How to approach India and its religion

[Chandler]

So I'm playing a game as India in Warlord difficulty (not an expert here), Marathon, Pangaea, Turn 320, Tall Tradition with seven cities including the Capital, and I've reached the point of picking a policy of another tree.

Should I go with Piety or with Aesthetics? Piety may be better for wide empires, and I want to play tall, though with India I feel as if I am kind of wasting its religious UA if I don't try to get the most out of it. On the other hand, Aesthetics works better with tall empires, and India can grow really tall.

Also, I'm not sure about follower and enhancer beliefs. I picked Mastery as the first Follower belief (with God-King as Pantheon and Way of Transcendence as Founder) without any doubt, but now I don't know if I should go with Cathedrals (and its uber farms with India) or Mandirs (with strong focus on GP). Both of them are still free. Which one would be the best? Or maybe none of them?

And I've seen many people saying Ritual fits perfectly for India, but I don't see why. I mean, of course its better to spread the religion to cities that are more far away, and get even more religious pressure in your own cities. But why would you pick this one, if you don't get any benefit from that spread to foreign cities?

Thanks!

 

[CrazyG]

Why not both? Something I like as India is actually to take 3 from Aesthetics (the opener, refinement, and national treasure)and 3 from Piety (the opener, organized religion, and iconography) . The culture of Aesthsetics mean you get your later social policies ideologies really quickly. Universal healthcare in particular is very powerful for India. This works best if to the glory of god is your reformation belief.

Otherwise I see it as a choice between gold/production (pick Piety) and culture (Pick Aesthetics). Which do you think will be more important? For 7 cities I would lean towards Piety.

Cathedrals is very good. If you don't get it try to build Notre Dame. I would recommend it as your priority. Cooperation is also very strong if its available. For enhancer I personally like sainthood, though ritual has merit.

Hopes this helps

 

[tu_79]

If you want to complete trees, then Aesthetics if you control fewer than 7 cities, Statecraft if you have 4-5 city states at hand, piety otherwise.