Korea

[Enrico Swagolo]

I really want to like Korea, I mean the design is something I feel is just right but no matter how I play as them I feel under-whelmed.
It must be at least a dozen starts now on different maps with different policy choices and pantheon/religion options and no matter what I do I can never build the Great Library, someone ALWAYS beats me to it.

Does anyone have a sure fire way to get the GL built before anyone else? Why I'm obsessing over it is because as a 'science-based' civ I WANT ALL the science buildings/wonders I can.
By the time seowons are built I've caught up to, or surpassed, everyone else but I would still like that little extra from the GL.

Other civs (at higher difficulties) have lower requirements for almost everything, like SoPols, building costs etc. In some cases it's going to be impossible to build certain wonders no matter what you do.

Rushing Writing won't help if you don't have enough Culture to get the GL but at least you'd get +1C from the Great Diplomat building thingy and another +2Science from working him.

Get Tradition of course, work the Cultural Artist as he comes, try to get a wonder/pantheon with +Culture or something, like the +3Faith +C and something for every pantheon belief. If Wheat heavy start, get God of the Sun and work those farms for insane culture, same with God of the Hunt and camp-able stuff

Enjoy out-eraing everyone even more than you usually do (if you manage to get that GL, but you'll probably do it even if you don't get the GL anyway). I don't know how you can find the arguably strongest civ in the game underwhelming tho.

 

[ExpiredReign]

Thanks, yeah "underwhelming" is not what I wanted to say, probably because I get upset when I miss the GL I blame the Civ. Korea is actually a great civ, one of only a handful I regularly play.

So your strategy is to really work the culture side of things to ensure the policy unlocks of the Wonders? Hmm... interesting.

 

[mavol6]

i think korea should be more lategame science power. Like napoleon turns into a culture/conquest beast during the middle ages, so why not korea? it makes sense historically.

so we have babylon with the early game science bonuses civ, it would be better to have a lategame science civ for variety.

that with the power they have already, ive seen lots of people saying that korea is a top civ, just like it was on vanilla. so lets make them less op by giving them a late start but maybe a bit stronger?, like the ua starts being useful at the middle ages and with their ub being available.

just my thoughts

 

[Takagi Hiro]

i think korea should be more lategame science power. Like napoleon turns into a culture/conquest beast during the middle ages, so why not korea? it makes sense historically.

so we have babylon with the early game science bonuses civ, it would be better to have a lategame science civ for variety.

that with the power they have already, ive seen lots of people saying that korea is a top civ, just like it was on vanilla. so lets make them less op by giving them a late start but maybe a bit stronger?, like the ua starts being useful at the middle ages and with their ub being available.

just my thoughts

Agreed with this, actually. When you think about it, both Korea and Babylon do pretty much the same thing. Both favor a more "tall" strategy, working specialists and working academies while keeping their science rate low with fewer cities. While it's not totally bad that they're similar, they would both be a lot more unique if there was a stronger separation between the two.

 

[ExpiredReign]

Well what do you know! Started another game and this time took the advice to focus on culture and what happens:
Stonehenge, Pyramids, Statue of Zeus, Colossus, Great Wall, Great Lighthouse, Oracle, Angkor Wat, Alhambra, Notre Dame and ... Great Library!
Hooray, finally. Seems I was just too slow to adapt to the new Wonder-policy adjustment.
Now I'm popping out Great Scientists regularly and leading the science race comfortably. The only thing I'm concerned with is went "tall" and only have a few really good cities whereas my neighbours, though very friendly, have a lot of cities and armies.
I will have to rectify this downfall in my strategy to avoid being conquered.

Thanks @Enrico, excellent advice.

 

[Gazebo]

Agreed with this, actually. When you think about it, both Korea and Babylon do pretty much the same thing. Both favor a more "tall" strategy, working specialists and working academies while keeping their science rate low with fewer cities. While it's not totally bad that they're similar, they would both be a lot more unique if there was a stronger separation between the two.

Well what do you know! Started another game and this time took the advice to focus on culture and what happens:
Stonehenge, Pyramids, Statue of Zeus, Colossus, Great Wall, Great Lighthouse, Oracle, Angkor Wat, Alhambra, Notre Dame and ... Great Library!
Hooray, finally. Seems I was just too slow to adapt to the new Wonder-policy adjustment.
Now I'm popping out Great Scientists regularly and leading the science race comfortably. The only thing I'm concerned with is went "tall" and only have a few really good cities whereas my neighbours, though very friendly, have a lot of cities and armies.
I will have to rectify this downfall in my strategy to avoid being conquered.

Thanks @Enrico, excellent advice.

I'd say that this turn of events highlights their differences. Korea can maintain science superiority and/or parity while also being a culture powerhouse. Babylon pretty much has to work scientists non-stop.

G

 

[ExpiredReign]

Postscript to this attempt.

I had my @$$ handed to me by Byzantium. That two-timing cow was my long-time friend and ally right up to the point she declared war, wiped out my economy, decimated my army and took my cities.

Summary: I suck at playing Korea whilst trying to get as much culture as needed to get early wonders. Play wide and go 'Progress' and I'm fine, miss the wonders but eventually rule.
Go 'Tradition' and your quest for culture will mean you are lapsing behind in important areas like territory and military.

I will try again as Korea, just not right away.
Poland sounds interesting, they have a really good UA!

 

[Gothic_Empire]

I'd say that this turn of events highlights their differences. Korea can maintain science superiority and/or parity while also being a culture powerhouse. Babylon pretty much has to work scientists non-stop.

G

Babylon can also have a TERRIFYING level of infrastructure that Korea never could, which I think makes up for this.

 

[Gazebo]

Babylon can also have a TERRIFYING level of infrastructure that Korea never could, which I think makes up for this.

Definitely. The 15% investment element is really really potent.

G

 

[Strigvir]

Definitely. The 15% investment element is really really potent.

G

Does it stack with related Industry policy? 80% for buildings and 45% for wonders are hella speed boosts if it does.

 

[Gothic_Empire]

Does it stack with related Industry policy? 80% for buildings and 45% for wonders are hella speed boosts if it does.

I think so, yes,

 

[Takagi Hiro]

Postscript to this attempt.

I had my @$$ handed to me by Byzantium. That two-timing cow was my long-time friend and ally right up to the point she declared war, wiped out my economy, decimated my army and took my cities.

Summary: I suck at playing Korea whilst trying to get as much culture as needed to get early wonders. Play wide and go 'Progress' and I'm fine, miss the wonders but eventually rule.
Go 'Tradition' and your quest for culture will mean you are lapsing behind in important areas like territory and military.

I will try again as Korea, just not right away.
Poland sounds interesting, they have a really good UA!

You did build quite a few wonders. Can you really blame her for wanting them?

Never build in excess; build only if you can protect.

 

[Funak]

Does it stack with related Industry policy? 80% for buildings and 45% for wonders are hella speed boosts if it does.

I don't think the UA affects wonders, but I might be wrong on that account.

 

[Gazebo]

I don't think the UA affects wonders, but I might be wrong on that account.

It affects all investment types.

G

 

[Funak]

It affects all investment types.

In that case you should probably change the text of the UA, considering it says.

"Investing Gold in Buildings reduces their Production cost by an additional 15%"

Wonders are definitely not buildings.

 

[Gazebo]

In that case you should probably change the text of the UA, considering it says.

"Investing Gold in Buildings reduces their Production cost by an additional 15%"

Wonders are definitely not buildings.

Wonders aren't buildings?! That's news to me (and the DLL).

G

 

[Funak]

Wonders aren't buildings?! That's news to me (and the DLL).

Wonders are definitely not buildings according to Windmills and the Progress %production policy.

By that I mean that the bonus does not affect wonders, and it never has. And it is worded the exact same was %Production towards buildings.

 

[Gazebo]

Wonders are definitely not buildings according to Windmills and the Progress %production policy.

By that I mean that the bonus does not affect wonders, and it never has. And it is worded the exact same was %Production towards buildings.

Oh I know. I'm just being contrary.

In any case, considering tweaking Korea's UA just a bit:

"Every time you complete a policy branch, all specialists gain +1 Science." Scales a little better, gives Korea a culture-edge, and encourages a smaller/taller empire. Also shifts the specialist science load back an era or two.

G

 

[Enrico Swagolo]

Oh I know. I'm just being contrary.

In any case, considering tweaking Korea's UA just a bit:

"Every time you complete a policy branch, all specialists gain +1 Science." Scales a little better, gives Korea a culture-edge, and encourages a smaller/taller empire. Also shifts the specialist science load back an era or two.

G

I like it - much better than the current one, makes it even more different from Babylon with Korea preferring late game science, nerfs the monstrosity, makes you put an emphasis on culture, seems good. Funak won't like it though, he is triggered by number 1

 

[Funak]

Oh I know. I'm just being contrary.

So, what you're saying is that I'm doing you a favor and you respond by wasting my time? How nice of you

In any case, considering tweaking Korea's UA just a bit:

"Every time you complete a policy branch, all specialists gain +1 Science." Scales a little better, gives Korea a culture-edge, and encourages a smaller/taller empire. Also shifts the specialist science load back an era or two.

How would that give a 'culture-edge'? Sounds like a culture-dependence to me.

Also I'm not really sure I like that suggestion in general. Even if you pretty heavily focus culture you're not going to reach +2 science per specialist before the science-inflation happens. I like the idea of gating the power of the UA somehow, but I don't think tying it to policy-branches is a very good solution.