GL and research

[fth_kog]

Hi,

my first post here.

Ok, I'm playing on warlord and I have still some problems.
I usually get GL before currency, map making and monarchy- I use the philosophy trick to get as early as possible the Republic.
My question is : if I get GL what do you think is the best road for research?
In middle ages I usually get a 3 or 4 tech lead, but I'm still in doubt what should I do. Should I get Education and build as fast as possible universities or go the other way and get all other techs, till I get military tradition and after that research education?

 

[HellboundHeathcliff]

Head straight for military tradition and you may pick up a couple of the other techs before you have to go back and research toward education. You still need to do some trading to make sure at least 2 other civs are researching the techs you need.

 

[fth_kog]

Like in the last game I have researched military tradion and I went for education, but others civs still didn't have Literature, but they had other more advanced tech( like monarchy, map making). But I think they didn't have any middle ages techs.
I'm thinking like if it would be wise to get faster university and be even more ahead at the end of the game? What do you think are the must have techs to get before going for education?

 

[Doc Tsiolkovski]

On Warlord, the GLib is a huge waste of 400sp. With those 13 Horsemen/ Swordsmen, you could conquer 2 AI Civs.
That wonder only makes sense when you're stepping up to Monarch/Emperor, and on Sid. And even if you build it 'because you can' - don't let this structure dictate your strategy.
It is a bad habbit to use the GLib on the midlevels, btw. You wouldn't need it, but get used to it - so much you don't learn how to do without. But on Warlord, it is simply pointless. You won't get anything you couldn't simply trade for with Literature or Republic.
Win as fast as possible? How? By military? On Pangea up to Regent, all you need is MilTrad. I'd even ignore Monotheism and Chivalry. Go straight Eng-Feud-Inv-GP-Chem-Met-MilTrad. 7 MA techs, that's it.
Don't bother building artillery or defenders EVER. Turn off research at that point, and rush even more Cavs. For that approach, I even admit Monarchy is the better Gov.

Situation is different if you need ships. In that case, I'd do completely the opposite - ignore the bottom techs. Go straight to Astronomy, build some universities. Then, if Caravels do it (which should be the case, since you don't need immune 3 unit armies below ~Demigod), head to Navigation and prebuild Magellan's.
On water maps, the AI won't have many contacts (if at all...) on those levels. So, you will still reach MilTrad first when you research the lower branch after that. But since you can trade for Luxuries now, and do more research, I'd always use Republic here.

Unless you really need Knights (you got attacked), skip that tech. It's optional, and nothing but a delay. You can easily kill nearby AIs with MDI.

Oh, and of course: This entire approach (to outresearch the AI until you reach far superior weapons like Cavs vs Spears/Pikes) won't work at all on ~Emperor and above.
Not a problem for you; the game should be fun, so play whatever level you like. But, if you ever move up to a level where the AI has the tech lead - don't even try that strategy. Nothing is worse than the AI having Cavs before you...and you tried the same path, but just reached Chemistry and have no Saltpetre.
On the higher levels, you should preferably get the research/commerce techs ASAP. Your time comes with Infantry and Artillery.

 

[fth_kog]

Doc Tsiolkovski great reply, thanks.
I played some games without building a single wonder and victory over the AI
was faster.
Last game that I played I was trying to achive a cultural victory, but still I didn't manage to win it that way(I won by spaceship 2 turns before 2050). I was on an island with Mayans and after like 50 years they AI atacked me. I was Babylon and Mayans didn't have space to expand, so I was the only possible target. At the end I was short like 1k ponts to win with culture(I was going for one city cultural win). So after conquering the Mayans I stopped expanding and give it a try with science or culture with some luck.
I was thinking of moving a level up, but I'm still learning how to trade techs with civs. I have read all the articles about that, but I'm still delaying the transition for a moment.