Palace/Versailles build and switch?

[Ray Patterson]

Is it a good and common strategy to build Versailles in your heartland and then move your palace to a newly conquered territory?

And if so, does anyone ever move his palace already before Versailles is finished? After all, it could help with maintenance because presumably in your heartland you have more courthouses.

Just thought about this option today, as usually I don't even research Divine right because I keep forgetting it brings Versailles

 

[Insanity_X]

Generally you let the AI build Versailles (because it's expensive in terms of hammers and it's enebled to be built by a dead end tech) and leave your palace in place because it gives benefits (e.g. beurocracy) where it is.

Or alternatively you go into state property.

 

[Derakon]

I believe the OP's point is that Versailles is expensive, while the Palace is relatively cheap; therefore, it's easier to build the Palace remotely and Versailles in your heartland (where you have more big-hammer cities). Assuming you're going to build Versailles at all, of course.

Makes sense to me. How much does the Forbidden Palace cost comparatively?

 

[Ray Patterson]

Generally you let the AI build Versailles (because it's expensive in terms of hammers and it's enebled to be built by a dead end tech) and leave your palace in place because it gives benefits (e.g. beurocracy) where it is.

Or alternatively you go into state property.

Well... that IS what I usually do. But is it all that sound? If you're teching solidly, so don't actually rush to Versailles but just happen to be there first, it's about time to switch to free speech anyway. This strategy would be used with a large empire, making bureaucracy less attractive than free speech in most cases. And state property is still a LONG way away at that point, unless you prioritize it heavily.

 

[enKage]

If u are not into war, you can do this, it is a nice strategy.

But even if you love peace, it is nice to destroy one or two civs and then you select that one, which already built versailles. Then you have relatively cheap "colony" even if it is far away

 

[goodolarchie]

Relocating the palace is mostly important when you start on crappy land and want to take advantage of bureaucracy + more centralized maintenance hub, usually after rexing/rushing another civ's capital. It sounds like you might want to make communism more of a priority if you're relying on Versailles. AI usually beats me to it on Immortal/Deity.. good strategy but not necessarily common.

 

[Ray Patterson]

AI usually beats me to it on Immortal/Deity..

Fair enough... I'm on Prince and seem to have a clear tech lead. It's not like I'm rushing for Divine Right or anything. It's just one of the cheaper techs I could research now (well into renaissance) and Islam hasn't been founded yet. Plus I have marble... so yeah I don't think the AI has a chance if I try.

good strategy but not necessarily common.

Looking at all the considerations so far that makes sense. However I also think it's a good move in my current game.

 

[Bibor]

Don't forget spies return to your palace, so don't put it on another continent if you're not planning to war there (on Terra maps, for example).

 

[6K Man]

I like it:

Palace: Cost 160 hammers, provides 1 , 4 espionage, 8 commerce, 2 culture.
Versailles: Cost 800 hammers (400 w/ Marble), provides 2 Merchant GPP, 10 culture.
Forbidden Palace: Cost 200 hammers, provides 1 Spy GPP, 4 culture

Obviously, this would work best in a post- Bureaucracy society (I now tend to move my capital if the original isn’t a commerce/hammer rich site)

The only problems I can foresee are minor ones:
- you are up against the happy cap and need the from the Palace in your original capital
- your new capital doesn’t have the buildings to take advantage of the commerce boost/espionage boost

These would be very minor problems when compared to the benefit of reduced maintenance, sooner. Of course, the move is pointless in State Property. Or when you can capture it, anyway.