Commerce Disucssion: Achieving the Philo Gambit

[Octavian X]

Research on Writing will be complete in 16 turns. We are, of course, researching writing as a part of an early goal set by the Research and Technology Consul - to be the first nation to research Philosophy, and thus recieve a new tech.

At the moment, we are 16 turns away from completing research on writing. We started research on this tech at the mininmal 50-turn rate, which has set our science slider at 10% since the beginning of the game.

In order to pull through with the Philo gambit, I believe some changes to the current slider and trading policy will be in order.

One, we will have to research Philosophy at half, or even max, science.

Two, we will have to refrain from trading away Writing technology for the majority of the time we are researching Philo, so that it would be impossible for the AI to pursue that tech for the time being.

As far as I know, there are the only two steps we can take to help guarentee our sucess. There will be, though, one major consequence. Our gold supplies will dwindle as we increase research into Philosophy. This surplus, provided by our minimal research on writing, has allowed to keep an aggressive tech purchase policy. We obviously won't be able to keep that up during the time that is spent researching philosophy.

So, does this plan sound good? Is there something I've missed? Please, comment!

 

[Provolution]

Honorable Director Octavian

Please go ahead with the maxing of science.

 

[YNCS]

From my experience with the Chinese in my own games, I suspect strongly that they'll be demanding something from us real soon. Since we won't have any techs that they can grab from us, they'll want gold. If we increase science spending in place of income, then we'll have less gold for the Chinese to extort, resulting in a lower loss for us and smaller gain for them.

Increase the science slider to at least 50%.

 

[DaveShack]

I would support the highest setting possible once we complete writing, even to the point of substantial negative GPT.

 

[mad-bax]

I'm pretty relaxed about this. It's reasonable straightforward to count the turns between us learning writing and the first AI learning writing. Once we know the gap, we know the extent of the problem. Spending a heap of gold in case something might happen is probably not optimal.

 

[YNCS]

So you prefer hoarding the gold to give to the Chinese?

 

[DaveShack]

I'm pretty relaxed about this. It's reasonable straightforward to count the turns between us learning writing and the first AI learning writing. Once we know the gap, we know the extent of the problem. Spending a heap of gold in case something might happen is probably not optimal.

If you're saying we should run at max but be prepared to stop if it becomes apparent someone will beat us, then I agree.

 

[Bertie]

Although I hate to enrich the Chinese (and I agree they'll demand something from us sooner rather than later), I'd prefer not to increase science spending ifwe think we can get it first without doing so. If we think we can realistically get it first only by running max research, I don't have a problem with that.

 

[Octavian X]

If you're saying we should run at max but be prepared to stop if it becomes apparent someone will beat us, then I agree.

That's just about the sentiment I was aiming at.

 

[Stuck_as_a_Mac]

Please do increase the slider rate. We can win this gambit; I have faith in it. Put science to as high as it will go and dont trade writing around. Heck, increase science now. Reduce the amount of time for writing so we get to Philo quicker.

SaaM

 

[DaveShack]

Please do increase the slider rate. We can win this gambit; I have faith in it. Put science to as high as it will go and dont trade writing around. Heck, increase science now. Reduce the amount of time for writing so we get to Philo quicker.

SaaM

After so much time on minimum, nothing we can do will shorten the time to Writing. Someone else getting it first might shorten it, but we don't want that.

 

[Gregski]

Go with increased science. I think a small negative GPT at this stage is more than acceptable. We can get ahead in science then profit from the trades.

 

[mad-bax]

We need cash for upgrades. Obsessing over a single tech and sacrificing our only hope of early expansion to achieve it is not my preferred option. Lets' see if we can get writing first, turn off research and pointy stick techs until we change government and can afford to self research.

We need to be on a war footing now. We need IW and HBR and cash IMO.

 

[RegentMan]

Indeed... you all wanted it, thus you better put science to the maximum to achieve it.

 

[Bertie]

I agree we need to spend our cash hoard and cash flow on upgrades. War is coming faster than most of us anticipated, and we need to adjust our strategy slightly. I think we can get philosophy even if we initially set a slow rate of research, although it depends on how quickly we can conquer India. Once we conquer and pacify India our income will be greatly increased and we can then spend it on research.

 

[Bill_in_PDX]

Well we have new information now, and iron nearby. Given our position, I think we need to horde cash for upgrades. If the dutch expand out of control, we will soon find ourselves in deep doo doo if we do not acquire more living space.

 

[DaveShack]

The Byzantines got writing one turn ahead of us. This is not necessarily a disaster but we need experienced emperor+ level analysis of whether we can still get Philo first.

 

[Provolution]

you guys need to turboprop Philo, or you can forget it. Taking Philogambit on the cheap is not always a very good idea. I am deity level myself so I know you need to do stuff like this wholehearted.

 

[mad-bax]

I am playtesting the next COTM at the moment. It is REGENT level and I was beaten to the Republic slingshot by 1 turn. This entails researching CoL before Phil. I researched CoL in 30 turns and Phil in 10. Writing was on 50 turn min.

With 11 opponents on the map I think our chances of getting to phil first on min research are somewhere between zero and none. If we can research Phil in 15 turns or so then I give us a 60% chance of making it. Doing this will take all our gold. We will not be able to upgrade more than 2 or 3 warriors and we could lose the game. It is that serious IMO.

We are doing the Philo gambit for what reason exactly? To get a tech?
So we risk the entire game for 1 tech do we?

Nuff said.

 

[RegentMan]

We are doing the Philo gambit for what reason exactly? To get a tech?
So we risk the entire game for 1 tech do we?

Which is what I have been saying ever since Term I elections. We better research philosophy at maximum. Screw gold. Most wanted the free tech; prepare to face the consequences. Instead of an early war, we now are in a neck to neck race for this one tech.