I have recently begun rushing to literature in order to get great library and then getting into the middle ages as soon as possible, i am wondering for those of you who have tried this technique when you get the great library, do you keep researching spending fairly high in order to continue research, or do you cut out spending all together until the library is obsolete?
Rush to Great Library Strategy
- Thread starter Dalamar
- Start date
Grotius
Prince
- Joined
- Jan 7, 2002
- Messages
- 409
On those few occasions when I've gotten the Great Library, I've usually minimized research and let the good times roll. I.e., let the AI do my work for me. Unfortunately, the AI seems to love to go for Theology and Education, and the latter makes the Great Library obsolete. Once two AI civs have Education, so do I, and my Library is thereafter ineffective. So the good times don't last all that long.
There is a cost to the GL. For one thing, you have to get an otherwise useless tech, Literature. For another, you have to devote your strongest city to a Wonder early on, just when you may need every shield of production to beef up your military to survive. Since early techs can be bought from AI civs fairly cheaply, and since the GL goes obsolete fairly quickly, the GL doesn't strike me as a must-have. Sure is nice to have, though. <g>
There is a cost to the GL. For one thing, you have to get an otherwise useless tech, Literature. For another, you have to devote your strongest city to a Wonder early on, just when you may need every shield of production to beef up your military to survive. Since early techs can be bought from AI civs fairly cheaply, and since the GL goes obsolete fairly quickly, the GL doesn't strike me as a must-have. Sure is nice to have, though. <g>
loki
Warlord
Yes, I agree. The GL really isn't that usefull. Especially since I usually play an expansionist civ on huge maps, and I get all the ancient times techs from huts.
This gives me an enormous tech lead, which I more or less keep throughout the game (regent).
So I favor the pyramids and sun tzu art of war, since not having to build granaries and barracks in your city gives you the culture and science edge by spending your first shields on temple and library.
There is no real clear strategy about the GL though, since on higher levels, it might prove usefull to keep with the tech race (Or on smaller maps, with fewer huts, or if you are not expansionist...etc etc).
loki
This gives me an enormous tech lead, which I more or less keep throughout the game (regent).
So I favor the pyramids and sun tzu art of war, since not having to build granaries and barracks in your city gives you the culture and science edge by spending your first shields on temple and library.
There is no real clear strategy about the GL though, since on higher levels, it might prove usefull to keep with the tech race (Or on smaller maps, with fewer huts, or if you are not expansionist...etc etc).
loki
gormtheold
Chieftain
- Joined
- Nov 28, 2001
- Messages
- 39
That used to be my strategy and it seldom worked. I would go right to Literature (after first getting Masonry so I could start the city that was going to get the Library out on the Pyramids as soon as possible. I skipped all the simple stuff (horseback riding, pottery, etc.--figured I'd get that in a rush when the Library got built). If you do build it, it works techwise-you're all caught up) but dedicating your best city to a wonder so early makes you militarily weak. Think of all the swordsmen you're foregoing. When you're weak, they know, they attack. Now I go right from bronze working to iron working, only build about five cities, put temples (so their areas will expand) and barracks in all of them and just build swordsmen and go after my nearest neighbor. It seems to work. I play Japanese, so I don't have to worry about revolutions and I sometimes luck into some wonders with my Great Leaders. Last game I didn't bother to build the Great Library but did manage to take it away (from the Zulus, no less). Alternate conquer with improvement building (Swordsmen conquer, build improvements a while (libraries, etc.), medieval conquer (of course I've got samurai), then build, cavalry conquer, build, then finally tank conquer). There is no downside to always being the strongest militarily. Strangely enough, I'm also number one in culture cause I always put temples and libraries in the cities I conquer. By the middle ages and shortly thereafter, I'm always first to the tech that builds a wonder (and usually have enough great leaders to do most of them). Of course, all of this is after a long (long, long) time trying to progress from warlord to regent. Don't know if it'll work when I try to move up to monarch.
The Great Library is not one of my favorites, I never try to build it. On the lower levels, up to Regent and maybe Monarch, you don't need it, and on the higher levels you don't have much chance of completing it. Sure, you can expend a leader, but there are better wonders to spend the leader on.
Also, if you play an expansionist civ you will usually be ahead on tech for much of the game. Although the goodie huts don't provide any techs after you reach the 2nd era, your explorations by that time should give you a nice tech lead.
Also, if you play an expansionist civ you will usually be ahead on tech for much of the game. Although the goodie huts don't provide any techs after you reach the 2nd era, your explorations by that time should give you a nice tech lead.
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