How soon do you go for Monarchy?

[stwils]

How soon do you go for Monarchy? Do you wait until your main city is a certain size? Or do other factors influence you?

Then how long do you stay in Monarchy? (What are the downsides and upsides of staying in Monarchy?)

And how do you best plan the revolution that goes before you get Monarchy?

stwils

 

[void]

I'm fond of Monarchy. When I used to play a lot of Civ (10+ years ago) I would stay in Monarchy for most of the game. These days I like to switch it up a bit sooner. Obviously the upsides include being able to keep your military units out there in the field, while the downside is less trade, etc.

The revolution.. well I just suffer through it. Maybe switch some of my workers to entertainers temporarily...

 

[trada]

Would you switch to communism as soon as you got it?

 

[void]

Nah, too much corruption in the capitol.

 

[Alex Johnson]

I don't switch to Monarchy. I use Communism and I do it as soon as I finish the Pyramids. Then I make sure I never research Communism because it is a dead end that cancels a great Wonder.

I've only done Monarchy twice and I did very poorly in those games.

 

[stwils]

So Alex, you stay in Despotism until you can switch to Communism? Nothing in between?

stwils

 

[Osvaldo Manso]

I usually switch to Monarchy after I've created the maximum number of cities I can found in my home continent, preferably 5 to 7 cities. This usually happens around 1500-500 BC.
However, the important thing is to switch to Republic or Democracy before 1 AD. If you don't do this and stick with Despotism, Monarchy or Communism, you get a penalty in your research activity. Since I like to play peaceful games (at least until it is possible), it is vital to my strategy to switch early on to one of the representative types of government.
Does anybody has this sort of strategy?

 

[Alex Johnson]

Yes, I only play Despotism or Despotism->Communism. I've done Monarchy twice and gave up when it was obvious I couldn't beat the computer (Prince, 3 civs ganged up on me). I did Republic/Democracy once, but that was after I had beaten the game and was trying to get largest population in the challenge. It was helpful, but I like fighting wars and those two are very unforgiving to warmongers.

 

[nock371]

I use communism if I want to wage war and not worrying about trade...
But I havent used pyramids to get communism, might try that. But I will research communism as i think you need that for Labor Union to get Mech Infantry...

 

[Grand Dad]

Ah well soon as I get Monarchy I switch over to it and stick to it...never use Communism. And I have played with it successfully...there are ways of decreasing corruption Never like Democracy...too restricted

 

[Maraxus]

Funny, my answer would be: "Round about never".
In the beginning, I'm going straight for Democracy (if needed, maybe stop at Republic, but then again, if you really want Democracy early, two Anarchies almost don't pay off).
I also tryed Communism, but never ever Monarchy.

 

[Osvaldo Manso]

In the beginning, I'm going straight for Democracy (if needed, maybe stop at Republic, but then again, if you really want Democracy early, two Anarchies almost don't pay off).

And how do you do that? Do you build the pyramids as early as possible or do you carefully select the shortest path through the tech tree to reach the Democracy advance? And what about the consequences of changing from despotism directly to democracy - can you handle it?

 

[Maraxus]

And how do you do that? Do you build the pyramids as early as possible or do you carefully select the shortest path through the tech tree to reach the Democracy advance? And what about the consequences of changing from despotism directly to democracy - can you handle it?

No, the shortest path. *check*
You need Philosophy, Literacy, Mysticism, Code of Laws, Writing, Ceremonial Burial, Alphabet.

So basicly, going over Republic only needs the additional research of Republic, while staight democray needs 3 techs (Philosophy, Mysticism, Ceremonial Burial) in addition to Democracy. However, if you are really deticated into massive expansion from the start on and design your cities for maximum economy (use rives and roads), 3 techs is not much even in the very beginning. So, basicly with directly Despotism->Democracy, you get democracy 1 tech earlier and have to go through 1 anarchy less, but you have to stay despot for 3 techs longer.

Direct democracy should not pay of. But there is a slight chance: You are really researching fast and you expend so fast, that the anti-corruption effect from democracy is really useful, as soon as possible. Then, maybe, don't make the stop for the Republic.

But what do you mean with "the consequences of changing from despotism directly to democracy" is this any more complicated then changing from anything to anything else? Okay, I should not have any military units out somewhere, but the tactic aims for maximum expansion and minimal military anyway. Probably one or two Diplomats near a border is the only "military" I can affort at this expansion speed.

 

[nock371]

Yes Diplomats at the border are handy, untill you build the Woman's Suffrage Wonder...

 

[Irish Caesar]

I generally go for pyramids and democracy right away. I like having the extra trade and no corruption; I tend to start relatively peaceful early on and then rush into various wars.

Monarchy...is just not that useful.

 

[Osvaldo Manso]

But what do you mean with "the consequences of changing from despotism directly to democracy" is this any more complicated then changing from anything to anything else? Okay, I should not have any military units out somewhere, but the tactic aims for maximum expansion and minimal military anyway. Probably one or two Diplomats near a border is the only "military" I can affort at this expansion speed.

Yes, I was specifically referring to military units. Do you stick to democracy for the rest of the game or sometimes you need to change to a different type of government in order to engage in wars?

Normally, I like to upgrade from despotism to monarchy and then to republic (just before 1 AD). I rarely choose communism and only use democracy after building the women's suffrage wonder of the world.

Have you considered building the pyramids? By possessing this wonder of the world you save research time on techs like monarchy, republic, communism and democracy (in the modern era, however, democracy is useful for the recycling center improvement and maybe communism to get the mechanized infantry unit) and you also inhibit the effects of anarchy when changing government types.

I always try to build the pyramids before any other wonder except if I'm on a really small island - in this case, I choose the lighthouse to boost my naval capacity.