civs before your turn is over, and get them to dogpile the AI that cancelled on you. And with their rep being 'broken' (i don't really think that the AI cares if another AI breaks a deal - just my own guess) they'll at least have a harder time of making deals with the other AI.

 

[Bleser]

I'd suggest spending some time in the War Academy and read as many articles as you can. They are the #1 way to improve your Civ game. They explain much more than war tactics, like how not to focus on a Civ's traits to win, early expansion, understanding the AI's trading behavior, etc.

 

[Lord Parkin]

Beware of making too many gpt deals with the same ai. If they over extend themselves finincially, then they will declare war on you to get out of dept and you could loose hundreds of gpt from multiple deals. This sucks because you will not only lose all that money, but they will just trun around and make new deals with another civ while you are locked out by the war.

That's why I always make the AI pay in lump sums whenever possible.

 

[Turner]

I really do prefer to have the GPT deals, as this takes money from them every turn. Over extend them? Go ahead, I can usually handle war in the late game when I'm doing this.....

But the lump sums are nice, too.

 

[Lord Parkin]

The only bad thing about lump sums is that you get slightly less gold by about 1-2% - presumably that is to compensate for the fact that gold per turn deals are unreliable, whereas a lump sum payment can never be taken back by an AI. Personally, I think the 1-2% loss is worth the elimination of the risk of losing your money.

 

[Trev]

GPT deals are essential to cripple the AI's learning ability, if you go the 100% science route, you must take the risk of multiple gpt deals with as many ai players as possible, making sure that as 1 deal completes, another one begins by keeping track of the completion of all deals, and immediately negotiating a new deal, this prevents all deals between the AI's.