Slider adjustment strategy in the Industrial Age

[1940LaSalle]

At the moment, in C3C, I (as Bismarck) am comfortably [?] in the lead (score ~375 with the nearest rival ~205) at 1812 AD. Presently I'm researching refining, with plans for steel next up, followed by scientific method, atomic theory, etc. From what I can see, none of the AI powers are in the industrial age--at least not visibly.

Anyhow, I have my sliders set at 0.8.2, going flat-out on research in the hopes of getting almost a full age ahead of the AI. But I'm wondering if that's such a great idea. (I should mention that I worked out a deal that has the English essentially subsidizing this tech push.)

One other sort-of-related question: would it be a reasonable idea to research fascism and/or communism as trade bait? I don't believe there is any real advantage to fascism, and if I recall correctly, communism allows building police stations but that's about it.

 

[dexters]

Even without CivAssist II, (though I'd recommend you get it) you can usually be pretty sure that you can ramp down your research slider by 10,20% or as much as 30-40% as a tech near completion to recapture some of the overflow beakers.

You can earn a significant amount of gold doing this. Naturally, the actual amount is dependent upon a lot of factors, map size included.

 

[joycem10]

One other sort-of-related question: would it be a reasonable idea to research fascism and/or communism as trade bait? I don't believe there is any real advantage to fascism, and if I recall correctly, communism allows building police stations but that's about it.

The AIs will pay insane amounts for the goverment techs, but they always prioritize those techs for research and stick to the top of the IA tech tree, so they may have some progress on those techs by the time you are done (if you have a scientific rival who pops nationalism they may even beat you to the goverment techs). If they do have some progress in, that will reduce the amount they pay. Be sure to shop it around.

I usually stick to the bottom of the IA tech tree. THe AI always stays to the top of the tree allowing you lucrative trades, it gets you to replaceable parts (infantry + arty which basically means the end of the game) and it gives you the Theory of Evolution GW for two free techs.

 

[Bowsling]

steel should come before refining. even though refining reveals oil, AIs value it high. you can trade with steel quite a bit though.

 

[Spoonwood]

What victory condition do you want? I wouldn't bother researching the governmental techs. Other techs work as trade bait, and on top of that it looks like you don't need any trade bait. What level are you playing at?

 

[Bowsling]

What victory condition do you want? I wouldn't bother researching the governmental techs. Other techs work as trade bait, and on top of that it looks like you don't need any trade bait. What level are you playing at?

Unless 1940LaSalle has a huge empire or an empire that's still developping, in which case they might want facism or communism. if he plays like me, note my title, then he might want communism.

 

[1940LaSalle]

What victory condition do you want? I wouldn't bother researching the governmental techs. Other techs work as trade bait, and on top of that it looks like you don't need any trade bait. What level are you playing at?

Playing at the chieftain level (I'm still kind of new at this), I'm shooting for best score (is that the right way to put it?); i.e., to be tops on the histogram when time runs out.

 

[Spoonwood]

Yes. But, you'll need to irrigate all squares that you can, have hospitals in every city, and clean pollution for centuries.