The rush to Assembly Line

[Kawzmo191]

Does anyone hear try to get Assembly Line long before the rest of the Euros? I know it's vital as Germany for Panzers, but what about as France or Britain so you could be wildly outnumbered but still go to war on a whim, with minimum artillery and win.

I feel like it's the only way of representing how countries like Britain or France historically maintained small, but highly-trained and efficient land armies capable of dispatching foes many times their number. Otherwise I'm throwing Riflemen and Cannons at their Riflemen and Cannons and it's only a matter of time before the numbers catch up. (France v. Germany)

Although Britain has the excellent Redcoat ;] I only wish France had something as sublime for the era, like an Imperial Guard Grenadier UU......

 

[killerkebab]

I prefer the Civ V musketeer UU, actually I prefer both Civ V UUs for France. That said, I tend to rush to steam power and assembly line for the sake of finally having a huge edge in production. Factory/Levee built in every single town immediately

 

[Kawzmo191]

I prefer the Civ V musketeer UU, actually I prefer both Civ V UUs for France. That said, I tend to rush to steam power and assembly line for the sake of finally having a huge edge in production. Factory/Levee built in every single town immediately

I haven't thought about that before, what's a good path to those that doesn't wind up canning me in another area?

I've been toying with bee-lining certain techs as different civs and I gotta say, it adds some replay value.

 

[killerkebab]

I find I sort of "run into" steam power at some point since I like to research chemistry fairly early. After that, assembly line just follows on from Steam Power

 

[G-Max]

Once I'm done with the "worker techs", I typically beeline Construction, then Engineering, then Paper. From there, I'll usually take a detour for Liberalism and Economics before beelining Printing Press, then Replaceable Parts, detour for Rifling, then beeline Steam Power, Assembly Line, and finally Industrialism. I might also detour for Steel and possibly Railroads depending on my needs at the time.

I do this regardless of what Civ I'm playing, and regardless of whether I'm playing RFC or not.

 

[Leoreth]

With good micromanagement on Monarch, all European civs are able to do the Astronomy slingshot via Liberalism. After that, you're almost guaranteed tech leader for the rest of the game, not only because you saved the most expensive tech of its era, but because you have universities and observatories before everyone else.

 

[G-Max]

One thing that Master of Orion taught me is that production-centric strategies will eventually out-tech even the tech-centric strategies.

 

[Llama231]

With good micromanagement on Monarch, all European civs are able to do the Astronomy slingshot via Liberalism. After that, you're almost guaranteed tech leader for the rest of the game, not only because you saved the most expensive tech of its era, but because you have universities and observatories before everyone else.

Slightly Relevant: Getting astronomy from a goody hut in the age of exploration is pretty reliable, at least for Viceroy on DoC, so I usually get military science or chemistry from Liberalism (monarch and such are more iffy).

 

[AnotherPacifist]

With good micromanagement on Monarch, all European civs are able to do the Astronomy slingshot via Liberalism. After that, you're almost guaranteed tech leader for the rest of the game, not only because you saved the most expensive tech of its era, but because you have universities and observatories before everyone else.

I used to do that with liberalism. The better way to use the free tech is (IMHO) to research printing press first, and then get Constitution (costs more hammers). The reason is that you get an immediate boost in research when switching to representation, whereas Astronomy will obsolete some wonders and you need to build observatories first to get the benefit. Astronomy after that is much cheaper to research, especially with the Taj Mahal.

 

[killerkebab]

I always used to use liberalism for either constitution or democracy. I was going to try the astronomy tactic (I'd never thought of it tbh) but AP appears to have shot that plane down

 

[G-Max]

Am I the only one who uses the "Free tech -> free Great Merchant" trick?

 

[kairob]

Yes, because the are better techs to get.

 

[youtien]

I usually use liberalism to bulb assembly line. It's very possible in monarch difficulty.
If I am Russia, liberalism for communism..

 

[Leoreth]

Slightly Relevant: Getting astronomy from a goody hut in the age of exploration is pretty reliable, at least for Viceroy on DoC, so I usually get military science or chemistry from Liberalism (monarch and such are more iffy).

When I get such a tech from a goody hut, I usually reload.

I used to do that with liberalism. The better way to use the free tech is (IMHO) to research printing press first, and then get Constitution (costs more hammers). The reason is that you get an immediate boost in research when switching to representation, whereas Astronomy will obsolete some wonders and you need to build observatories first to get the benefit. Astronomy after that is much cheaper to research, especially with the Taj Mahal.

Interesting, never thought about that possibility. But I guess it also depends on if you also want to colonise quickly ...

 

[Llama231]

When I get such a tech from a goody hut, I usually reload.

I usually save immediately. XD

 

[Kawzmo191]

Am I the only one who uses the "Free tech -> free Great Merchant" trick?

Oh, you mean Liberalism to bulb Economics? That's what I did in this France game I started last night. Then I bulbed constitution with the merchant. I'm trying to get infantry before everyone else because I feel this is the only way to replicate the Napoleonic Wars AND the only way I can unseat Spain as the tech leader.

They beelined for Scientific Method then Physics and were able to catch up very quickly in the other areas.

I saved the game last night with me 4 or 5 turns off of assembly line and it's 1808. Building levies in Paris, Marseille, Strasbourg and Rome and I've already used Rome to pump 20 or so super Cavs out. I've given New Orleans to the Americans, they're my vassals and together with them I used my army in Quebec and Lousiana to kick the British from North America. The games played out interestingly. By not getting the Leaning Tower I didn't get my artists quick enough so I lost my first UHV, got the second, built the Statue and after I get assembly line I'm going to turn around and rush for electricity and radio, all while ravaging my closest tech opponent, Spain.

I've finally clawed my way back to the top of the score chart after 4 centuries of being 5th or 6th place.

EDIT: On second thought, I've been producing a rash of great spies, built jails and IA's in every city, and the Summer Palace in Rome. I'm so far very stable and I'm running HR - Vassalage- Caste System - Free Market - Viceroyalty! My biggest fear now is Rome respawning and taking both Rome and Marseille. Should the chances of a respawn be reduced if I build the summer palace?

 

[Leoreth]

A more historical way to replicate Napoleon is to beeline Rifling and Nationalism and draft masses of riflemen.

 

[Kawzmo191]

A more historical way to replicate Napoleon is to beeline Rifling and Nationalism and draft masses of riflemen.

Wha wha wha what? How do I draft? If it's similar to whipping, how much does it take out of my population? Now that I know this, I may go for nationalism and start drafting columns of infantry......

 

[AnotherPacifist]

Wha wha wha what? How do I draft? If it's similar to whipping, how much does it take out of my population? Now that I know this, I may go for nationalism and start drafting columns of infantry......

Drafting creates unhappiness, and you can just draft 3 units per turn...and yes, you can draft infantry if you have the tech. Therefore, usually just draft in a big city with the Opera House.

 

[AnotherPacifist]

Oh, you mean Liberalism to bulb Economics? That's what I did in this France game I started last night. Then I bulbed constitution with the merchant.

I don't like Economics too early because it gets rid of trade routes (so yes, I do research it to get the GM and use the GM for a partial bulb to Corporation which restores those trade routes) and produces instability (because I'm usually in decentralization). I research economics and corporation during my golden age, and corporation is learned just shortly after the GA ends.

You can't bulb ALL of constitution with the GM.