Tech Progression for a Space Race Victory

[AtriumComplex]

Please bare with me, I very new to this game. Go ahead and argue or point out fallacies, that's why I put this article on a forum. I tested this method on Settler, just to see if I missed any important techs and I won by Space Race in 1992.

If you already have the tech, just skip it.
Mining
Bronze Working
Mysticism
Polytheism
Agriculture
Masonry
Priesthood
The Wheel
Pottery
Writing
Metal Casting
Mathematics
Currency
Machinery
Alphabet
Drama
Music
Monarchy
Feudalism
Guilds
Monotheism
Theology
Paper
Printing Press
Banking
Education
Meditation
Philosophy
Liberalism
Economics
Code of Laws
Civil Service
Nationalism
Constitution
Democracy
Replacable Parts
Gunpowder
Rifling
Sailing
Iron Working
Compass
Calender
Optics
Construction
Engineering
Astronomy
Chemistry
Steel
Scientific Method
Physics
Corporation
Steam Power
Assembly Line
Railroad
Combustion
Electricity
Industrialism
Flight
Rocketry
Radio
Plastics
Computers
Fiber Optics
Fission
Fusion
Robotics
Biology
Ecology
Satellites
Refrigeration
Genetics

 

[AtriumComplex]

Reserved for later.

 

[AtriumComplex]

Reserved just in case.

 

[DaveMcW]

There are only a few techs important enough to beeline for. The others depend on the situation.
Pottery
Alphabet
Democracy
Assembly Line
Rocketry
Computers

Here is a good reference for space race strategies. http://forums.civfanatics.com/showthread.php?t=146377

 

[AtriumComplex]

You're right. I got a Space Race victory like 30 turns sooner.

 

[Orca]

Try using a Financial Civ (e.g. Mansa Munsa is a very solid choice) and build cottages on almost all river tiles, this should you enable to finish much faster.

 

[HawkeyeGS]

This is all well and good but IMHO the best Civ players (which I am not) are those who can adapt to any given situation. Following your stratagy you leave out very important techs and delay others. If an aggressive rival attacked you during the middle ages I am sure he would not holt his hoard because you said you were flying into another solar system. You Civ would get its collective buttocks handed to it in a doggy bag before you were burned at the stake for whitchcraft.

 

[VoiceOfUnreason]

I think a guide like this should include discussion of the research trends of the AI - there's something to be said for researching down the other branch of the tree, then trading across.

Also, it might be worth crossmatching these techs against the great people, so that one can more easily see where the research jumps can come into play (ie : are any of the non scientist GPs going to be useful for research?)

 

[Roxtar]

I tested this method on Settler, just to see if I missed any important techs and I won by Space Race in 1992.
. . .
Mining
. . .
Agriculture
. . .
The Wheel

At Settler you start out knowing those 3 techs regardless of whom you play as. (That's one of the reasons I stick to that level )

 

[Roxtar]

Also, it might be worth crossmatching these techs against the great people, so that one can more easily see where the research jumps can come into play (ie : are any of the non scientist GPs going to be useful for research?)

I've known GPs to be able to discover (or at least hurry research of) the following techs:

Artists: Horseback Riding, Drama, Music, Theology, Divine Right, Feudalism, Printing Press, Nationalism, Communism, Computers.

Engineers: Metal Casting, Machinery, Gunpowder, any space race tech.

Merchants: Machinery, Printing Press, Replaceable Parts.

Scientists: Mathematics, Philosophy, Education, Printing Press, Chemistry, Physics, Biology, any space race tech.

Prophets: Monotheism, Code of Laws, Theology, Divine Right, Civil Service, Paper, Education, Printing Press, Liberalism.

There may be more, but this is as far as my experience & memory serve me.

 

[Cam_H]

Just a thought regarding the end of your technology tree more so than technologies leading up to the space tech's (which I'm sure are too situation-specific to generalise about), but wouldn't you want to go after Robotics earlier than listed in order to get access to either/both Mechanical Infantry and/or the Space Elevator (as well as the mandatory Docking Bay)?

I've read that many people don't bother with the Space Elevator as the view's been put that it's a bit of a waste of a wonder but I'm inclined to grab it if it's there. At the same time, by going for Robotics prior to Fibre/er Optics, you keep the Kremlin alive for cheap Infantry to Mechanical Infantry upgrades (then again, Communism isn't even on the list above).

I'm guessing that Fib' Optics and Fusion were placed as higher priorities due to the possibility of a free Great Engineer(?).

 

[AtriumComplex]

I've been doing a lot of playing around with Space Race and haven't really come up with anything to groundbreaking when it comes to research progression. My new idea is to beeline to Alphabet and from there keep at relitively the same tech level when it comes to research. A good tip I can give though is to reach Nationlism (as well as Democracy and Constituation) relatively early from their amazing civics. Don't be afraid to draft an army into existance if you feel threatened. Drafted infantry are way more effective for border cities then the musketmen and grendiers that will probably be attacking you at that point in the game.