Most Powerful Wonders

[nc-1701]

It depends very heavily on map size, I like to play small or tiny maps often modded to hold 8-12 civs instead of the default number. So most civs get3-4 good cities and that's it, but even on normal tiny maps you should still see the balance being very different.

On small maps things like Pyramids suck, but Statue of Zeus and Knights Templar are game changers. All the research boosting ones are very valuable, as is Sistine Chapel since you will end up with Cathedrals everywhere.

On a huge maps anything that gives free x in every city is very useful.

 

[Squire 2]

I'd say I'm a good regent player and okay monarch player, but nowhere near the level of many on this forum

I tend not to bother with any wonders in the AA, but I plan to start prioritising the pyramids from now.

MA: I always try to get the Sistine Chapel, J.S. Bach's Cathedral and Smith's Workshop

IA: I'm usually far enough ahead that I can get everything from this point, but I always go for the ToE and Hoover Dam

MA: I like The Internet, both in real life and in-game

 

[dalgo]

I know, I know, wonders are bad. I've played enough Civ III and been around these forums enough to know that building wonders can be a bad decision and at the higher levels, cripple your empire. I agree with that philosophy and rarely build wonders myself, unless I'm going for cultural victory.

So I have a save right now as the Ottomans on Emperor where I got a SGL from learning Currency first. And now I don't know what to do with it. I've become so accustomed to not building wonders that when a free one is handed to me a plate, I don't know what to do. The Pyramids are still available and likely what I will go for but the granaries can be a bit of a double edged sword (fast growth can lead to unhappiness and cash problems if you don't have the infrastructure set up).

So hypothetically, if you had a SGL and could rush a wonder, which ones would you pick in each age? My picks

AA- Pyramids or GLib (if severely behind in tech race)
MA- Leonardo's (Sun Tzu's is nice but you probably already have barracks up in the core cities with enough production to build units, although it allows to heal in one turn in every city, even newly captured ones)
IA- ToE
MA- UN? (prevents a diplomatic loss since you control elections. all the others seem pointless)

Ancient Times: The Pyramids unless playing on an archipelago map, in which case my vote would be for The Great Lighthouse.
Middle Ages: Leonardo's Workshop because I am constantly upgrading my troops, especially bombardment units.
Industrial Ages: Hoover Dam, giving me an immediate Hydo Plant in all my core cities.
Modern Times: The Internet and a big boost in research. Very useful if playing for a Space Ship victory, and even for Domination because the culture bonus helps new settlements quickly expand their borders.

 

[choxorn]

AA: If there's Ivory nearby, then the Statue of Zeus is awesome. If not, then the Pyramids are probably the best AA wonder.

Middle Ages: Lots of good ones. I'd have to say either Leonardo's Workshop or Smith's Trading Company, depending on whether I got the SGL at the beginning of the MA or the end.

IA: The ToE, as it's the only wonder I can't get any benefit from by capturing it from the AI. It gives me a couple of free techs at a point when you could really use free techs. Usually I use it to get Atomic Theory and Electronics for free, thus giving me the best shot at also getting Hoover Dam, one of the most useful late-game wonders. Gotta love free buildings that are expensive and don't generate pollution.

Modern Ages: Well, most of them are useless. The two that come from Genetics are just not worth the massive cost, and the Manhattan Project is completely worthless. Let the AI waste 1000 shields on it, and you'll still get to build nukes.

SETI Project and The Internet are nice to have, though. I love those times when I can put Copernicus' Observatory, Newton's University, and SETI Project all in the same mega-science city. And if it's available, having the UN is a must so that you can deny the AI it, if nothing else.

 

[agonistes]

Free granaries are awesome (ok, not so much on an island map).

"Cancel operation big granary."


Still love that quote Bam.