best early wonder (deity)

[Leowind]

Tough choice. I alway build a SSC, so I voted for Colossus, but have played only a few games at Deity and have seen the real value of Hanging Gardens. I would have voted for both if allowed.

 

[geofelt]

HG. You can start a dozen cities without immediate unhappiness. You get extra republic trade and science early. In time, HG is essential to we-love growth without needing courthouses.

 

[Takeo]

on deity it has to be HG to deal with all the unhappiness!!

 

[Terrapin]

I used to like the library. I was a fool. I was enlightened by the people on this site. HG all the way!

 

[atawa]

Why isnt LH on this list?

After you get trade you can make a tech a turn just from caravan delivery.

Plus traderoutes are a much more economical form of keeping unhappyness low then happyness wonders.

(And you dont need to detour to mono on your way to fundi)

 

[Ace]

I voted for HG, but I will build either HG or Colossus, whichever is available first. (its usually Colossus because I like to put phalanx in my cities for defense (I usually play at Diety in MGE)).

GW and GL are worthless. The GW is a security blanket that goes away just when you need it the most, and the GL not only slows your research of important advances, it uses up resources better used elsewhere. Besides, if your using trade properly, you are in the tech lead and won't get much from the GL anyway. And Trade gives you MP, which lets you deal with all the civs in the game, thereby acting a broker for advances and improving your standing with the AI civs. LH is only important on a largely water world (and is not a high priority with the AI, so it can be build when nothing more important is required). You can usually pick up the Oracle on the way to Monotheism and mike's chapel. That leaves the pyramids, which the AI values because of its food imperative. So that makes the pyramids a good diversion to keep the AI busy while you go after HG and Col. I used to favor pyramids (in fact, in the earlier poll, I did vote for pyramids) But once I realized the power of growing cities with WLTL days, pyramids lost their attraction.

 

[Marlos]

Gotta be HG on diety level. Generally, I favor Pyramids and Colossus on other levels, but on diety...

I do agree with Ace ("GW and GL are worthless"), but on lower levels I like to keep them out of the AI's hands.

I can't remember building Oracle on purpose, ever (see 'List of Human Stupidities' thread). In fact, I will discover Theology earlier than I need to (the AI generally disregards it) so that I can pre-build wonders using the obsoleted Oracle.

 

[NorvilleB]

I go for Col to as the foundation of my SSC. Mikes Chapel can eventually help with happiness - but for me there's no substitute for Col. (I do try for both though)

 

[woke26]

I would go lighthouse first, even in deity 1x1x. but because it is not on the options, i chose HG.

Tip: if you make a poll, always leave one choice open like "other"

 

[funxus]

woke26, what's this 'deity 1x1x'? What does 1x1x mean?

 

[sir_schwick]

I know everybody will criticize me for this, but Oracle seems to make a lot more since, in terms of happiness than HG. Here's my logic. Oracle DOUBLES the effectiveness of temples, and temples make two unhappy citizens content after the discovery of Mysticism. So that makes your temples make FOUR unhappy citizens content. This means that cities could grow to size 5(you need to check my math, its been awhile since i played on Diety) before needing martial law. Of course some drawbacks are the investment of temples. And yes, you have to generate the happy citizens for WLTKDays somehow else. But I don't see anybody supporting a very powerful expansion-tool.

 

[Smash]

1x1 is a MP term used alot.It just means 1 x production and 1x moves.In mp you have the option of playing at double production and double moves (2x2)

There isn't a more powerful expansion tool than the Hanging Gardens!

I'm not an Oracle guy but I have seen it work.And work very well.The main reason I generally ignore is from MP experiences where Theology is high priority.In most MP games,The Oracle would be obsolete before it was even built.But the AI has little or no interest in Theology and so it can work well in solo play.

I tryed lowering the cost to 200 sheilds and bumping back obsoletion until Commie in the hope the AI would benefit.Didn't work out well though.Oh sure,AI would build it but they wouldn't build temples to go with it

 

[sir_schwick]

You make a very good point. I completely forgot about Theology cause the AI and I avoid it in SP. I don't have MGE so I can't play multi-player. I also see what you mean about expansion. The extra happy citizen makes a difference when using Republic-boom strategies. I'm going to try building HG early next time.
That does sound like the usual AI stupidity, such as sending ARtillery type units without escourts and building Colosuss in a city surrounded by forests and no ocean.

 

[woke26]

in the german league, we have a different strategy. we play lots of island maps. in addition, the sea wonders dominate the game, like lighthouse and magelans. good players dont go for mikes or bach, but for lighthouse and magelans right away and then to steamengine or magnetism. Oracle and hg are the happy wonders in the sea path, so oracle is actually a VERY powerfull wonder in our game league. theology will be discovered after magnetism or steamengine, and if you dont, you lose the naval combat.