Tricky way to make a lot of money

[vinstafresh]

Yesterday I was building pyramids and lost this wonder to a rival civ. The hammers generated 400 gold with which I was able to slide my science and culture up a notch.

So: when you're behind in tech and you just know you can't finish a certain newly to be built wonder before another civ, try and build it anyway, if your current situation lets you (don't do this when you are at war). When another civ finished the wonder (and that's the tricky part, it works only IF another civ finishes it), you get your hammers paid in gold (at least on warlord). I guess it will make for a nice last resort strategy.

 

[Dairuka]

Not really a strategy, but a good way to keep players in the game even after losing the Wonder Race. Nothing annoyed me more than losing the Wonder Races in the Civilization 2 where wonders were crucial. In Civ 3 I didn't even bother with Wonders... In Civ 4, I try anyways thanks to the extra gold bonus.

Another good way to make quick money is to reduce the % of research during the last turn before a discovery. Just make sure to lower it just enough so that you still discover the technology in 1 turn.

Although, there some speculation is that it directly slows down the next technology, in that research "may" carry over. However, I'd prefer the extra money boost anyways. Especially during the later era's when I have Universal Sufferage on.

 

[Heroes]

People say that extra beakers when discovering a tech is carried over to the next tech, so you don't need to play around with sliders any more. You don't really gain extra money, since you still need to pay it for next tech.

The interesting thing about money from losing a wonder: how much is the hammer : gold ratio? Looks it's 1:1? If so, then that's indeed viable.

 

[vinstafresh]

IMO, the strategic part is to join a race without the intend of winning it and deciding whether or not you can afford to play this gamble (you might wind up getting it after a lot of turns anyway, without the money-boost). Maybe it's better to build units or buildings.

 

[Disguise]

But the question is, would you be better off just putting the city on wealth production for the equal number of turns?

 

[Dairuka]

Disguise has a good arguement there.

Personally I'd never put wealth on, nor would I ever waste production for the sake of some quick gold.

You'd be better off pumping out extra workers, for the sake of building cottages than waste your time getting beat to the completion of The Oracle.

The money bonus is just Sid's way of keeping us interested in the game, even if we lose the Wonder Race.

 

[vinstafresh]

But the question is, would you be better off just putting the city on wealth production for the equal number of turns?

I'm not sure about Civ4, but in Civ3 the shields/gold ratio was 4:1. This is a garanteed amount per turn and it can be switched at will. The resulting rate of hammers and gold at once is 1:1 (presumably). That's why it is a tricky gamble...

 

[vinstafresh]

The money bonus is just Sid's way of keeping us interested in the game, even if we lose the Wonder Race.

My point is to deliberately losing a wonder, so you'll get a 1:1 gold bonus more quickly as an 'exploit' of being kept interested It's like a pre-wonder build, which can have a positive effect on your entire empire. The extra money can be used to rush buildings in other cities or as a buffer to boost science for a little while.

 

[holodmer]

or you use the money to just rush the next wonder (yes its posible)

 

[Heroes]

or you use the money to just rush the next wonder (yes its posible)

That's possible, but wasteful, because when you rush, the ratio of cash : hammer is 5:1 ...

 

[King Jason]

or you use the money to just rush the next wonder (yes its posible)

Oh man. this changes everything, I had like... 3000 gold near the end of my game and was beat to all of the luxury wonders, which I wanted because I have yet to get any of em.

knowing this is fun.

 

[GoldenAge]

or you use the money to just rush the next wonder (yes its posible)

Is it really? In my game last night I was only allowed to rush units or buildings. I was unable to rush wonders or parts to my spaceship.

 

[holodmer]

I have just rushed Spiralminarett (at least thats the german name) yesterday in a Multiplayer game

maybe its limeted to multiplayer games

 

[abbamouse]

You can rush almost every wonder, but there are a few exceptions. I rushed the Pentagon, Spiral Minaret, Statue of Liberty, and a few others last game. However, I was NOT allowed to rush The Internet. Odd.

 

[CitizenCain]

And the more important question is why anyone would prefer to have a few hundred gold than a wonder. In my experience, gold is almost useless until later in the game when you can switch to advanced civics - there is some small use in having a stockpile so you can run a deficit if you expand too fast and in upgrading those warriors -and by the late game when you can use gold, a few hundred gold barely rushes you a theater (for example), and might pay to upgrade one unit. Maybe it's just me, but I'd rather have the Pyramids than pay to upgrade my warrior to an Axeman and I'd much rather have the Eiffel Tower than rush build a theater in my new city.

 

[Rillion]

Well its not tricky but a Great Merchant will bring in a ton of gold. I got one from a city and didn't really have much for him that I need right away so I marched him across the continent to a large capital city and after establishing his trade mission it gave me an immediate 1500 gold. Plus it provided a boost to my trade income each turn.

 

[JavalTigar]

Look in the civilpedia, there are wonders and then there are projects (internet, space ship, sdi) these can not be rushed.

I still think the hammer to coin value is slightly off. It shouldn't cost more to upgrade a unit than to create a new one.

 

[m15a]

sorry if i missed it in this thread, but does anyone know the ratio? also, how does having a production bonus (from having stone/marble or being industrious) factor in? if it doesn't factor in, that might be more useful. regardless of the question of whether it's better than making an actual building, it's still good to know how much you risk to lose if you don't build a wonder.

i am definitely glad to get at least some money back, though. i always seem to lose the wonders race with a turn or two left.