Despotism to Democracy

[Czarrillo]

This happened to me in a recent game. I was the Germans and had just concluded my war under Despotism in the early middle ages. Just as I was about to switch to Republic, I built Leonado's Workshop and enter my golden age. So instead of wasting my golden age in anarchy I decided to wait it out, and then switch. I ended up switching to Democracy when I was out of my golden age.

I'm wondering if anyone does this switch on a regular basis, or does everyone go through Republic or Monarchy?

 

[Bamspeedy]

Woah, why wait that long to get out of despot? You must love the whip. A golden age in despot is nearly a complete waste because of the tile penalty. Roaded tiles on rivers (commerce), mined bonus grassland (shields) will see no effect in a golden age when in despot. Plus you are already losing out on extra food, shield, and commerce from many bonus resources. And corruption in despot is terrible. I'd be out of despot well before Invention. Go to Monarchy if you are a warmonger.

 

[sabo]

Yeah you don't want to spend your GA in Despotism

 

[farting bob]

i did it with egypt cause of the pyamids. i hate it, you gain less than a normal democracy does without a GA. i normally go to monachy as soon as possible.

 

[Syiss]

I almost did that in my current game. I was rushing to try to get wonders through the whole game up until now, and only recently did I switch to Republic even though Democracy is only 2 techs away. Thankfully none of the wonders I've got so far have triggered my GA so I'll get it in Republic or Democracy.

 

[Yndy]

What I do in 90% of my games is go from despot to republic and remain there. But i'm not a warmonger.

 

[Darkness]

I usually try to get out of despotism as soon as possible because of the tile penalty. However, a GA in despotism can be useful in certain situations, like when you need just that little bit of extra production to get a key wonder (Lighthouse on archipelago map).

 

[Shabbaman]

Bamspeedy said it all. About the best golden age is with a knight UU (samurai, rider and so on) so you can benefit of the increased production to build either some nice wonders (the workshop for example) and/or lotsa knights.

But don't do it in despotism. I like to get to republic asap, then stay there and finish the game before the modern era.

 

[dojoboy]

I recommend leaving despotism ASAP and move to a more productive form of government. I understand not wanting to revolt when a key wonder is near completion; however, I wouldn't avoid a revolution (to overthrow a despot) because of a GA. You've got to figure 4 - 6 turns of anarchy, w/ 14 - 16 turns of a GA under republic or democracy, is still a better deal.

 

[Cantankerous]

Czarrillo,

Are you saying that you spent your entire Middle Ages era while in despotism?

That's A LOT of wasted shields, food, gold, and production.

You would have been MUCH better off switching to Monarchy as soon as you could.

Leave despotism behind as soon as you obsolutely possibly can!