COTM 16 Pre-game Discussion

[Hannabir]

Well, the extra trade on river and water tiles is lost, but yes, an early Golden Age could be something to aim for.

 

[Paul#42]

No bonus grasslands near capital => nothing lost by a golden age in despotism?

If you just have your capital running then GA will be definitely lost (unless you play OCC).

By the time you want to trigger your GA you should have some more towns and some BGs, too.

it will be the great challenge to use your UU early without risking an early GA. Same challenge I failed in another recent Gotm...

 

[AdHHH]

Grrr... I hate being Zulu. Have edited my message, apologies.

 

[GOTM-AI]

Haven't seen a post from GOTM-AI lately. I bet he/they/it could just come out and tell us where the cows are

Feeble human Jove,
indeed we know the entire world map.
We will not give away our secrets.

This one thing we can tell for sure to all human players: we will settle in place; we will mine the wheat. Our scout will follow a random exploration path.

 

[Hannabir]

If you just have your capital running then GA will be definitely lost

A common mistake. The GA - as so many other things - is about gaining turns, not about the total amount of extra shields/trade/food DURING the GA.
An early GA will gain those for you not just during, but also in all those turns AFTER the GA.
So, timing the Golden Age should be about when you can gain the most turns from it. In this month's game, a good time would be when the capital is building a Granary. If you can complete the Granary say 8 turns earlier thanks to the GA, you will leap turns ahead for the entire game (not quite 8, among other things because your Workers don't go faster during the GA, but still).
Another good time, still early, would be to use the GA to get to The Republic or Monarchy that many turns sooner.

By the time you want to trigger your GA you should have some more towns and some BGs, too.

On the contrary, BG's don't matter at all if the GA is under despotism.

 

[Paul#42]

A common mistake. The GA - as so many other things - is about gaining turns, not about the total amount of extra shields/trade/food DURING the GA.
An early GA will gain those for you not just during, but also in all those turns AFTER the GA.
So, timing the Golden Age should be about when you can gain the most turns from it. In this month's game, a good time would be when the capital is building a Granary. If you can complete the Granary say 8 turns earlier thanks to the GA, you will leap turns ahead for the entire game (not quite 8, among other things because your Workers don't go faster during the GA, but still).
Another good time, still early, would be to use the GA to get to The Republic or Monarchy that many turns sooner.

On the contrary, BG's don't matter at all if the GA is under despotism.

I had thought of that, too, but unless you got a crappy start without river and BGs you are losing a lot of commerce and shields in despotism. So the benefit even measured in spared turns is lowered.

Otoh if you have the opportunity to hit a weak rival early (or struggle to survive) some accelerated swords can work wonders as well so there may be times where a despotic GA is appropriate. Speeding up expansion could also be a good reason.

So basically you are right, one should not so easily discard the thought of having an early GA.

 

[Hannabir]

I had thought of that, too, but unless you got a crappy start without river and BGs you are losing a lot of commerce and shields in despotism. So the benefit even measured in spared turns is lowered.

Unless you prepare for it, by only roading the BG's.

 

[El Hippie]

The first post d'El Hippie ...

A little late for the discussion but then the Sex Pistols were right. Never Trust a Hippie

So ... Initial gameplan : work the wheat, send scout to the setting sun, head for the trees, then settle. Continue until either everyone loves me, everyone's dead or El Hippie collapses in ignominious defeat.

Who knows I might even finish a game for once. Weeeell ya know, there's a first time for everyting.