Opening strategies - what do you beeline?

[Seek]

About a week or two ago I significantly reworked all the AI unit priorities. The original vanilla settings were really bizzare. For some flavors, there were ancient era units with a higher priority than modern era units. Units of the same era might have radically different flavors.

That's unbelievable - is that part of why the AI has trouble upgrading units? (Or hopefully did have trouble?)

 

[flairin]

The past few days I've been toying around with keeping cultural production super low until I am near or in Renaissance. I do not choose policy saving so it stays challenging. This way I can breeze through Rationalism when the time comes (quite early). I've tried this with both Korea and Babylon with three cities firm. Each time I have been able to build the Oracle as well for an early Rationalism policy. With Korea in the last game I only triggered 3 policies (liberty, collective rule, citizenship) before my fourth was in Rationalism. This has given me crazy science output early.

With Korea I was in Renaissance at turn 90 with no great scientist bulbing, nor research agreements. I decided to buy a university in Seoul after researching education with the GL at turn 84... by turn 190 I was in modern era with electronics and the tech with Research Labs

With Babylon I got to stealth by turn 225 with the help of RAs/great scientists.

It would be interesting to see how this could play out with other civs by keeping culture low until Renaissance, then attacking Rationalism

 

[Txurce]

The past few days I've been toying around with keeping cultural production super low until I am near or in Renaissance. I do not choose policy saving so it stays challenging. This way I can breeze through Rationalism when the time comes (quite early). I've tried this with both Korea and Babylon with three cities firm. Each time I have been able to build the Oracle as well for an early Rationalism policy. With Korea in the last game I only triggered 3 policies (liberty, collective rule, citizenship) before my fourth was in Rationalism. This has given me crazy science output early.

With Korea I was in Renaissance at turn 90 with no great scientist bulbing, nor research agreements. I decided to buy a university in Seoul after researching education with the GL at turn 84... by turn 190 I was in modern era with electronics and the tech with Research Labs

With Babylon I got to stealth by turn 225 with the help of RAs/great scientists.

It would be interesting to see how this could play out with other civs by keeping culture low until Renaissance, then attacking Rationalism

That's fascinating. I'll give it a whirl soon.

 

[gunnergoz]

I generally try to build as many culture wonders as early as possible, giving me lots of policies and the benefits that go with them. I just don't like the formulaic mindset that this forces gameplay into, however.

 

[albie_123]

I know it's not an opening strategy for sure, but by the industrial era, I always make sure to get Cristo Redentor first. It's such a good wonder, even when not going cultural. The super-artist is the best possible specialist by a long way.

 

[Thalassicus]

My opening strategies are much more flexible now that we can build things with either gold or production. I used to have a static scout-scout-worker build order for most maps and leaders. I still start with scout, but after that I use a combination of gold and production to get units/buildings at times when they can provide the most value. If I need something early I purchase it with gold, and if it can wait I build it with production.

These factors raise priorities:

• Workboat: sea luxuries near the capital.
• Worker: farm/mine/quarry resources (high priority), and plantation resources (moderate priority).
• Scout: surrounded by land, and few good worker tasks near capital.
• Monument: lots of good resources in 2nd or 3rd ring around capital.
• Purchasing tiles: lakes & isles (high) and cows/stone/deer (moderate).

 

[Txurce]

That's how I play, too, but didn't have it delineated as clearly. I tend to build the worker and buy the scout, but can see where that would vary. To nitpick, quarries seem like a non-factor in that the tech is far enough away that I'll have a worker by then regardless.

 

[Thalassicus]

I build a farm while waiting on calendar/masonry if there's nothing else to improve. Workers and monuments have a better purchase cost ratios than scouts, which makes them good to spend gold on.

 

[gunnergoz]

Monument, then into the policy tree for Tradition and Liberty openers is the way I usually go, trying to beeline the policies I need to give me free workers and settlers ASAP. I do build one scout, usually but sometimes it seems faster to just pay for it if my roving warrior happens on to some quick gold rewards at a goodie hut or from meeting several CS.

 

[lordrune]

I've been going for tradition to get the +5 science boost, as quick as possible. That helps you get the early techs to hook up luxuries and support your second city, which I'll generally grab with the free settler from liberty, if possible.
The game's much easier if you can grab at least a couple of good early wonders. If any individual AI grabs half or more of them, they'll often run away with the game, as you would yourself if you do that. Great Library and Oracle, as they have always been, are my favourites.

 

[albie_123]

My opening strategy has changed a lot now that we have another building to choose from!

 

[SpoCk0nd0pe]

Similar to Albie I do not focus an early specialists. I find it takes too much out of your economy. Regarding policies I go Tradition -> Piety. Piety is quite strong because it gives you happiness to support your population, more to get other policies faster and - very important - a free golden age and reduced golden age cost (and some other nice stuff, the +10% science on monasteries is also good). The new golden ages are really powerful and also spike your growth quite nicely.

After Piety I will delay other policies until I get into Renaissance and then take Freedom.

This is what works best for me as well (playing Rome on King, cheaper aqueducts and libraries accellerate this further, legions help protect and build infrastructure) to the point I think it's overpowering other strategies.

 

[Txurce]

I'm in my first game so I can't say too much, but would agree that the start seems a change for the more varied. I had more to spend gold on early, and did, but ran out about as quickly as ever. Based on my research pattern I wound up building the Mentors Hall sooner than expected, because I found myself with nothing else needed to build for a window. I've also built some villages for balance where I would have waited before (although I view this as neither good nor bad at this stage).