The worst technology?

[RD-BH]

...

Currency IMO is the most important tech in the game. I highly value it. The sooner I get Alpha the sooner I get Currency. There are many times I build research on top of building wealth.

...

And why do spies have nothing to do with passive espionage. Do you not use spy siege?

Currency is researched:
... after Mathematics (250x).
... ... increases chop yield.
... ... unlocks Aqueduct (+2/100x)
... ... unlocks Fort (various uses)
... ... unlocks Hanging Gardens (w/Aqueduct)
-or-
... after Alphabet (300x)
... ... build Research
... ... unlocks Spies
... ... Tech Trading (if enabled)
... ... Tech Brokering (if enabled)

I do on occasion use spy siege,
... but more often use promoted mounts and/or advanced melee.

By the time I'm starting to build Wealth,
... I'm usually >20x
... 100x Aqueduct becomes more reasonable. (situational)
... I have the option to quick build Hanging Gardens. (situational)
... Workers can build Forts. (situational: canals/resources/defence/stack muster)

Alphabet loses [some of its] usefullness because of where it is in the Tech tree.

 

[Dr.Null]

Fascism is somewhat of a useless tech.

Paratrooper can be pretty useful.

 

[Manco Capac]

Paratrooper can be pretty useful.

Oops. I forgot their existence.
I'm not too found of modern wars. I should though.
Anyways, I prefer Boudica ultimate units skill to use enemy roads. Imagine using their railroad for ultimate kill.

 

[Manco Capac]

Let myself amend:

Then Divine Right is useless...so typical of an answer.
Only uses are for Spiral Minaret for a big empire boosed by monasteries/temples along AP bonus plus Sankore.

But for most people, if one reach the state of a big empire, the game is won.

Versailles is useful only for a corp-powered economy. Since everyone here hates corp, then useless.

 

[TheWilltoAct]

Hmm I like Divine Right as trade bait, although I probably value the Minaret a little high. The possibility of a religion isn't bad either.

 

[Manco Capac]

Heeee. People keeps contradicting me.

Ok, the most useless techs are those that the AI favors highly and being easily tradable as well.

 

[TheWilltoAct]

Fascism is somewhat of a useless tech.

(Actually I agree with this one. )

It's mostly opinion + one's game experiences. Personally I don't like the Ancient religious techs, and often beg them from the AI.

 

[Manco Capac]

It's mostly opinion + one's game experiences.

This.

 

[rfcfanatic]

Fascism is somewhat of a useless tech.

In a city where your military units start with experience 9 (or 16), the free Great General you receive can make a pretty decent difference

 

[rfcfanatic]

Versailles is useful only for a corp-powered economy. Since everyone here hates corp, then useless.

I don't hate corps I find them pretty useful. Especially Mining Inc and Creative Constructions and sometimes Cereal Mills.

 

[rfcfanatic]

The later the technology the more useless. I'd probably vote for Divine Right myself as the earliest tech I don't need. Robotics is pretty useless. I've never had a game where Mech Infantry was a real need (Modern Armor and Aircraft earlier). I don't care for Laser either.

There is a set of game settings where mech infantry/modern armor strategy becomes important - huge map on quick speed. Ordinary infantry slows down the tanks they are supposed to defend but mechanized infantry does not slow down the advance of all-powerful modern armor.

 

[Sueff]

Currency is researched:
... after Mathematics

-or-
... after Alphabet

Well I usually go Alphabet->Math->Currency for the ~+15% for having both prerequisites. Being able to build research for Math and Currency (probably even other techs in between) also really helps before you get to Currency.
That said, I never play with tech trade (since I play MP 99% of the time) so I can't get it for free.

 

[CivMcNut]

There are many games I play and win where I never even research Divine Right AND Theology. Neither one of these lead to anything else or are prereqs for other techs. I really like organized religion so theocracy is kinda lost on me. On higher difficulty levels another civ will discover these techs first and found the religions, and if you're not too worried about loosing out on a few wonders both of these techs can be completely skipped in favor of all the other more pressing techs that do lead to something.

I did like the post about scientific method and astronomy, they both rule out a lot of important things, but at least they lead on to vital techs later on.

 

[rah]

While it doesn't happen often, I've gone games without researching archery.

 

[nerdfighter13]

Would you use warriors to defend, or go strait for pikemen or crossbowmen? That would seem pretty hard. I'll have to try it.

 

[traius]

Well I usually go Alphabet->Math->Currency for the ~+15% for having both prerequisites. Being able to build research for Math and Currency (probably even other techs in between) also really helps before you get to Currency.
That said, I never play with tech trade (since I play MP 99% of the time) so I can't get it for free.

I used to do this too, but after crunching some numbers, it is almost always better to just go for currency; remember it adds to your beakers per turn, so Math> Currency > Alpha is in fact faster than Math > Alpha > Currency, expecially if your slider is low (which it usually is at that point in the game for me)

 

[Sueff]

so Math> Currency > Alpha is in fact faster than Math > Alpha > Currency, expecially if your slider is low (which it usually is at that point in the game for me)

That's why I go Alpha->Math->Currency. Alpha only needs 1/5 more than Math and being able to build research + the discount...hmmm...have to check it out.
To be honest, I often throw GLib techs, Iron Working, Monarchy or Metal Casting (depending on the situtation, but usually one of those) in the mix after Alpha, so I really need being able to build or fast and Alpha can help much earlier.
Afterwards I think going Math->Currency is faster than Currency->Math.

Would you use warriors to defend, or go strait for pikemen or crossbowmen? That would seem pretty hard. I'll have to try it.

I think you get the units confused here. I guess, like me, rah might not go for archery if he has bronze at hand and doesn't seem to need horse archers (or doesn't have horses). Spears and Axes are enough for defense and noone uses archers for attack?

 

[nerdfighter13]

Thanks, I forgot about spearmen and axemen.

 

[lymond]

Also keep in mind that you are usually going to trade for things like Maths and Alpha on higher levels unless you bulb one or the other early, which sometimes can be a good play on higher difficulties.

So on lower levels, I would beeline Alpha but on higher levels look to setup a trade for Alpha. Often that is by teching Aesths.

 

[TheWilltoAct]

There are many games I play and win where I never even research Divine Right AND Theology. Neither one of these lead to anything else or are prereqs for other techs.

Divine Right leads to Nationalism.

And Theology leads to Paper and Divine Right... which probably feels like leading to nothing.