Panth
Prince
What is the point of hoarding? Well, I guess it depends on what you're planning to do and whether or not you can afford to hoard.
If you're shooting for a space victory then I'd definately say it pays to keep as much to yourself as possible, at least once you hit the modern age.
Personally, I haven't really mastered the military aspects of the game yet so every time I play, the only way I can seem to win is be becoming the world's tech broker. Now, from the first turn of the game, I start off at 80% science, and as soon as I make contact, I start selling techs. Every time I can afford to bump the science rate up, I do, and generally spend a good part of the game at 100% science. The only way to keep this going though is to keep selling off techs so I can keep up that rate. Still, though, I'm usually at least a tech or two ahead of everybody else. I tried holding out on everybody for a bit but couldn't afford to keep my funding up without the money coming in from tech sales.
I'd also say it depends on the map style quite a bit. A couple games ago I played on a continental map. I was on one continent with two other civs doing my tech brokering for a few millenia and by the time we (I actually) found the larger continent across the sea we were an entire age ahead of them. I made serious bank off of that whole continent while still keeping them far enough behind me to make them no threat.
I suppose hoarding would work to keep yourself ahead of the others if you can manage it. I just haven't figured out how yet.
If you're shooting for a space victory then I'd definately say it pays to keep as much to yourself as possible, at least once you hit the modern age.
Personally, I haven't really mastered the military aspects of the game yet so every time I play, the only way I can seem to win is be becoming the world's tech broker. Now, from the first turn of the game, I start off at 80% science, and as soon as I make contact, I start selling techs. Every time I can afford to bump the science rate up, I do, and generally spend a good part of the game at 100% science. The only way to keep this going though is to keep selling off techs so I can keep up that rate. Still, though, I'm usually at least a tech or two ahead of everybody else. I tried holding out on everybody for a bit but couldn't afford to keep my funding up without the money coming in from tech sales.
I'd also say it depends on the map style quite a bit. A couple games ago I played on a continental map. I was on one continent with two other civs doing my tech brokering for a few millenia and by the time we (I actually) found the larger continent across the sea we were an entire age ahead of them. I made serious bank off of that whole continent while still keeping them far enough behind me to make them no threat.
I suppose hoarding would work to keep yourself ahead of the others if you can manage it. I just haven't figured out how yet.
@ comment on invincible spearmen.
