Should I switch to democracy?

[Darkness]

OK, this is the situation:
I've got a warlord level game going, in which it is 1290 AD and I'm milking it for the HoF. But yesterday I noticed I was still in republic!
I just got sanitation and I'm making about 3500 gpt with 90% tax and getting printing press in 4 turns at 10% science.
My lands are almost entirely improved (only mountains left to do) and I'm already joining workers to my cities. My income allows me to rush 6-7 hospitals per turn.

Now the big question is: Should I research to democracy and switch to that governmen? Or just stick with republic?

Pro's to switching governments: Democracy has less corruption (but I don't need that much production at this stage of the game anyway, though extra income would be nice) and has faster workers (but my lands are almost fully improved).

Con's to switching governments: My lands are huge (1 tile below the domination limit at a huge map), so I'll likely draw 6-8 turns of anarchy.

Is it worth it to switch?
If you vote, please tell me why you think I should/should not switch. Thanks

 

[Takeo]

i would not go that direction if i were in that position. like you said, your lands are almost all improved so you do not need the +50% worker speed. the lowered corruption would probably only net you a few hundred more gold and seeing how you are making 3500gpt, that wouldn't be a large improvement. spending 8 turns to research printing press and democracy and then another 4-8 turns of anarchy could be spent heading up the research tree towards mass transit.

 

[superslug]

Takeo's reasoning mirrors my own. Mass transit is a higher priority than Democracy. If you had more undeveloped land, I'd reconsider, but if you're almost done, stick with Republic.

 

[Darkness]

thx guys.

 

[da_greatest]

I'm the other person who voted NO. Same reasons as Takeo. Anarchy sucks with non-religous civs. I used to beeline for democracy then steam power, but now go straight for steam power.

 

[Moonsinger]

I think Republic is perfectly fine at this point. Let's say you get lucky and spend only 4 turns in anarchy...that would translate to at least 10000 gold right there (2500 gpt * 4 turns). You have to be in Democracy for at least 100 years to make up for the gold lost during anarchy. Since happiness is the only thing that matter from this point forward, I see no benefit to switch.

Having said that, I would definitely switch to Democracy just because I feel like it. That will be exactly what I will do in my game.

 

[Darkness]

OK, like you guys (and girl) suggested I stayed in republic and it's going fine. It's now 1450 AD and I'm rushing the last few hospitals I need and after my ToE slingshot I'm 3 or techs short of the modern age.
And although my increase in score per turn has dropped to about 60 points per turn, my score is already 7915 points, which would rank me 5th in the current table. So I'll just continue milking my game to the 1st place on warlord level...
I'm taking a break from this game, as I have to start GOTM23 this weekend or I'll risk missing the deadline on that game...

 

[superslug]

Originally posted by Darkness
So I'll just continue milking my game to the 1st place on warlord level...

I don't want to congratulate you prematurely, but it sounds like you've got a rock solid performance underway.

Even though my current attempt is all the way back down at Chieftain for 'practice', if I can take down Eman's score, I will.

People like us need three computers, one to play, one to milk, and another to surf CFC.

 

[Darkness]

I've got 2:
1- at home, to play and milk
2- at work, to surf CFC

 

[ShiplordAtvar]

Sweet Jesus, that's a good game. What civ are you playing as?

 

[ShiplordAtvar]

I hasten to add this. The benefits of switching to Democracy are very definitely outweighed by the costs of the likely long period of anarchy. Stay as a republic.

 

[Darkness]

Originally posted by ShiplordAtvar
Sweet Jesus, that's a good game. What civ are you playing as?

One of the civs with an absolute crap UU: America.
the expansionist trait rocks on the lower levels ('cause my regent game (currently no 2 in the table) was also with America, as was Bamspeedy's no 1 regent score)...

 

[Moonsinger]

Just want to let you know that I did switch from Republic to Democracy in my game around 1300 AD after my whole contient were railroaded. Although my income was increasing only about 200 gpt in Democracy, I can research new tech in every 4 turns now instead of 5. I spent 6 turns in anarchy without any problem. Since everything were railroaded and irrigated and with 8 luxuries and market in all cities, most of my citizens were happy and none were starving. Basically, anarchy didn't hurt my score at all.

 

[Darkness]

I figured you would do that Moonsinger.
I'm going to stay in republic though...

I played another 20 turns last night. I discovered ecology about 4-5 turns ago and I immediately sold of all my libraries and universities and started buying mass transits. I'm about halfway through my cities now. I set tax at 100% but my scientists still discovered chivalry in 4 turns

My increase in score is 54 points per turn and my score is now 9050 in 1550 AD.

 

[Moonsinger]

Since the Longvity and the Cure for Cancer are important too, may want to get the tech for building them before disbanding all your libraries and universities.

 

[Darkness]

Originally posted by Moonsinger
Since the Longvity and the Cure for Cancer are important too, may want to get the tech for building them before disbanding all your libraries and universities.

Don't need them. I already have max happiness in all my cities (even with 0% lux. rate) and most of my cities are already maxed out, populationwise. But I can get them fast enough after buying my mass transits and I've already got 2 or 3 pre-builds going....

 

[Moonsinger]

Originally posted by Darkness
Don't need them. I already have max happiness in all my cities (even with 0% lux. rate) and most of my cities are already maxed out, populationwise. But I can get them fast enough after buying my mass transits and I've already got 2 or 3 pre-builds going....

Ah! Your cities spacing are much closer than mine. That's probably why you don't need them. Some of my size-40 (or above) cities do have some unhappy people, so I guess I do need the Cure for Cancer. And of course, the Longvity will help my cities to reach the max faster.

 

[Darkness]

Yes, I prefer close spacing. Mostly there are 2 tile between my cities. I think my largest city is pop 22-24, and only 12-15 of these are 'working' citizens. And since I've had 8 luxuries since 450 AD or so and I've got marketplaces in all cities, all is well...

 

[Moonsinger]

Thank you Darkness! Based on these conversations, I know exactly what I must do to improve my game. From now on, I will squeeze another city in between those cities that have unhappy people. Instead of adjusting the luxury slider and counting on the Cure for Cancer, I will just go head and build more cities in between to eliminate any unhappiness.

 

[superslug]

Moonsinger, you were right in my Chieftain thread about my packing my cities in too tight, but I'm glad to see your gaining appreciation for the theory!