[GS] Gathering Storm Unique Infrastructure Elimination Thread

[BenitoChavez]

3. Australia - Outback Station [21]
8. Cree - Mekewap [7]
11. England - Royal Navy Dockyard [10] = 13 - 3. Harbors and their associated building got some nice buffs recently, so a cheaper harbor is inherently good from that alone and the RND bonuses are just icing on the cake. But all those bonuses are pretty mediocre and a mix of things that aren't really related. Sort of sums up England in general really.
14. Germany - Hansa [26]
15. Greece - Acropolis [37]
18. Inca - Terrace Farm [28]
20. Indonesia - Kampung [29]
24. Korea - Seowon [22]
26. Mali - Suguba [23]
27. Maori - Marae [25]
34. Persia - Pairidaeza [24]
35. Phoenicia - Cothon [24]
38. Russia - Lavra [31]
42. Sumeria - Ziggurat [10] = 9 + 1. True they don't scale (very much), but they are strong enough that I think they are still useful in the mid/late game. Early game they are pretty ridiculous. I think the best tile to build them on is floodplains to get the river bonus plus all that extra food to help your cities grow.

 

[Architect]

3. Australia - Outback Station [18] (21 - 3) Just time for this to go. Its good but not top 10 good IMO.
8. Cree - Mekewap [7]
11. England - Royal Navy Dockyard [10]
14. Germany - Hansa [26]
15. Greece - Acropolis [37]
18. Inca - Terrace Farm [28]
20. Indonesia - Kampung [29]
24. Korea - Seowon [22]
26. Mali - Suguba [23]
27. Maori - Marae [25]
34. Persia - Pairidaeza [24]
35. Phoenicia - Cothon [24]
38. Russia - Lavra [31]Z
42. Sumeria - Ziggurat [11] (10 + 1) Either the game is about early science or it isn't. Crazy to think petering out after you won is a bad thing.

 

[Icicle]

3. Australia - Outback Station [18]
8. Cree - Mekewap [7]
11. England - Royal Navy Dockyard [10]
14. Germany - Hansa [26]
15. Greece - Acropolis [37]
18. Inca - Terrace Farm [28]
20. Indonesia - Kampung [26] (29-3) Everything left is good so downvoting is hard, but these are very map dependent and growing huge seaside cities is a slower path to victory than most that is left will give you.
24. Korea - Seowon [22]
26. Mali - Suguba [23]
27. Maori - Marae [25]
34. Persia - Pairidaeza [24]
35. Phoenicia - Cothon [24]
38. Russia - Lavra [32] (31+1) It's just hard to get over how broken this is. Even the AI will have swarms of Great People they can't place.
42. Sumeria - Ziggurat [11]

 

[Weraptor]

3. Australia - Outback Station [18]
8. Cree - Mekewap [7]
11. England - Royal Navy Dockyard [10]
14. Germany - Hansa [26]
15. Greece - Acropolis [37]
18. Inca - Terrace Farm [28]
20. Indonesia - Kampung [26]
24. Korea - Seowon [22]
26. Mali - Suguba [23]
27. Maori - Marae [25]
34. Persia - Pairidaeza [24]
35. Phoenicia - Cothon [24]
38. Russia - Lavra [33] (32+1) With the recent changes, it is even more OP. Please nerf.
42. Sumeria - Ziggurat [8] (11-3) Pretty tough to actually use in bulk outside of domination games

 

[Civ Chemist]

3. Australia - Outback Station [15] (18-3): I don’t think this is a bad improvement and I love these things, but it does come fairly late for unique improvements that gives food and production. And between this is the Mekewap, I probably prefer the latter, since it comes so much earlier and gives a full point of housing.
8. Cree - Mekewap [7]
11. England - Royal Navy Dockyard [10]
14. Germany - Hansa [26]
15. Greece - Acropolis [37]
18. Inca - Terrace Farm [28]
20. Indonesia - Kampung [26]
24. Korea - Seowon [22]
26. Mali - Suguba [23]
27. Maori - Marae [25]
34. Persia - Pairidaeza [24]
35. Phoenicia - Cothon [24]
38. Russia - Lavra [33]
42. Sumeria - Ziggurat [9] (8+1): I think this is probably the best unique improvement in the game. The remaining improvements all give food, production, housing or gold. This helps getting better cities, that produce more districts to get more yields (mainly science and culture). And that is exactly what Ziggurats do. Sure, working these tiles you’ll lose out some production, but who cares, when you are already generating the yields you’ll want eventually. It is not only amazing in the early game to get to those key techs/civics faster but also in the late game. 2 science + 1-2 culture might not seem like a lot, but if you have 10 pop 10 cities, working these tiles, that alone is 100 science and 50-100 culture. And it synergizes so well with Sumeria, since you are probably going to take over at least 1 neighbor with your war-carts and can then conquer a 2nd one with knights. All those cities can then produce science and culture without even having to build any districts. And you can settle cities those flatland cities with no production without any problems, just spam ZIggurats and the city will have done its job.

 

[monstercat]

3. Australia - Outback Station [16] (15 + 1) The Mekewap has stronger bonuses because it is much less spammable and harder to place than than the Outback Station. Mekewap may come in earlier, but by around the Medieval/Renaissance the 2 are probably fairly even, however the Outback Station spam has some better late game yields than the Mekewap, and really impacts Australia's playstyle. This is better than quite a few still left.
8. Cree - Mekewap [7]
11. England - Royal Navy Dockyard [7] (10 - 3) I'm not downvoting the Mekewap as it still isn't the worst left here. This is. +1 Movement and some Great Admiral points are good, but not game changing or OP.
14. Germany - Hansa [26]
15. Greece - Acropolis [37]
18. Inca - Terrace Farm [28]
20. Indonesia - Kampung [26]
24. Korea - Seowon [22]
26. Mali - Suguba [23]
27. Maori - Marae [25]
34. Persia - Pairidaeza [24]
35. Phoenicia - Cothon [24]
38. Russia - Lavra [33]
42. Sumeria - Ziggurat [9]

 

[SammyKhalifa]

3. Australia - Outback Station [16]
8. Cree - Mekewap [7]
11. England - Royal Navy Dockyard [7]
14. Germany - Hansa [27] (26+1) I'm playing a germany game atm, and recency bias forces me to vote for this over the other awesome districts.
15. Greece - Acropolis [37]
18. Inca - Terrace Farm [28]
20. Indonesia - Kampung [26]
24. Korea - Seowon [22]
26. Mali - Suguba [23]
27. Maori - Marae [22] (25-3) Buildings inherently have more prerequisites to build than districts or improvements. Still like the building, but it's what I'm going with.
34. Persia - Pairidaeza [24]
35. Phoenicia - Cothon [24]
38. Russia - Lavra [33]
42. Sumeria - Ziggurat [9]

 

[enKage]

3. Australia - Outback Station [16]
8. Cree - Mekewap [8] 7+1 I don't know if it is an effect of endless Mekewap war here, but clearly not sincere judgment on power of this structure.
It comes crazy early, typically 2 or 3rd tech you take as Cree. From the very start it is better than mine (the same production, +housing, + possible food/gold. Mine gets added hammer on aprent., but mekewap get it too slightly after. The way map generator works, you are guaranteed to place some of them with a bonus from resources.
Placed on plain hill near 2 bonuses = 2 food, 3 hammer, 1 housing AT THE VERY IMPACTFUL BEGINING
on grass hill = 3 food, 2 hammers, 1 housing.
And possible gold.
All in the stage every hammer is priceless and growth is essential. First 50-100 defines if you win the game. And those yields are CRAZY at this stage and fairly consistent. Unavailable to noone else, who must put their hope on strong bonus tiles and map generator.
And somehow it loses with OS, TF, Kampung. Don't get me wrong, I am crazy in love with Kampung and Terrace farm, and if against any common sense mekewap don't get its second life as Seowon, I will hardly upvote the latter two.
BUT
Kampung vs Mekewap. Kampung is also very early, but benefits only from sea rosources and those resources must be IMPROVED. So a player is forced to spend more builder charge, and builder charges are extremely limited in ancient/classical era. Mekewap benefits from unimproved resources too, both land and sea. Kampung to be competitive with Mekewap in the very very early game, requires classical golden age for builder faihbuying, but it is hard on higher difficulties. Also mid and lategame give lower yields than Mekawap
Mekewap vs terrace. No added production except very limited freshwater case. And probably later you will more often replace farms than mekewaps with other improvements
Mekewap vs OS. Mekewap gets another production and housing boost before OS is even unlocked! OS has no impact on the very crucial period of the game.
11. England - Royal Navy Dockyard [7]
14. Germany - Hansa [27]
15. Greece - Acropolis [37]
18. Inca - Terrace Farm [28]
20. Indonesia - Kampung [26]
24. Korea - Seowon [22]
26. Mali - Suguba [23]
27. Maori - Marae [19] 22-9 The bonus Marae gets compensates its downsides. No culture / turism from great works of writing, no base culture, no great people generation, so it ends up with far less culture tourism, that it sounds. Still strong for culture victory, but stronger things are already eliminated, sincerely open-air has more impact on tourism and was killed fairly early.
34. Persia - Pairidaeza [24]
35. Phoenicia - Cothon [24]
38. Russia - Lavra [33]
42. Sumeria - Ziggurat [9]

EDIT
I changed colour, I have black skin, so had no idea it looks horrible on default Thanks @Loderingo

 

[Loderingo]

3. Australia - Outback Station [16]
8. Cree - Mekewap [8]
11. England - Royal Navy Dockyard [4] 7-3 - A half priced district is not to be sniffed at but apart from that is is pretty mediocre
14. Germany - Hansa [27]
15. Greece - Acropolis [37]
18. Inca - Terrace Farm [28]
20. Indonesia - Kampung [26]
24. Korea - Seowon [22]
26. Mali - Suguba [23]
27. Maori - Marae [19]
34. Persia - Pairidaeza [24]
35. Phoenicia - Cothon [25] - 24+1 This on the other hand is one of the strongest districts. Fun and very powerful on maps like seven seas.
38. Russia - Lavra [33]
42. Sumeria - Ziggurat [9]

By the way - EnKage please ditch the light green as very hard to read

 

[bengalryan9]

3. Australia - Outback Station [16]
8. Cree - Mekewap [8]
11. England - Royal Navy Dockyard [1] (4-3) I don't think I've ever actually voted against any English uniques before, but everything just feels so slapped together (are they still weak? patch in more bonuses!)and the RND is no exception. It's biggest draw is that it's a half price harbor, and that's all well and good, but the rest is pretty meh IMO.
14. Germany - Hansa [27]
15. Greece - Acropolis [37]
18. Inca - Terrace Farm [28]
20. Indonesia - Kampung [27] (26+1) Talk about making worthless tiles valuable...
24. Korea - Seowon [22]
26. Mali - Suguba [23]
27. Maori - Marae [19]
34. Persia - Pairidaeza [24]
35. Phoenicia - Cothon [25]
38. Russia - Lavra [33]
42. Sumeria - Ziggurat [9]

 

[Krajzen]

3. Australia - Outback Station [16]
8. Cree - Mekewap [8]
11. England - Royal Navy Dockyard [1-3=elimination]
14. Germany - Hansa [27]
15. Greece - Acropolis [37]
18. Inca - Terrace Farm [28]
20. Indonesia - Kampung [27]
24. Korea - Seowon [22]
26. Mali - Suguba [23]
27. Maori - Marae [19]
34. Persia - Pairidaeza [24+1=25]
35. Phoenicia - Cothon [25]
38. Russia - Lavra [33]
42. Sumeria - Ziggurat [9]

I am quite critical of England, for me it is a huge design mesa of a ton of small bonuses slapped together sticked with adhesive tape. And I cannot understand why on Earth this harbor got so high here. Yes I know it is half price but come on, Harbor due to its nature is a district built in much less cities than others (not just because of water but because you can build ships in coastal cities anyway). I also don't remember it receiving enthusiastic defence from anybody, just floating and surviving.

Paridaeza - available very early, decent base yield, a lot of possible creative combos, not too restrictive placement rules and appeal boost.

 

[Villus]

8. Cree - Mekewap [8]
14. Germany - Hansa [27]
15. Greece - Acropolis [37]
18. Inca - Terrace Farm [28]
20. Indonesia - Kampung [27]
24. Korea - Seowon [22-3 = 19]
26. Mali - Suguba [23]
27. Maori - Marae [19]
34. Persia - Pairidaeza [24+1=25]
35. Phoenicia - Cothon [25]
38. Russia - Lavra [33]
42. Sumeria - Ziggurat [9+1 = 10]

Seowon - with new campus adjecency there is more possible +3 placements of campuses thus devalving this district more plus the negative adjecency when placing other districts next to them.

Sumeria +2 science turn 12 is 100% more science than the turn before, really powerful.

 

[kryat]

8. Cree - Mekewap [8]
14. Germany - Hansa [27]
15. Greece - Acropolis [37]
18. Inca - Terrace Farm [28]
20. Indonesia - Kampung [27]
24. Korea - Seowon [16] (19-3) Anymore, I see many good places to put campuses. Between reefs, geothermal vents, and mountain chains, +4 just isn’t what it used to be. And it really limits city planning.
26. Mali - Suguba [24] (23+1) I like this because it’s challenging, yet rewarding if you survive. Rather suddenly, everything feels cheap. And, like the harbor, it’s nice getting something more than adjacency bonuses from building a district.
27. Maori - Marae [19]
34. Persia - Pairidaeza [25]
35. Phoenicia - Cothon [25]
38. Russia - Lavra [33]
42. Sumeria - Ziggurat [10]

 

[KayAU]

It's getting hard to downvote now...

3. Australia - Outback Station [13] (16 - 3) Good yields, very spammable, and fits well with Australia. Unfortunately, I think this is available a bit too late to have the kind of impact the other things on the list has.
8. Cree - Mekewap [8]
14. Germany - Hansa [27]
15. Greece - Acropolis [37]
18. Inca - Terrace Farm [28]
20. Indonesia - Kampung [27]
24. Korea - Seowon [16]
26. Mali - Suguba [24]
27. Maori - Marae [19]
34. Persia - Pairidaeza [25]
35. Phoenicia - Cothon [25]
38. Russia - Lavra [33]
42. Sumeria - Ziggurat [11] (10 + 1) This is a very strong boost for the very early game, which is when it matters the most. +2 science +1 culture in the classical era is a big deal. I don't care if it doesn't scale well into the late game, early advantage is just vastly more valuable.

I'm currently playing a Korea game, and would like to point out that despite the recent changes to the game, the Seowon is still an amazing district. It may seem like +4 is not that impressive for a Campus anymore, but it is when that is the average for all your Campuses. I can also not overstate the importance of having a half-price version of the most important district in the game, or of having a half price version of one of the earliest districts. In my mind, the Seowon is definitely top 3 material.

 

[The Highwayman]

3. Australia - Outback Station [13]
8. Cree - Mekewap [8]
14. Germany - Hansa [27]
15. Greece - Acropolis [37]
18. Inca - Terrace Farm [25] [28-3] Diminishing returns on food due to the inevitable housing cap lowers its value when compared to the competition at this point.
20. Indonesia - Kampung [27]
24. Korea - Seowon [16]
26. Mali - Suguba [24]
27. Maori - Marae [19]
34. Persia - Pairidaeza [26] [25+1] You don't have to wait for this to kick in late game (i.e. seaside resorts, national parks). Do yourself a favor and take Earth Goddess. This will pay dividends immediately. Oh, and it gives important early game yields.
35. Phoenicia - Cothon [25]
38. Russia - Lavra [33]
42. Sumeria - Ziggurat [11]

 

[Ziad]

3. Australia - Outback Station [13]
8. Cree - Mekewap [8]
14. Germany - Hansa [27]
15. Greece - Acropolis [37]
18. Inca - Terrace Farm [25]
20. Indonesia - Kampung [27]
24. Korea - Seowon [16]
26. Mali - Suguba [24]
27. Maori - Marae [16] (19 - 3) This is a fun building, and reddit generally agrees with the yield posts every other day, but it's still dependent on good terrain to actually flourish.
34. Persia - Pairidaeza [26]
35. Phoenicia - Cothon [26] (25 + 1) Harbors are arguably the strongest district right now, and the best cities I've had since the patch are coastal cities with a good balance of land terrain for districts. Half price is strong enough. I genuinely don't understand the argument of it coming online too late for settlers. It's like arguing that Colonization comes too late for other civilizations. The point is that you build settlers harder and faster than anyone else (not to mention they move faster) for almost no opportunity cost as guaranteed GAs give you more science than even Korea can muster. Ultimately you use the settler bonus in a cascade as you build settlers in satellite cities since they basically get the Ancestral Hall bonus by default. And you can keep expanding as other civs slow down.
38. Russia - Lavra [33]
42. Sumeria - Ziggurat [11]

 

[DogeEnricoDandolo]

3. Australia - Outback Station [10]=13-3 Not gonna lie I am never impressed with this improvement. Poor beginning yields and when yields start to scale up, it is too late in the game.
8. Cree - Mekewap [8]
14. Germany - Hansa [27]
15. Greece - Acropolis [37]
18. Inca - Terrace Farm [25]
20. Indonesia - Kampung [27]
24. Korea - Seowon [16]
26. Mali - Suguba [24]
27. Maori - Marae [16]
34. Persia - Pairidaeza [26]
35. Phoenicia - Cothon [27]=26+1 Really agree that Harbor is pretty much the strongest specialty district, and this is a super busted version of it.
38. Russia - Lavra [33]
42. Sumeria - Ziggurat [11]

 

[Datgingah]

3. Australia - Outback Station [10]
8. Cree - Mekewap [8]
14. Germany - Hansa [27]
15. Greece - Acropolis [37]
18. Inca - Terrace Farm [22] (25-3) Food is good early game but people often just treat these as amazing cause they see high tile yields, but after a city is max housing excess food isn't a useful yield.
20. Indonesia - Kampung [28] (27+1) Provides food on tiles as well, but the difference is on tiles you need less, and it also provides housing to make the food worth it.
24. Korea - Seowon [16]
26. Mali - Suguba [24]
27. Maori - Marae [16]
34. Persia - Pairidaeza [26]
35. Phoenicia - Cothon [27]
38. Russia - Lavra [33]
42. Sumeria - Ziggurat [11]

The Kampung can make an average or bad city good. A terrace farm can only really help make a good city better. One changes your gameplay a lot more then the other.

 

[aguliondew]

3. Australia - Outback Station [10]
8. Cree - Mekewap [9] 8+1 It should be one of the top 5 UI. It requires bonus resources instead of flatland and its more powerful than the outback station.
14. Germany - Hansa [27]
15. Greece - Acropolis [37]
18. Inca - Terrace Farm [22]
20. Indonesia - Kampung [28]
24. Korea - Seowon [16]
26. Mali - Suguba [24]
27. Maori - Marae [16]
34. Persia - Pairidaeza [26]
35. Phoenicia - Cothon [24] 27-3 Its getting hard to choose which thing to vote down. The settler bonus is nice but I tend to build my first districts after I get a settler. The bonus effects my expansion during mid game during the time I have no places to expand.
38. Russia - Lavra [33]
42. Sumeria - Ziggurat [11]

 

[NullNullError]

3. Australia - Outback Station [10]
8. Cree - Mekewap [9]
14. Germany - Hansa [27]
15. Greece - Acropolis [34] 37-3 Getting all the city states deservers a top 3 in placements. I just don't think it deservers rank 1 based up on the ai that you were friends with suddenly taking out your city state ally forcing you to declare war on an ally, generating huge amount of grievances. Leading you in the end to nuke the whole world.
18. Inca - Terrace Farm [22]
20. Indonesia - Kampung [28]
24. Korea - Seowon [16]
26. Mali - Suguba [24]
27. Maori - Marae [16]
34. Persia - Pairidaeza [26]
35. Phoenicia - Cothon [24]
38. Russia - Lavra [34]33+1 Getting so many writers that you are the only civ getting writer changes the whole culture game. Instead of having to fight against their museums full of great works you have hundreds of starving artists just outside doing nothing.
42. Sumeria - Ziggurat [11]