Intentionally slowing down the tech pace

[Xethorsiph]

I like playing as the ottomans, in particular because of the Sipahi. It's one of the most powerful UU's, and in most every game I play I gain my winning advantage by having a cavalry rush, and so having a suped up cavalry is perfect.

As a result, I've developed a strategy that extends the amount of time that the Siphai is the premier unit, and I'm wondering if anyone else has tried it.

Essentially, you are turning yourself into a bank. You go to each civ in the world and offer a massive amount of gold and figure out how much GPT they have at their disposal. You then find out how little gold they are willing to get for all of their gpt. If your rep is good, you almost always make a profit.

With all of their GPT gone, the enemy civs will either stay static and not gain any money (Infact, they will likely LOSE money over time) or they will readjust their science, freeing up more GPT. If you continuosly apply this method, the global tech pace is slowed to a snail's pace, and the Sipahi is top dog for decades. You also make a slight net gain in gold.

What'cha think?

 

[Spoonwood]

Interesting idea. But, that doesn't leave much cash for cash-rushing armies.

 

[timerover51]

I like playing as the ottomans, in particular because of the Sipahi. It's one of the most powerful UU's, and in most every game I play I gain my winning advantage by having a cavalry rush, and so having a suped up cavalry is perfect.

As a result, I've developed a strategy that extends the amount of time that the Siphai is the premier unit, and I'm wondering if anyone else has tried it.

Essentially, you are turning yourself into a bank. You go to each civ in the world and offer a massive amount of gold and figure out how much GPT they have at their disposal. You then find out how little gold they are willing to get for all of their gpt. If your rep is good, you almost always make a profit.

With all of their GPT gone, the enemy civs will either stay static and not gain any money (Infact, they will likely LOSE money over time) or they will readjust their science, freeing up more GPT. If you continuosly apply this method, the global tech pace is slowed to a snail's pace, and the Sipahi is top dog for decades. You also make a slight net gain in gold.

What'cha think?

If you are into editing, you can also change the research times in the editor, and make them as long as you can to slow down the rate of tech advancement.

 

[Theov]

If you are into editing, you can also change the research times in the editor, and make them as long as you can to slow down the rate of tech advancement.

or delete all the units that come after the Sipahi.

 

[splunge the 2nd]

The trouble comes when you war on the AI who still is paying you GPT and cancels on you.
I've heard players try to mess up the tech pace for the AI by milatary alliances. Get the AI to fight each other on a distant continent, possibly switching to a non-war weariness government will mess up their research spending while you easily fend off their single attackers they land on your shores.

 

[TheOverseer714]

I guess there are more ways to getting the tech slower than I realized. If you play things correctly, beelining to MT should give you at least 50 turns of Sipahi dominance before Rifles arrive. To extend that, attack enemies by how advanced they are, killing off the most advanced and wealthy tribes first. Also, foment wars between your primary rivals, nothing slows research like infighting. I use a strategy in some games where I stop research and just send in the Cavalry until I reach Domination. Usually I do that on a Pangaea, as invading overseas requires better boats than Galleys.