Advice Requested: What next after finishing a Mathematics rush?

[Stalker0]

So a build I've been using for a while that I like with calendar (non-forest) focused starts.

1) Get Trapping (having even 1 archer early can really help deal with barbs)
2) Pottery
3) Focus techs to get calendar.
4) Finish tree up to get Mathematics (normally I can get to the tech as my culture is close to finishing and go for Hanging Gardens)

I feel like this path gives me a good base, I get a wonder I like, my monopoly up, and I have cbows for defense. But I've been struggling to work on what the best next step is. Ultimately it seems critical that I get to either Chivalry, Physics, or Steel sooner rather than later....because the AI loves to get to these techs and declare war. So what path do you general think is the best to go from here?

 

[CrazyG]

Go high, get writign for libraries and scrivener's office. Try to get Oracle or Parthenon (usually if I'm tradition)

or

Go low, get masonry for arenas and watermills. Try to get Great Wall (you seem worried about defense), or maybe Colossus. I usually enter medieval era through either steel or education.

 

[Stalker0]

Go high, get writign for libraries and scrivener's office. Try to get Oracle or Parthenon (usually if I'm tradition)

or

Go low, get masonry for arenas and watermills. Try to get Great Wall (you seem worried about defense), or maybe Colossus. I usually enter medieval era through either steel or education.

So I've generally tried high but I can never get Oracle or Parthenon with my build, I figured I've hit the middle of the tree too long and so always lose it to AIs focusing on the top part off the bat. Any tricks you use to actually pull it off if you go mathematics first?

 

[CrazyG]

On Deity I never hit the Parthenon, unless I get somewhat lucky, but Oracle is quite buildable. Most of the time you need to research it very quickly, not stopping for other techs (like bronze working). CS quests that give science are excellent and really help mathematics/education rushes.

My default next tech after mathematics would just be masonry.The watermill and the arena are just very good buildings. The Great Wall is another great wonder that is along this path. Usually I do get at least 1 classical era wonder (the ancient era wonders are much riskier).

 

[Coffee Monopoly]

I rarely try for Parthenon anymore, only when I'm Progress and safe enough to skip Mathematics. If you want to get it after Mathematics, you need really strong early science.

I would say however that Mathematics is NOT a must-have. Sometimes I go extremity-heavy and legitimately get Mathematics as my LAST early Classical tech. Defending or even attacking with spears and/or swordies isn't bad. Mathematics is the worst tech of the era for pure infrastructure.

Just for overall infrastructure development, I fully agree with CrazyG. The Masonry buildings are amazing and usually very high in my build order. If you don't have a specific goal to rush, or aren't so far behind on science that you need Writing, just get Masonry without a second thought.