Early Tech Goals on Deity?

[biohazard72]

What are your immediate tech goals? Quick beeline for horsemen or happiness techs first?

I imagine the worst case scenario is you have Calendar luxes (2 techs not on the path to horses) or Marble (ditto). Even worse if you need to clear forests (mining) or jungle (bronze working) to get at them. Best case scenario you have Silver or Gold and pop Mining from a ruins. Ivory would be a decent lux, as Trapping is quite close to the horseman path as well.

So in the case of Calendar luxes/Marble, would it be better to go for horsemen first and try to get happiness from a city state or something? The "wasted" time getting happiness techs seems killer.

 

[omglazers]

Early expansion: Happiness techs. Mining, calendar, sailing.

Early war: Depends on the strat. Husbandry just so I can scope out where the horses will be, since horses are kind of the 'go to' resource now.

 

[eviltypeguy]

It really depends on if you're aiming for early war to exploit the AI's stupidity, or if you're in it for a long-haul battle or some other form of victory.

If you're out for early war, then the "three or four horsemen of the apocalypse" should be your immediate goal.

If you shoot for horseback riding right away, and as soon as you have 3 companion calvary or 4 horsemen, you can usually take out the AI very early, especially if you're playing on Epic or Marathon (1620BC w/ Alexander for me on Deity) difficulty on a continents of great plains map.

From what I can tell, you'll want to ramp up your military early on Deity; otherwise, even if you don't go for an early war, as soon as the AI has built a few wonders and unity, it will be offended that you're so "puny" and do you the favor of ending your miserable existence. (I learned this the hard way with Gandhi many times.)