Mercantilism useful.

[Swedishguy]

At least when used right. Representation+CasteSystem+Mercantilism will let you assign unlimited Artists, Scientists and Merchants, receive +1 beaker per scientist, AND get +1 free specialists per city. So assign as many scientists as possible and you will receive MANY beakers. You like it?

 

[aelf]

Sorry, but this is not strategy. You need to explain step-by-step how to set up such an economy and under what conditions should it be done. As it is, I don't see Caste System being superior to either Slavery or Emancipation very often. And do you have that many population to assign as scientists? Don't you need hammers and commerce? Maybe it works for your GP farm, but what about the other cities?

 

[Swedishguy]

Sorry, but this is not strategy. You need to explain step-by-step how to set up such an economy and under what conditions should it be done. As it is, I don't see Caste System being superior to either Slavery or Emancipation very often. And do you have that many population to assign as scientists? Don't you need hammers and commerce? Maybe it works for your GP farm, but what about the other cities?

Sorry for being a bit helpful when.

 

[FuRRie]

And it's a perfectly known strategy, often used incombination with a Pyramids + GL Sling...

 

[Swedishguy]

And it's a perfectly known strategy, often used incombination with a Pyramids + GL Sling...

Sorry, I didn't know that.

 

[Cam_H]

Swedishguy,

Thanks for your thoughts though. When I first came across Civ4, I must say that getting a handle on the civics was a bit of a challenge, and identifying synergistic combinations took me a bit more time to grasp than it probably should have - there may be some newer players that might not have seen the power of this combination yet.

 

[jerVL/kg]

Representation + Mercantilism is indeed a powerful combination for a science-based economy. The key, of course, is to get the Pyramids so you can run Representation early -- otherwise, it comes so late in the came that you might as well run Universal Suffrage/Free Market instead.

Adding The Great Library helps, but if you get the Statue of Liberty (another free specialist per city) then your science rate will REALLY go through the roof!!

It's too bad that Mercantilism comes so relatively late in the game (and there's no Wonder that gives it to you early) that its usefulness becomes overshadowed by Free Market, which is only one more tech away...

 

[CivDude86]

Banking comes late in the game? Mercantile is the 2nd econ civic you get. Of course its rarely a better choice than decentral right away.

 

[Swedishguy]

Thanks for cheering me, Cam H!

 

[gdgrimm]

Depending on what type of maps you're playing (and to some extent the style of play), Mercantalism beats Free Market, even if you aren't in Representation.

I always play random map size. So that, along with the way diplomacy usually plays out, means that in the majority of my games, I'll have 2 or fewer trade partners. So I usually spend more games in Mercantalism than in Free Market.

 

[Swedishguy]

Thanks for cheering me, gdgrimm! Deja vu?

 

[jerVL/kg]

Banking comes late in the game? Mercantile is the 2nd econ civic you get.

Relatively late, I said -- unlike gov't civics (which you can get with the 'Mids, or at least get Hereditary Rule with Monarchy) or religious/labor civics, which all come fairly early. And by the time you get Mercantilism, usually you have so much income from Open Border trade routes that it's simply not economical to switch to it, especially since Free Market is just one more tech away.

I would never run Mercantilism UNLESS I have Representation already (from the 'Mids) or if I'm running an isolationist civilization and have Open Borders with nobody. Otherwise, it just isn't worth it.

 

[50_dollar_bag]

At least when used right. Representation+CasteSystem+Mercantilism will let you assign unlimited Artists, Scientists and Merchants, receive +1 beaker per scientist, AND get +1 free specialists per city. So assign as many scientists as possible and you will receive MANY beakers. You like it?

Isn't it +3 beakers per specialist for Representation

 

[Mango]

If you're playing a standard map or smaller and you are a warmonger then you will end up pissing off a lot of people and controlling a larger percentage of cities than usual. In this case merchantilism + representation is a good strategy. If you can run caste system even better, but it's not necessary (I like slavery).

 

[cabert]

there was a thread about synergies between civics.

I did advocate there the representation+mercantilism (+caste system optionnaly).
Like Mango and others said, it's a powerful but situationnal combo.
I use it when going cultural in 2 different ways:
Way 1 : i run a high cottage economy in my 3 big ones, and use the combo to with a lot of merchants to fund my 100% cultural slider. I buy all I can with universal suffrage before switching to this (you should love those spiritual guys )
Way 2: I run high food in my 3 big ones, use the rest of the cities to fund my economy and research with the commerce slider. Here, i need badly all artists i can afford in my 3 big ones, and if they provide good beakers too, it's better but not always needed. Caste system and Pacifism are required here, and you have a much better cultural output with the sistin chapel = high priority.

 

[Swedishguy]

Isn't it +3 beakers per specialist for Representation

Whoops! Typo!