In my games thus far I have tended to use the pyramids and Rep even though I'm running a CE. (Sometimes I kind of accidentally end up a hybrid since the bulbs are so nice, but regardless, overwhelmingly CE.)
What I'm wondering about is leaving Rep - I have a hard time convincing myself to do it. I know it'd be a fair number of hammers from developed towns, and that culture'd be... spiffy I suppose. But some of that, at least, is offset by specialists here and there being used to tweak pop growth and by the fact that my top 5 cities have grown up to 3 points beyond their happiness thresholds.
Running culture is up there with budget deficits, credit card debt and land war in Asia on my list of things I'd just as soon not do - so those 2-3 citizens in key cities revolting is just seriously unappetizing when the advantage is a pile of hammers, some culture I only use for borders, or the police state benefits. (Oh yay, less war weariness - in exchange for -3 happy in my top 5.)
EDIT: Forgot my question.
So I guess the point is - the best options are simply to "plan ahead" when you're getting close to leaving Rep, building happiness above your current needs using buildings (if unbuilt), religions (if applicable) and luxury trades (if available)?
What I'm wondering about is leaving Rep - I have a hard time convincing myself to do it. I know it'd be a fair number of hammers from developed towns, and that culture'd be... spiffy I suppose. But some of that, at least, is offset by specialists here and there being used to tweak pop growth and by the fact that my top 5 cities have grown up to 3 points beyond their happiness thresholds.
Running culture is up there with budget deficits, credit card debt and land war in Asia on my list of things I'd just as soon not do - so those 2-3 citizens in key cities revolting is just seriously unappetizing when the advantage is a pile of hammers, some culture I only use for borders, or the police state benefits. (Oh yay, less war weariness - in exchange for -3 happy in my top 5.)
EDIT: Forgot my question.
So I guess the point is - the best options are simply to "plan ahead" when you're getting close to leaving Rep, building happiness above your current needs using buildings (if unbuilt), religions (if applicable) and luxury trades (if available)?