However, I missed out on winning the lib race by 1 turn. So I spent an extra 15 turns researching Nationalism, and 4 turns researching Music. Spending a third GS on Edu would probably have lead to a lib win (I lost in AD 150), saving research time, getting more dosh/techs in trade etc. So whilst it may not be the most efficient approach, it may be the more secure approach for people struggling to get a win?
BTW. I notice in some of the previous posts, that many people are using their first GS for an early Academy. In the last couple of games I have stopped doing that, prefering the first GS to lightbulb philosophy (for Toaism) instead. I´m not sure if it is possible to do this with the second GS. This seems to be working quite well for me (but that might be because I am getting my first GS too late for it to be fully effective as an Academy).
Great Scientist number and utilization - Settling Early Artists Analysis:
We want the maximum number of Great Artists possible, so that means as few other types of Great People as possible, thus minimum Great Scientists possible. Another consideration is early Great Artists should be settled in the Commerce City with the highest base Culture. A Great Artist's 12 Cpt will be multiplied by Free Speech (+100%), ideally four Cathedrals (+4*50%) and Hermitage (+100%). This means +300% (4 x 12 = 48 Cpt) between Liberalism and Hermitage and +400% (5 x 12 = 60 Cpt) after Hermitage. For BTS, we will build The Sistine Chapel, so these numbers jump to 4 x 14 = 56 Cpt and 5 x 14 = 70 Cpt respectively. Also, the settled GAs bring in 3 Gpt and that will help to keep Research prior to Liberalism at 100% and Culture after Liberalism at 100%, so even if the accumulated Culture is somewhat less than 4000, settling the GA may still be a significant net gain. Assuming a settled GA generates an average of 50 Gpt after an early Liberalism (turn 115 AD 0001), we can expect 85 turns times 50 Cpt or 85 * 50 = 4250 Culture by an expected finish date of AD 1400 (turn 200). If all Cathedrals in the main Commerce City (generally the Capital) are built by turn 115 (AD 0001) and Hermitage is started on the same turn (completed in 12 more turns), the average settled GA Culture rate may be as high as 68 Cpt, so total Culture _after_ Liberalism could be 85 * 68 = 5780. Counting the Culture the settled GA accumulated prior to Liberalism, its total Culture could easily exceed 6000. Thus two settled GAs can produce about the same Culture as three bombed GAs. So I'd advise settling Great Artists at least through turn 115 (AD 0001) and maybe slightly longer with a break even cut off date of turn 200 - (4000 / 68) = 200 - 59 = 141 (AD 0620). (You can adjust your GA settling cut off date by subtracting or adding the no. of turns you expect to win before or after the benchmark date of turn 200, AD 1400.) If you think you are settling a GA too late, remember the 3 Gpt "free" bonus and you will feel better about settling a Great Artist close to this cut off date.
Now that we know how valuable early _settled_ Great Artists can be, we can evaluate the number of Great Scientists to use to get to Liberalism.
Great Scientist number and utilization ...
0 Great Scientists:
It will be extremely difficult to get to Liberalism without at least one Great Scientist. An Oracle Civil Service slingshot (or Education slingshot
) may be part of the plan, plus dilution of the Great Prophet GPPs with Great Artist GPPs making the generation of a Great Prophet in the secondary GP Farm unlikely. With an early Civil Service slingshot there is a good chance of completing Liberalism first. (This is speculation on my part; perhaps someone who executed a Civil Service slingshot in this gauntlet can comment.)
1 Great Scientist builds Academy in Capital:
After Writing, build a Library and hire 2 Scientists until a Great Scientist is generated and build an Academy in the Capital. This could reasonable occur as early as turn 55 (turn 26 Writing + 12 turns building Library + 17 turns of 2 Scientists). Perfect execution of this strategy will almost certainly complete Liberalism first. (Building the Library in 12t would require 9H; 2H could be from the capital's Plain Hill building site; the other 6H could be from two Gems/Gold/Silver/Regular mines. The Library could be built faster via maximum Hammer overflow from the previous build, for example a Granary.)
Since the Academy's usefulness drops with the switch from 100% Research to 100% Culture when Liberalism is completed around turn 115 (AD 0001), the Academy must be built very early or not at all. To get 50 turns effective use of the Academy, it must be completed by turn 65 (BC 1400).
Someone needs to analyze how many turns the Academy needs to be used to equal the value of bulbing Philosophy or Bulbing part of Education. Is 50 turns of 50% base Research in the Capital worth more than either of these bulbs in total Beakers generated?
2 Great Scientists:
The first GS builds Academy as detailed above and second GS bulbs either Philosophy or part of Education. Bulbing Philosophy is preferred, since that will found the associated Religion far earlier that any AI might complete Philosophy. Barring minor mistakes, this strategy will almost certainly complete Liberalism first.
3 Great Scientists:
The first GS builds Academy as detailed above and second GS bulbs Philosophy and the third GS bulbs part of Education. Barring major mistakes, this strategy will almost certainly complete Liberalism first.
Sun Tzu Wu
Hurrah! I finally got a win; albeit in 1775. It may not win any prizes, but I´m feeling pretty ecstatic (if not a little relieved)
![[party]](/images/smilies/partytime.gif "Party [party]")
I guess it depends on which AI you play... 
produced by the Academy. It does not become useless when you crank the Culture slider because it produces 4 (doubled to 8 later) base 
each (assuming you are running Representation...is there any other Government Civic to run?). The Academy will give a boost to 
- 1530 AD. My research was slow... didn't even try Oracle, never built an academy (my 1st 3-4 GP's were artists). I was first to music, but then was beaten to Lib by a mile.
