@_alphaBeta_, thanks for the catch; edited my post above to fix that.
@Player1_Fanatic, yes. Among the many other implications:
If the RA covers a period where the weaker partner's beaker production has grown quickly (e.g., during the RA, the weaker partner builds/buys universities, staffs the specialist slots and takes the Rationalism opener), then 5 turns worth of the 30-turn bpt average will be much less than 5 turns of the weaker partner's bpt run-rate at the end of the RA. And for the stronger RA partner the base RA pay-off may only be a turn or two of beakers at his own bpt run-rate.
In addition to making sure you pick the right RA partner, this makes Scientific Revolution (and PT) all the more important if you are going with an RA strategy. Unfortunately, the reorganization of Rationalism in BNW means it takes longer to get there (last policy, unless you stay on the left side and delay getting Humanism and Free Thought) than in G&K (4th policy, if you marched down the left side, which everyone did).
Also, on the "turning gold into beakers" point, before this change, it often made sense to fund both sides of an RA, even with a weaker partner, to get the benefits of your own beaker production in the average. Now, not so much.
@Player1_Fanatic, yes. Among the many other implications:
If the RA covers a period where the weaker partner's beaker production has grown quickly (e.g., during the RA, the weaker partner builds/buys universities, staffs the specialist slots and takes the Rationalism opener), then 5 turns worth of the 30-turn bpt average will be much less than 5 turns of the weaker partner's bpt run-rate at the end of the RA. And for the stronger RA partner the base RA pay-off may only be a turn or two of beakers at his own bpt run-rate.
In addition to making sure you pick the right RA partner, this makes Scientific Revolution (and PT) all the more important if you are going with an RA strategy. Unfortunately, the reorganization of Rationalism in BNW means it takes longer to get there (last policy, unless you stay on the left side and delay getting Humanism and Free Thought) than in G&K (4th policy, if you marched down the left side, which everyone did).
Also, on the "turning gold into beakers" point, before this change, it often made sense to fund both sides of an RA, even with a weaker partner, to get the benefits of your own beaker production in the average. Now, not so much.