Best early game economic tech

[yavoon]

wondered what ppl thought of as the best early game tech to buoy ur economic situation. I left out pottery and writing, because 1) only an idiot wouldn't get pottery and 2)writing is just so necessary for so many different techs that its not practical to not get it. I also left out civil service on the theory that it'd win by a lot, and unless u have a CS opening strat it takes longer than all these other techs.

obviously there are situations, so if u want u can talk about more situational things.

I tend to think its:
1)monarchy - nothing like jamming happy units into my capital.
2)alphabet - lets u demand techs for peace(huge on epic/marathon) and lets u trade some too(can be huge)
3)currency - markets are nice, expensive though. really attractive if u have 2 of fur/ivory/silk, because it becomes a big happy bonus then.
4)code of laws - courthouses are nice, also expensive and u need em in the places that have the hardest time making em(newly captured cities). much better if ur organized...

 

[DigitalBoy]

If you're going to be really aggressive (which I always am early game), then Code of Laws is the best.

If you're more peaceful and don't have 10 cities piling up your maintenance costs, then I guess Currency. +1 trade route per city combined with marketplaces can help to pull in some cash.

EDIT: Hey, if you have enough plantation resources, then I would consider Calender a valid "economy" tech.

 

[yavoon]

If you're going to be really aggressive (which I always am early game), then Code of Laws is the best.

If you're more peaceful and don't have 10 cities piling up your maintenance costs, then I guess Currency. +1 trade route per city combined with marketplaces can help to pull in some cash.

EDIT: Hey, if you have enough plantation resources, then I would consider Calender a valid "economy" tech.

I'm ultra aggressive and I dont think code of laws is that great. even if the new city maintenance is 6(reasonably high) thats still only 3 gpt u gain from 120 hammers. I can make one catapult, stick him in my capital and work an extra village(or hamlet if financial) and get that 3, plus maybe a lil more from library.

 

[Palantir30]

Metal Casting.

Extra production from your Forge to help build everything else, and if you're Mali, +10% gold thrown in for good measure.

 

[DigitalBoy]

I'm ultra aggressive and I dont think code of laws is that great. even if the new city maintenance is 6(reasonably high) thats still only 3 gpt u gain from 120 hammers. I can make one catapult, stick him in my capital and work an extra village(or hamlet if financial) and get that 3, plus maybe a lil more from library.

Working extra tiles in your big cities is good also (I assume you're refering to Monarchy), but this requires growth and also assumes there's a spare village/hamlet to work, which I kind of doubt early game.

 

[yavoon]

Working extra tiles in your big cities is good also (I assume you're refering to Monarchy), but this requires growth and also assumes there's a spare village/hamlet to work, which I kind of doubt early game.

I work hard to make sure there is

 

[dh_epic]

I'm surprised people put more emphasis on Code of Laws. Maybe I need to rethink my strategies.

 

[bitplayer]

I picked coad of laws because I try and grab as much territory as I can so it helps me with money problems. Also its where I typically found my only religion.

 

[CIVPhilzilla]

Getting Alphabet early is great, because you have a monopoly on tech trading and can get the upperhand early.

 

[Gorman Truart]

Getting Alphabet early is great, because you have a monopoly on tech trading and can get the upperhand early.

I used to think so, but on harder levels I find hardly anyone willing to make a reasonable tech trade with me until about mid/late classical

 

[Koelle]

If you play with 17 other civs, you dont need anyone making reasonable tech trade with you, just trade with as many as possible. Indeed, i get 2/3 of my techs through trading

 

[josephstalin]

Currency, unless you play with a lot of opponents.

 

[Ribannah]

Monarchy, if happiness resources are scarce.
It really depends on the situation.

 

[flytyer]

I would have to go with CoL b/c I am an expansionist and it really helps to cut costs in my cities. It is one of the first techs I go for after bronze working.

 

[juggerxnaut]

code of law,then go straight to civilservice by a prophet with masonry unavailable

 

[McRoos]

In the early game I think its fishing and bronze working.
The first allows you to grow much faster and gain more research from water tiles.
The second allows you chop and that can bring you many extra's like free units or wonders.

 

[lebowski]

Whatever gets me the Oracle built so that my "free" discovery will be metal casting.

 

[BenniusCaesar]

I'm surprised only 1 in 5 says Alphabet. With Alphabet you can then trade for all the others.

Use Oracle to get Code of Laws