Research in middle ages

[UnderToe]

I seem to do okay gettting through the early stages of the game but it seems like everytime I get to around the middle ages, the computer takes off on research and leaves me in the dust. I try to trade with them to get back up to par, but that usually doesn't work.

Any suggestions.

 

[automator]

You might need to make a change to your economy.

How do you set up your cities? If you've been expanding/warring up until the middle ages, your cities are likely set up for production. Start putting up windmills instead of mines, more cottages (always a good answer). Go into your cities and change any specialists to scientists (or get them working gold-giving tiles). Build libraries and universities where possible.

The AI likes to trade with itself. I've found it's worthwhile to grab a popular tech (printing press and education are easy to get first) and then one-by-one, trade it away. Start with the friendliest Civ (friendly civs give the best deals) and trade for other techs. If you've beat enough civs to your tech, you can fill out your tech tree by just trading away that one tech. Then the next tech you get will put you back on top.

Oh, and if you have a chance, head for Liberalism, then switch to Free Speech/Free Religion for the money and science boost.

 

[DaveMcW]

Cottages!!

 

[kamigawan]

Some obvious notes:

- Switch to bureaucracy + mature cottages in capital
- Get education and build universities in your highest science cities (e
eventually all cities later), and later on, observatories. These cities should also have a lot of maturing cottages.
- Build oxford in your science city after you get 5 universities (often your capital)
- Generate a great scientist(s) and build academies in your highest science cities, in particular your capital
- Make sure you continue to expand (using wars or colonisation as necessary)... Your income should be in the red at 80% science (sometimes at 70%), but you can offset that by selling your excess resources for GPT (this gives an added diplomatic bonus over time)

You can also start a golden age in this era to help build observatories, universities, banks and so on as well as discover techs like education, liberalism, and so on.

 

[Mutineer]

Generally you do not need to research mach in middle ages.

What you need to do is to get Greate Scientist and use it to ligthbuld Philosofy.

It tend to be extrimelly helpfull.

Chance for religion, a good civic and the most expencive tech of the period to trade around! If you did not wasted your WFUBTA limit on fishing (technologies you can easy research yourself), you can get most of middle ages tech from trade and push yourself forward.

In order to Ligthbulb philosofy you need to know Meditation, Mathematics and
(Col or Dramma).

 

[Wlauzon]

It seems the number one factor in middle game research is having Representation - either from the pyramids or from research.

 

[cabert]

It seems the number one factor in middle game research is having Representation - either from the pyramids or from research.

constitution is expensive, you won't have that in the middle age

The key is a good tech trading.
I try to make so that I do the tech trading (the WFYBTA effect comes from getting techs from the others, not from giving some to them), and AIs don't.
This often means giving up good techs for a war, or for just a handful money, but this takes away a trade from AIs.

Say 4 AIs + you
You have TEch A, B, C.
AI 1 has A,D
Ai 2 has A, C
AI 3 has B, C
AI for has B,D.

If you trade A for D to AI 3 and bribe AI 1 to war vs AI 3 for tech C, and sell tech B for money to AI 2, you insure there will be no tech trade amongst AIs, and since you only gained 1 tech, you didn't hurt yourself too badly in the WFYBTA effect. (You may need to trade for money first to get tech D for 1 tech + money)
This way, all AIs have 3 techs, you have 4 and none will trade.

What if you don't do it?
After a few turns, you'll have 3 techs, all AIs will have 4 and no one will trade with you...

 

[NKVD]

I say courthouses and cottages...then markets will do ok

 

[bassist2119]

Agree w/ Cabert - in the middle ages, trade monopolied techs to all others (in the same turn). Note that the value of the tech in question drops as more people get it, so the order in which you trade is important - First trade with those who will give you techs and gold, then with those who will only bankroll you. Some techs you may not want the opposition to have (civil service, etc.), but note that the AI will trade it when they acquire it, so wait until one other has it and get everything you can from the others. Otherwise, they'll reap the rewards. Around the middle ages, you should have a shrine or two, which helps keep the research slider up. Cottaging heavy in two or three cities, along with tech trading, can usually solidify a tech lead at Monach. Also note the importance of Printing Press and Education and the impact they have on technology. Further on this point, Printing Press is cheaper and is IMMEDIATELY applied to all cottages whereas Education takes time to build universities, so go PP first (uni's will then multiply the cottages w/ PP advantage). Immediately then go for Liberalism, a free tech and some civic options.
By doing so, I usually boost way ahead of others in tech during the middle ages, not fall behind. Enough so, in fact, that tech trading after Liberalism is usually halted as it helps the adversaries more than it does me.

 

[ThomasHardy]

By getting to techs like education and printing press first, you can get some decent trades from the AI. If you just research what the AI goes after, you tend to fall behind. Always look to go after something that you will get first, so you will have trading leverage.