Tech Strategy

[ironfang]

What strategies have everyone adopted? So far I have found that the best strategy is to build the great library, make contact, and then reduce science and put it into taxes. Anyone else?

Ironfang

 

[Peteus]

I didn't get the GL (sneaky French), but am having no trouble keeping up with techs (at Warlord level, of course). I didn't get all of the SSC wonders in one place either, as I got a rude surprise when my capitol (which I'm counting on for a Culture win) was stuck at size 6 for the longest time due to lack of being able to irrigate with sea water.

It does distract me that I don't get some of the updates I'm used to getting about enemy progress, particularly about their obtaining of techs! Plus, I suspect that I have liberated techs from enemy cities without being informed - can anyone confirm?

Has anyone seen a way to look at a rival civ's tech tree? I have espionage and embassies with everyone, but I still haven't figured out how to see what they have except in a klugey comparitive way at the bargaining table.

 

[Malys Faisent]

I gotta warn you about what they offer, they certainly don't put up everything that they've got. I bought a few advances from an opponent once, and once that deal was complete 2 more advances showed up on the barganing table...right after while I was still in negotiations, so I am assuming he didn't trade anyone else for them.

 

[Leonel]

What I always do to get ahead of the other civilizations is 3 things; Expand, expand, expand! Make settlers like your default construction and build as many cities over a vast area of land as fast as you can. After all, more cities, more people, more taxes, more science. And more science, more military tech, more military units, more likely you'll rule the WORLD! Myeah so that's my strategy. It also helps to build some cities along a rival's borders to try to get some cities on your side. Of course in my very first game of Civ 3, I suppose the french were slightly tee'd off by my culture taking over their cities so they sneak attacked me. I showed them by taking their capitol! But yeah, expand, expand, expand.

 

[Phorever Phalanx]

I suspect that I have liberated techs from enemy cities without being informed - can anyone confirm?

I definitely got Republic for free. The science advisor came up in a pop-up box.

 

[curmudgeon42]

are you sure that pop-up didn't come from finding a small village (scattered throughout the map). often when I land on them they give me a tech...

 

[Diety]

No offense, but it's hard to believe you got the tech from capturing a city. From a barb camp, yes, but from a city ?

 

[Phorever Phalanx]

No, it didn't come from a goody hut or from capturing a city. If it happens again I'll be sure to stop and look at the circumstances.

I really think it was just a freebie - I was already in the next age.

 

[PepsiFizz]

From what I can tell, when you go to the bargaining table, you can see what technologies the other side has that you don't have, but that you could acquire next.... It will not show a 2nd generation technology for which you lack the prerequisite.

When I got Theory of Evolution and it boosted me ahead two advances, I went to trade and saw that I could only trade Atomic Theory, not electronics... Once I traded Atomic theory for some oil and gold, then electronics showed up as a subsequent trade option.

 

[Meneer Popken]

The prerequisite thing is nice, no more AI that manages to steal the technology for armors, and then using armors while their cities are defended with phalanxes.

About the free technology, I noticed I received Nationalism for free when I got into the Industrial Age, I can't remember if I got a free tech at the previous age though.

My technology strat consists of inventing everything myself I'm playing on chieftain, and the opponents don't put too much effort in technology it seems.

 

[LKendter]

The "Free" tech.
I know this sounds a really simplistic question, but where you a civ with SCIENTIFIC? That is exactly one of the features of the science ability.

 

[Hawk X]

If you are a scientific civilization, you get one free tech for each age you advance into. If you are not playing as a scientific civilization, you do not get this bonus.