Pacifism: How much is this used by people?

[RagingCalm]

I was playing the game and I noticed that one of the civics that can be chosen is Pacifism. Now, it sounds great with that +100% great person birth rate and might be good for a specialist economy; however, that +1 gold per military unit sounds like it gets really expensive really quickly. And that's despite the zero upkeep cost, especially with the massive stacks I've seen in some people's games and TMIT's YouTube videos.

I suppose, part of the cost could be offset by generating Great Merchants but I was wondering if anyone has done any extensive testing with this civic. For that matter, I was wondering how many people actually use it because I've read how useful Organized Reglion is for quickly building city improvements, Theocracy for strong armies, and Free Religion for research; however, I haven't seen anything for Pacifism.

I apologize in advance if this was already covered. I did a search on this forum and nothing apparent jumped out regarding a discussion of this civic, at first glance.

 

[Lemon Merchant]

I rarely use it unless I need to generate a GP quickly, and then it's only for a very short time. Its' high cost significantly outweighs its benefit for me.

 

[cardgame]

Probably going to be used rarely if ever on Marathon games due to the huge unit stacks the Marathon timeframe allows.

I personally never, ever use it, no matter what speed I'm playing.

 

[HappyFunPal]

I use it plenty. I dont build armies I cant keep. I also dont keep towns I cant afford. IF there are great people in a town, I'll keep it, otherwise I'll raze it. Eventually the other civ capitulates rather than lose all it's cities, or I'll "return it to the xyz empire" and let them pay the maint cost, since the AI doesnt pay costs anyway. Tokugawa always appreciates a free town thrown his way. When you gift a city to another civ, they usually get 2 free garrison units freeing up your entire army to take the next city.

 

[sabo]

I rarely use it unless I need to generate a GP quickly, and then it's only for a very short time. Its' high cost significantly outweighs its benefit for me.

I will use it shortly with Spiritual civs so I can switch civics back and forth without the city unrest. Obviously the best time is before you have a huge army.

 

[davelisowski]

after i've dominated most of the world and can sit in peace for some time. it's nice to get great scientists and establish academies in my large cities.

 

[shulec]

National epic/Pacifism/Great Library/Philosophical leader/caste system combo tremendously helps to bulb Liberalism (and Printing Press) through great scientists. I am usually using a bare bones military and save my butt through good diplomacy to avoid high military maintenance costs.

The pyramids, parthenon and mercantilism also improve this combo, although I rarely, uses any of these, whereas I often use the first combo.

If you are playing a sushi map (lots of islands/coastal cities), you may have a lot of specialists if your cities are +20 population, and pacifism helps then.

Consider using pacifism short term during a golden age (to avoid anarchy) to bolster great priest or great engineer or any GP production.

 

[TheMeInTeam]

It competes with OR as a top peacetime religious civic, assuming you can run a SR. Whether the goal is fast liberalism + short term tech or placing lots of infra into a largeish empire peacefully is what dictates a choice between the two.

 

[binhthuy71]

Pacificism is one of my favorite peacetime civs. It's dynamite if my random civ has a Phi leader: just build the Parthenon, National Epic, run a few specialists and bulb your way to heaven.

 

[eoc]

It is useful to generate GP, especially GS and GM if I want 2 or 3 Great People urgently.

 

[Navarre]

I use it whenever I run a SE, usually when I'm playing a Phi leader, or if I have a lot of food and specialists around while there's no immediate military threat. I used to skip it, but the +100% GP can make for impressive games.

OR is good in the early game, when you need a lot of infrastructure up and running ASAP, but the +25% building isn't worth the cost past that IMO, so I usually switch to Theocracy to get 2-promo units and pay less once in the middle game and several cities with more than 10 pop, unless I am in a rush for a wonder. If I don't need a lot of units, I go Pacifism.

When you have a large empire and a good stack of units, Pacifism + Vassalage is worth considering if your capital doesn't make so much of a difference in your total production and commerce. You can afford a lot of well promoted units and still have +100% GP.

 

[karadoc]

IF there are great people in a town, I'll keep it, otherwise I'll raze it.

How do you know if the city has great people or not before you decide to keep/raze it?

--

As for pacifism, I use it quite a lot. I usually maintain a pretty small army unless I'm expecting war; and maybe I've misremembered, but I think that you still get free support for some number of units under pacifism.

 

[TheLazyHase]

How do you know if the city has great people or not before you decide to keep/raze it?

Patch to 3.19, then use the "examine city" option.

 

[fed1943]

Pacifism gives GPP (that is some GP) and spend gold (according to the military needed/wanted).
Just pretend all +GP are GMerchants and do the math.

 

[Iranon]

I don't use it very often because I prefer Organised Religion. Two situations in which I'll - grudgingly - run it:

1.) I neglected early GP in favour of expansion/setting up my new cities, and I need Great People to remain in trade range.
2.) I'm in a position where a few lightbulbs will make a lot of difference and time is short (e.g. I'll get a tech twice as expensive or twice as important for my overall game plan from Liberalism).

 

[Peteyboy]

I find the only useful time that I'll use it is during a Golden Age (Especially one created by the Taj Mahal - you can really pump out some GP's with 200% increase (inc 100% for GA) - Other than that normally its OR until I get FR.

If I get spiritual leader - and I'm unsure whether to try for a wonder that I don't think I'd win a race to - I may pop a few quicker turns if I'm near to possibly getting an engineer.

 

[Yonez]

It competes with OR as a top peacetime religious civic, assuming you can run a SR. Whether the goal is fast liberalism + short term tech or placing lots of infra into a largeish empire peacefully is what dictates a choice between the two.

What's an SR?

 

[davelisowski]

OR = Organized Religion (a civic)

SR = State Religion

So for example, you've founded Buddhism and you've spread it into your cities. It is your state religion. Organized Religion would give you 25% production on buildings in those cities with your SR. Pacifism would give a 100% Great Person bonus...

I guess it depends on what you are building. I tend to stay in Vassalage/Theocracy for a while. Even in peace time.

 

[Shafi]

I always use it with a Phi leader, if not Phi then rarely. It can be absolute dynamite coupled with Phi + Parthenon + NE in GP Farm.

 

[Yonez]

OR = Organized Religion (a civic)

SR = State Religion

So for example, you've founded Buddhism and you've spread it into your cities. It is your state religion. Organized Religion would give you 25% production on buildings in those cities with your SR. Pacifism would give a 100% Great Person bonus...

I guess it depends on what you are building. I tend to stay in Vassalage/Theocracy for a while. Even in peace time.

Ah, of course. So much shorthand on this forum, I thought I knew it all but that threw me.

But yeah, Pacifism is good in certain instances. As said, it's biggest draw is when it's coupled with a Philosposical leader and a couple of relevant buildings.