Flexible strategies

[Ranbir]

Is it possible?

I'm getting the impression that decisions made in regards to research/gold/culture is a long term one where it is very difficult to re-adjust if circumstances change. Add to the social policies that seem more to push you into a particular brand rather than open them up for you.

One quick example is the total war policy. +33% attack bonus is great, but it means I'm best off attacking within the 20 time limit it activates. I can't utilise this policy when it best suits me, on my own terms. I'm rail-roaded by the timings of when I can use what.

 

[coe]

The way social policies and production is laid out, V is more about doing what ever win condition you are after from turn 1 and trying to emphasis victory conditions easily available for leader and spawning position.

Only way you get a bit of choice, is by going conquest / diplo / tech victory path and keeping your civ small until enough policies is unlocked and then making the choice. Earlier you make the choice, you have higher chances of winning.

With the techtree-like policies and penalties to police gain rate for large civs, I don't see how re-adjusting in V would be possible. If they at somepoint allow revolution and re-picking policies, situation changes completely.

 

[King Jason]

With the techtree-like policies and penalties to police gain rate for large civs, I don't see how re-adjusting in V would be possible. If they at somepoint allow revolution and re-picking policies, situation changes completely.

I disagree. The only Victory condition you'll lock yourself out of if you don't make the decision early is cultural, because it takes a lot of planning. Anything else and you can change at point in the game that would give you a reasonable amount of time to complete the objective, just like civ4.

Science just needs a competitive science rate and good production.

Diplo victory just needs... gold.

Domination can be won without a single military-based policy.

One quick example is the total war policy. +33% attack bonus is great, but it means I'm best off attacking within the 20 time limit it activates. I can't utilise this policy when it best suits me, on my own terms. I'm rail-roaded by the timings of when I can use what.

Why not? You can save policy purchases, which means you don't have to purchase Total War until you feel it will benefit you best. Like the moment you declare war on your enemy. When you unlock a policy purchase, you don't have to purchase a policy.

 

[J-man]

Yeah, the social policies are less flexible than the civics in civ 4.

 

[MasterDinadan]

I recommend saving your social policy purchases until later eras anyway.
The later era trees tend to be more useful anyway. If you buy policies as soon as you can afford them, then by the time you get to the later eras, you will be earning policies so slowly that you'll never get more than 1 or 2 from order/autocracy.