technology in the late game

[MqsTout]

No matter what I do, even on easiest difficulties (I usually play at Warlord for most 'passive fun') -- I cannot keep up or ahead in the tech race in the end-game.

I don't rely heavily on wonders for tech such that losing them kills my strategy, nor do I over expand -- I manage to keep my tech research percent 80% most of the game without money loss. I don't use research-hindering civics and I switch to research-helping ones as they become available. I even often put off "Scientific Method" a few extra techs because of it obsoleting monasteries (but not going too far down only one branch of the tree at once). I've got a healthy mix of coastal cities and cities with lots of fully-grown cottages/towns around them specialized in science, and only a few of my cities are specialized in production.

I really don't know what happens that the AI (not even financial ones!) always leap past me so well in the tech race once the modern era is reached Does anyone have some tips for late game research?

(Warlords 2.08)

 

[Galileo44]

Could you give us a save or some screenshots to see what is happening easier?

 

[Uncle E]

Hey MqsTout,

I had the exact same situation when playing on warlords difficulty. Now I'm cruising on noble and soon making a jump to prince (hopefully). Here's a few things that I wasnt doing and noticed from what you wrote.

- By staying at 80% and w/o money loss, you are definitely not expanding enough! I used to do that and would be ok early to mid game and then wonder why all the AI civs would just speed away in tech. Expanding w/ a lower research rate sometimes means more beakers overall! keep expanding and backfill in cities and make sure to cottage spam enough.

- Another thing I didnt do was trade for techs. I now beeline to alphabet and trade writing for all the small techs that i was missing along the way. Trading the same tech to multiple AI's in the same turn nets you a big tech gain. I also make use of the oracle / CoL or CS slingshot and again rush to Liberalism and usually pic Economics for the free GM. idk if thats the best choice there, but its fun.

Try those two and throw in a small war or two along the way to gain valuable resources and you should see a change. By all means, this is just a small suggestion as I'm still new here too. I took advice that I received and that's what worked for me.

Mahalos!

 

[cabert]

OK MqsTout, uncle E gave you the best advice I could think of.

In your next game what about trying to be a tech whore?
Tech order:
1) agri or fishing, depending on what you have in the initial fat cross
2) mining + BW
3) Animal husbandry (AH isn't as necessary if you don't have animals!)
4) wheel
5) pottery
6) writing
7) alphabet
8) trade pottery/writing for whatever you can get (don't hurry, you have a monopoly on tech trading, so pick the best you can get, then wait one turn to get better techs out of it).
If you're somewhat lucky, you should have
- hunting
- mysticism
- meditation
- polytheism
- masonry
from trade.
9) trade alphabet for "good" techs (= mathematics, then currency, construction, HBR...).
You have lost the monopoly on alphabet, meaning your neighbours will trade like crazy.
10) if you don't have currency, go for it
11) Code of laws
...
after that you go for liberalism. At the level you're playing you don't need to hold any tech to "protect" your liberalism. If an AI has a good tech to trade for, take it.

When you're 1 turn from liberalism, check what your opponents have.
if no one has either philo or education, you can try to get a "better" free tech from liberalism.
For example, you can research gunpowder and then go back to liberalism and earn chemistry as a freeby.

build order :
- worker
- warrior
- settler
- worker
- warrior (or axe!)
- settler
- worker
- axe (warrior isn't going to be very useful in AD time)
- settler
- axe
- worker
- settler
- spear
- worker
- settler

That gives you 6 cities. At warlords level, you should find room for 6 good cities.

Tiles improvement :
- first food resources in the capital
- then gold mining
- then strategic resources + connection to road network
- then cottages
- start chopping after you have mathematics


After that you build libraries in good commerce cities, barracks and units in good production cities.
Then go to war until there is no one left

If you play it right, you shouldn't need any better unit than grenadiers.