[R&F] Playing with Religion

[Jewman]

Hello everyone. I am one of those civ players that rarely founds a religion and does not really play civilizations with a religious focus. However, I think Georgia is kinda cool and would like to play a game as them with more religious focus than my typical game. I don't necessarily want to win a religious victory (I find it tedious) but I would like to maximize religion as a mechanic to help out the other win conditions. Does anyone have any handy guides or tips? I honestly almost completely ignore religion most games.

Also, I'm curious if religion/loyalty are related at all? Of all the new stuff in R&F, Loyalty by far has fascinated me the most and I would like to see if religion can play a part in it.

 

[EEE_BOY]

I’m self-promoting here, but try this one:

In Vanilla, getting a GP in deity early enough for a religion usually requires a lot of tradeoff in terms of early expansion, early tech path detour to Astrology, no early war, and high district cost investment if not Russia/Japan/Arab, and not always guarantee a GP. Some civs that have some religious perks (Spain, Poland, Khmer, Indonesia, etc) can really benefit from a religion.

In R&F, it was mentioned that the algorithm has changed to limit the number of civs per game setup to go religion, so that the player can have a chance of getting a GP (still needs proven).

With Magnus chop capability, there may be a way of getting a GP in deity without significant early game tradeoff, tech detour or district investment:
1. capital build order: scout —> builder —> settler —> units (monument if no alternative culture source) —> builder/settler/monument/trader
2. civic path: +1 faith in capital —> 50%melee/range —> trader capacity —> 50%settler —> unit maintenance -1 —> new government
3. tech path: pasture/mine —> archery —> pottery —> Astrology
4. 2nd/3rd city: units

Found capital or 2nd/3rd city in a location where there would be at least 3 trees/stones and good adjacency bonus for a Holy Site depending on patheon selection.

Timing your builder/tech/civic/ plus 5 turns of Magnus assignment correctly to chop the Holy Site, Shine and 2 Prayer district projects. Should be very close to 60 GP points. Usually Stonehenge will be taken at this point. Use overflow to finish the 2nd Prayer district project.

This allows all inspirations for early civics and possible eureka for Astrology. It also allows defending barbs or early warmongering or settler expansion (before and after grabbing religion) as usual in the capital. In some case a 3rd prayer project may be needed. (All GP points seem to be capped at 60 at the moment, may be a bug or feature that I didn’t remember in Vanilla?)

I tried this unintentionally in a standard speed standard size deity play as China (desert folk lore too tempting ). Let’s test it more so we can enjoy religion play in deity for fun and prophet (profit)!

 

[kaspergm]

In R&F, it was mentioned that the algorithm has changed to limit the number of civs per game setup to go religion, so that the player can have a chance of getting a GP (still needs proven).

Dunno if that's true, but in my first games in RnF, I wasn't even close to getting a religion. Currently playing as Dutch and did get one. Kongo was ahead of my in Great Prophet points eek: - not sure if this is a mod gone wrong or a general bug?) but couldn't recruit the prophet so I got it.

 

[bbbt]

Also, I'm curious if religion/loyalty are related at all? Of all the new stuff in R&F, Loyalty by far has fascinated me the most and I would like to see if religion can play a part in it.

There's no relationship between loyalty and religion unfortunately. It seems like the sort of thing they should've at least added a relevant belief for.