Celtic Faith: Great People or Military?

TheVillageGamer

Chieftain
Joined
Jan 25, 2016
Messages
6
I just made the step to Prince difficulty (actually, my first Civ V game was at Prince mode, but let's never discuss of this), and since this is the last level that doesn't grant the AI bonuses, I was like "what the hell, let's try Religion." And so I chose the Celts.
The early game worked as advertised- Pantheon at turn 10, Religion at turn 52. I got God of War, Holy Warriors, and got two Pictish Warriors on a field trip after two levels in Honor- you should see a pattern by now. Problem is, I did some mistakes in the mid-game. I did not really expand much - I have like two cities, way too few for a wide empire-, and yet, a flawed understanding of how Druidic Lore worms means that very few forests were cut- which also means my Population is subpar for a tall empire. I did complete the Piety tree, and got for my Reformation Belief... Religious Fervor. Before you start throwing stones at me, it was still early in the game, and therefore seemed like a good idea at the time. You see, I expected that a religious Civ would get me the insane faith needed to actually use it. However, low pop meant that my Science was also on a crash- with extensive use of espionage, I manage to barely limp just behind the rest of the civs. Also, Askia has been next to me, and after some hostilities, I got pissed off and decided to shytyermouth him with a weak invasion. It seemed pretty stupid at first - he was way ahead of me- but it actually worked out pretty well at the end; I stole a Worker, I pillages his lands, and then just circled around his city until he gave me GPT to leave him alone. All the while, Suleiman was that one Civ that seems to be better than all of the others everywhere in every Prince game I've played. He holds complete control of the Congress, is building Wonders like there's no tomorrow, and has puppetted two civs.
I have stopped the game for now, and while playing a much easier modded Prince game with Babylon (btw let me tell ya, the AI has not an idea of how to handle the Prehistoric Era; I am halfway through Modern Era, and the second best is Medieval because I let Ramses spy on me- and I'm pretty sure one civ is still stuck in the Ancient Era), I tried to compose a new strategy- and realised that my so far Epic failure was due in part because of me putting most of my effort in a religion that I did not really know what to do with. I mean yeah, I wanted it to build an army with it - but this no longer seems to be a feasible idea by itself. I am currently in the Modern Era (IIRC, my last tech is either Dynamite or Railroads) with the Autocracy Ideology, while most of the civs are about to step outnof it. So, how can I salvage the situation with my 6000+ Faith - recruit a swarm of Renaissance units and conquer one of Askias fertile cities, or litter my lands with Academies and Manufactories until I can progress at a respectable pace?
 
I almost always take tithe if it'snows available because it works out to a lot of money. Other than that the biggest thing religion does for me is boost happiness. It really helps if you're warring or playing wide. Some people can do great things (buying units or universities with faith) but personally I prefer other strategies. Shrines and temples cost a lot of hammers in the early game when hammers are precious.
 
Ohhh yeah, Jesuit Education. Yeah, that went over my head. it could help me a LOT. As would the extra happiness, in fact. Instead, I just got religion and wielded it lime a giant warhammer. Stupid from my part, I agree.
But though I appreciate general tips as much as the next person, I am mostly asking for ways to salvage a match already heading for endgame.
 
That's not a lot of cities. What turn is it and what size are your cities? If it's relatively early you still have plenty of time to salvage it on Prince, and maybe even if it's not that early.
 
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