Forced early GA=Always annoying?

[EHRMARU]

When you play certain Civs, you are almost forced to get a despotic GA. Let's take the Zulu for example or the Maya, they get this pretty usefull early UUs. Problem is once you used them to fight, or defend in Zulus case, they trigger the GA. It has gotten to the point where I will avoid using Civ with early UUs.

What to do with this type of Civs? How can I take advantage of this early despotic GA? UUs should not trigger GA only wonders should.

 

[Jaybe]

Or Rome (my fav) ... So WHAT if your GA is less than it would be under another government!
You still get it, you probably are getting it due to EARLY conquest (which is much more powerful than LATER conquest), and 1-shield/gold tiles are still giving you 2 shield/gold.

Bottom line -- your annoyance is depriving you of missed experiences.

 

[Zardnaar]

Also as you go up higher in difficulty level an early GA often becomes better and better. Imagine 20-30 Immortal or Legionaires while still in the BCs. Just don't waste your GA. Also just because you have an early UU doesn't mean you have to use it. I sometimes hold my GA of until the middle ages.

 

[bigchief]

I used to think the same way, but I have learned that an early GA can be just as powerful as a late one. Sure you don't get near as much extra shields and commerce at the time, but being able to get a good jump early has a cumulative effect that lasts for the rest of the game. If you use it wisely, and build either build up you military so that you are ready to take out a couple of neighbors when it is over, or you use it to build up your infastructure (temples, librarys, aqueducts, marketplaces, courthouses) you will have shaved many turns off of your game, and will be in a much better position to research and expand, or go to war. If you just continue building spear - settler - spear - settler, you won't get the advantage, and it will be a wasted GA.

 

[Halcyon]

Originally posted by EHRMARU
UUs should not trigger GA only wonders should.

Funnily enough, I've modded my game such that only UUs trigger golden ages, and wonders don't.

Regardless, that early golden age may feel a waste, but using it to kill your neighbours is not. Establish yourself, ignore culture and crank out those Immortals/Legionaries/Gallics/Mounted Warriors until there's noone left. Use the Mayan javelin thrower to hunt barbarians - free workers are never bad, and you can get hordes of them this way.

 

[EHRMARU]

Thanks for the tips guys! I guess I'll continue my Maya game.

 

[starrider]

Funnily enough, I've modded my game such that only UUs trigger golden ages, and wonders don't.

Regardless, that early golden age may feel a waste, but using it to kill your neighbours is not. Establish yourself, ignore culture and crank out those Immortals/Legionaries/Gallics/Mounted Warriors until there's noone left. Use the Mayan javelin thrower to hunt barbarians - free workers are never bad, and you can get hordes of them this way.

I've noticed on higher levels an early GA is the only way to get certain ancient wonders built. I got one as the Bizantines (Collossus + Mosuleum) and used it to get out the Great Lighthouse and pump out settlers and Dromons from all my other cities.