Social Policy (+Ideology) Combinations/Synergies

[Paramecium]

I am very curious what are your experiences/opinions about Social Policies and Ideologies in general and in combination with certain civilizations. At the current state of the mod, SPs and Ideologies seem to be quite balanced at the moment.

I want to start with an obvious example:

1. Tradition
2. Artistry
3. Rationalism
I: Freedom
Civ:Korea

Korea is Science focuesed and has a great synergy with Great People Generation. But Korea can be played in different ways.
Another combination which is coming to my mind is:

Germany -> Aiming for Diplomatic/Domination Victory:

1. Progress
2. Statecraft
3. Industry
I: Autocracy
Civ: Germany

Germany is mainly focused on CS relationships and wants to be played savly in the early stages of the game. I am still unsure how good Germany is on Authority. But Progress is pushing for a strong infrastructure which helps greatly later on in the game for Diplomacy and Dominations and Industry has a general good synergy with Germany since their UB is buffed with it (and through +2 trade routes from Statecraft).
Autocracy is offering Germany a possibilty to use their UU window aggressivly or to help them win the Diplomatic Victory. Or even the Culture Victory if you want to use Germany's CS boni for CV or SV. But at the same time, German can work very well with Freedom, too.

That are two example what I am curious about. What are your combinations? Your favorite ones? What are those, which are making it nearly too easy for you? What are your achievements with it depending AI difficulty? What could be alternatives?

 

[black213]

Progress-Fealty-Industry-Order Spain was really fun and effective in my game with them. I expect Authority-Fealty-Imperialism-Autocracy to work out nicely for them too.

 

[tu_79]

If you plan on spreading a religion, Progress, Fealty and whatever synergizes better with your founder pantheon. If you are Byzantium, anything, Fealty, anything. Religions give you two or three 'powers' that can synergize with several policies, so it's not as if you are stuck with a social policy playing a specific civ.

But any Great People strategy has Tradition, Artistry and Freedom mandatory.

 

[Favorius]

Progress-Fealty-Industry-Order is nice for wide-turtling strategy. I had some nice emperor victories as Korea, China and England using this combo. I found religion and spread at least 1/3 of the globe also.

 

[Ziad]

Authority - Artistry - Imperialism - Autocracy (Japan) - Culture Victory

With Japan it's quality over quantity but you still want as much quantity as you can. Authority helps with both.
You want to quickly expand in the early game to mark your territory. You want a small set of core cities, and you want to avoid having to conquer cities for territory.
The reason for that is that you want to limit warmonger penalties to war declarations. Try to pick on the stronger civs. The goal is to engage in as many battles as possible to make use of the Dojo bonus and UA.
The tourism afforded by the GP procs and winning battles will be a significant portion of your output.
Artistry has a lot of synergy with the UA and often times the bonuses to GP generation allow you to proc your UA even during times of peace or little action. It also has clear benefits for culture victories.
Imperialism allows you to make even greater use of your UA and makes warfare even more beneficial.
With a few points in Autocracy, you can blitz the enemy most resistant to your culture and likely end the game right there.

All hail the emperor on the Chrysanthemum Throne.

 

[Zarrk]

Progress - Artistry - Imperialism - Autocracy (France) - Culture Victory

Mostly for the same reasons as Japan, except you need less but bigger victories to fuel your UA and you benefit from quantity over quality.
Extra science and faster workers will help bringing châteaux and musketeers quicker and the fact that your national motto is found inside the Progress branch is a nice bonus.

 

[Paramecium]

I am currently trying a bit with Authority, but I still feel uncertain what I should pick for the medieval social policy tree. Fealty feels good, but it is better if you have your own religion or at least an Holy City nearby to get one, at best before it gets enhanced.
But what are your alternatives? The extra production from Authority might be good for early DUs spam, but it feels to me like that a Progress start for Statecraft is feeling stronger in long term. Artistry might be good, if you plan to switch from a Dominance Victory point of view to a science victory.

So, what are your typical or atypical Authority combinations with your different civs?

 

[tu_79]

I am currently trying a bit with Authority, but I still feel uncertain what I should pick for the medieval social policy tree. Fealty feels good, but it is better if you have your own religion or at least an Holy City nearby to get one, at best before it gets enhanced.
But what are your alternatives? The extra production from Authority might be good for early DUs spam, but it feels to me like that a Progress start for Statecraft is feeling stronger in long term. Artistry might be good, if you plan to switch from a Dominance Victory point of view to a science victory.

So, what are your typical or atypical Authority combinations with your different civs?

You took Authority for the immediate reward, not for later synergies. If you played authority to enlarge your empire, then anything but artistry will fit. Fealty will give some science you might be lacking, Statecraft will do the same, if (big if) you are behind in techs. I'd probably take Statecraft if you don't feel the religions available for capture are worth it.
Also, befriending many CS would lead to wars, and there authority has more to gain.

I'd probably take fealty if planning to dominate. Statecraft otherwise.