What do you use Oxford for?

[VainoValkea]

Oxford University
Requires: Education + University in all non-puppet cities
Grants a free technology, +1 culture, +3 science
Two slots for writing, +2 theming bonus for two works from other civs and different eras


Oxford University grants a free tech. I usually pop any expensive industrial or modern era tech without giving it much thought, but now I'm curious - what tech do you typically pick with Oxford? Do you wait until some expensive late-game tech like the Internet, or try to get the free tech and other benefits of Oxford University sooner?

 

[livsbrand]

Plastics for science, Archaeology for culture, Flight for domination is what I've been doing lately. Not sure if it's optimal or anything, just seems to make sense.

 

[adwcta]

Industrialization or Radio, for early ideology.

 

[Moriarte]

Combustion. 60 strength, 4 move units. Five land ships (with auto repair) plus 10 GWB (with auto repair) and 2 triplanes (just in case) are hard to counter.

 

[z284pwr]

Combustion. 60 strength, 4 move units. Five land ships (with auto repair) plus 10 GWB (with auto repair) and 2 triplanes (just in case) are hard to counter.

And if you are trading don't forget the extended trade route distance

 

[Soronery]

Usually for public schools or to rush factory tech for the extra ideological tenants.

 

[homegrown]

I almost always use Oxford for Compass or Astronomy.

 

[_megafone_]

I get it for any Wonder tech I need early if I'm behind on schedule (whatever it is, depends on what kind of victory I'm going to in the particular game); usually it's some early Renaissance one like Printing Press, Acoustics or Archaeology. If I'm good on tech over the game, I default to Plastics.

 

[ekat2468]

I normally beeline electricity and bulb radio with it for early ideology (its actually more efficent than going straight for industrialization, because 1. you need coal 2. you need 3 cities with decent enough production to build it, because factories at 1050 gold cost are VERY expensive, and you realistically buy 1)

 

[Falconiano]

Plastic if SV
Archeo/Radio if CV
Flight/Indu if Domi

 

[VainoValkea]

And if you are trading don't forget the extended trade route distance

Only for land routes, though. At that point of game, I'm typically focusing on overseas routes already.

 

[Catan_Settler]

Honest answer-- what, why bother? It's a rare game I'd be building universities in every city. Maybe a science game, but then you use it on the most expensive tech offered at the time you pop it. Cause of the awkward requirement, I don't think you can "always depend on" getting a certain tech at a certain time or anything specific like that. How do you always pop universities in all your cities at the same part of the tech tree, anyways? Oh yeah that doesn't actually happen...

 

[Tich]

Hmmm. Whenever I go for science wins I usually use it to bulb Satellites as soon as Rocketry finishes and then I uses a GE (faith bought) to rush Hubble. A lot of people seem to rush Plastics though. That's probably a better idea isn't it?

 

[digrosz]

Honest answer-- what, why bother? It's a rare game I'd be building universities in every city. Maybe a science game, but then you use it on the most expensive tech offered at the time you pop it. Cause of the awkward requirement, I don't think you can "always depend on" getting a certain tech at a certain time or anything specific like that. How do you always pop universities in all your cities at the same part of the tech tree, anyways? Oh yeah that doesn't actually happen...

Well, if you're playing tall (e.g. 3-4 cities) you'll find yourself actually building universities in all three of them fairly quickly. Even when playing wide or semi-wide, the universities are so bloody good that I always build them. +33% science, man!
Unless you're ICS'ing or something, building universities everywhere will actually happen.

Now on topic, I usually bulb a tech depending on the game I'm in. If I'm going cultural and feel I need more great tourism => Archeology
If I'm going science and it would take too long for a key tech like Sattelites, I bulb that.
It just really depends on the game I'm playing.

 

[VainoValkea]

Honest answer-- what, why bother? It's a rare game I'd be building universities in every city. Maybe a science game, but then you use it on the most expensive tech offered at the time you pop it. Cause of the awkward requirement, I don't think you can "always depend on" getting a certain tech at a certain time or anything specific like that. How do you always pop universities in all your cities at the same part of the tech tree, anyways? Oh yeah that doesn't actually happen...

Universities are a high priority building, I expect all my cities to have them soon after researching Education. Especially when playing tall. Even when playing wide, a large part of my cities are always gold-churning puppets that aren't required to build a university.

 

[andrew00100]

Most of times save up around 3500 gold pop Oxford for industrialization.
Buy coal from city state and insta ideology

 

[VainoValkea]

I'm usually broke at that point because I believe in every child's right to education. So I buy public schools instead of factories for them to work in.

 

[andrew00100]

I'm usually broke at that point because I believe in every child's right to education. So I buy public schools instead of factories for them to work in.

Waging wars in Renaissance is a good way to get some precious gold

 

[VainoValkea]

Good point, I'm actually playing a warmongery game right now and making a decent amount of money from by conquests. However, public schools and factories come at around the same time and both are expensive, it's hard to afford each!

 

[andrew00100]

Good point, I'm actually playing a warmongery game right now and making a decent amount of money from by conquests. However, public schools and factories come at around the same time and both are expensive, it's hard to afford each!

I often have this dilemma too but the two SPs on ideology is more appealing to me. I play on standard speed so it normally takes 10ish turn to pop scientific theory. In a ordinary game I could save up gold for one Public School in this period. I would buy the Public School for cities w/ less hammer and hard build in other cities. So far this strategy works for me up to emperor.
I have not tried this on higher difficulties because I tend to prioritize military techs and units in those games