What if you ignore religion?

[northtexan95]

Has anyone tried ignoring religion? Yes, you lose the founding bonus but you gain time and resouces to build other things. Then later on you could adopt the religion of a nation you're wanting to be friends with for awhile longer.

 

[Glassmage]

I just lost a game to Polynesia because I focused too much on religion. >_>

 

[mabalogna]

I've been ignoring religion mostly and it hasn't been a negative factor for me. I've been messing with the Dutch so most of my games are focused on trying to see how well i can exploit their UA to get ahead.

 

[CivCube]

It's possible to find religion in other ways. I ignored building a Shrine as Germany and tried to expand. I founded a city next to a religious Natural Wonder and busted a barb camp next to a religious city-state, giving me 8 faith per turn. I wasn't paying attention to the city-state and ended up surprised when the Pantheon showed up.

 

[GrumpyGamerLP]

I am doing a let's play and I am ignoring religion as Carthage. I don't know if it is a good idea or not but I am going to see how it goes.

 

[Squibbon]

I am mild with religion. I only spread to city states for the diplomacy, but let other civs get the religion naturally. I have never had to use inquisitors, but its Espionage that makes it for me. I have only stolen 1 tech (my spies suck like that), but I have caught every single spy in my boarders. Apperently a civ does not like being caught.

 

[Kabloosh]

I am mild with religion. I only spread to city states for the diplomacy, but let other civs get the religion naturally. I have never had to use inquisitors, but its Espionage that makes it for me. I have only stolen 1 tech (my spies suck like that), but I have caught every single spy in my boarders. Apperently a civ does not like being caught.

I found fast teching so you have superior tech then stationing your spy in your own city will level it up REAL fast. I have 2 special agents cause they are so busy killing other nation's spies.

I think they purposely choose the city with the most potential too making it easier to catch on.

 

[Squibbon]

I found fast teching so you have superior tech then stationing your spy in your own city will level it up REAL fast. I have 2 special agents cause they are so busy killing other nation's spies.

I think they purposely choose the city with the most potential too making it easier to catch on.

I was disappointed when I found out that only 3 promotions were given to a spy.

 

[Kabloosh]

I was disappointed when I found out that only 3 promotions were given to a spy.

Yeah. My second spy became a special agent in 1 turn cause she killed 2 spies on that turn.

 

[Atwork]

I have a positive feeling that the espionage system will grow with time (mods + devs).

As for religion, I'm probably not going to found one in the game I'm playing. Playing Persia, emperor difficulty, on large map, 22 civs, 25 CS, Epic speed.

I'm on turn 143 and I only have 65 faith. Haven't been able to focus on it though. Lots of early skirmishes. I have had to play aggressive militarily because I'm pretty much in the middle of the continent--no ocean cities. But, I've had my eye on Ethiopia's capital for a few thousand years because it's gorgeous, it's on the coast, and it just happens to be the holy city for christianity. I took his second city in an early war and I've been trying to keep him pressed by paying people to war with him frequently. He still hasn't managed to replace his second city.

So, while I haven't focused on founding my own religion, I nonetheless have been focused on getting one. My military is top notch, my tech is buzzing along, my three cities all have great infrastructure, and my capital is rocking with 2 wonders--great library and petra. The Petra is incredible in a city with desert around. With Petra in my capital, I'm putting out 34 production, 25 gold, and 20 food per turn, at population 7 (in golden age right now).

My second city (the one I took from Ethiopia) is about to start building the national university. My third city is pure military and strategic defense, but it's production is complemented by gold, wine, iron, and horses.

I have lots of gold around my 3 cities. I shot out for mints for my gold, which I just got built in two of my cities. Plus, I've just begun my second golden age (back to back), which is perfectly timed to thwart this massive assault by mongolia.

So, once i've dealt with mongolia, and now that my gold count is up, I plan on supplementing my military with a few cats to go take that religion from Ethiopia! I'm assuming religions can be conquered, yeah?

Anyways, fun game. Loving this expansion. This is the feeling I used to get playing beyond the sword, but this is better. First time I've said that. Feels good.

 

[thadian]

In the later stages of a religion themed game, you sacrifice some military and buildings for it.

Once you complete your religion you can use faith to purchase great scientists and engineers to help you catch up. Also being able to steal tech with your second spy helps (well, the first one thats promoted the second one goes to capital.)

I haven't been able to "trade techs" yet though i THOUGHT i read that you can...

 

[Huaojozu]

Ethiopia always seems to found Christianity in my games and it does very early. Sometimes even earlier than I even though I am playing Celts.

 

[GrumpyGamerLP]

Ethiopia always seems to found Christianity in my games and it does very early. Sometimes even earlier than I even though I am playing Celts.

The Celts founded Christianity in my game but then again I haven't seen Ethiopia in my game.

 

[Nyanko]

Ethiopia always seems to found Christianity in my games and it does very early. Sometimes even earlier than I even though I am playing Celts.

The Stele is a monument replacement that provides faith as well as culture. Thats proberly why they rush a religion so fast

 

[pspboy7]

Everyone has their take on religion, but ignoring it? Logically, taking a religion is always a plus given the added benefits to your empire, small or great.

 

[Ellye]

Everyone has their take on religion, but ignoring it? Logically, taking a religion is always a plus given the added benefits to your empire, small or great.

I don't think it's such a no-brainer, actually. You do need spend quite a few hammers in religion-related builds, unless you get a good chance to befriend a Religious City State or to settle near Mount Sinai.
The bonuses of founding a religion aren't so huge to make this investment an obvious decision. I feel like ignoring religion is probably a viable strategical choice (as building religion also is).

 

[Harv72b]

In a game I played one AI Civ (Germany) didn't found a pantheon until the 1800s, and another (France) never did. They wound up being two of the more powerful AI civs up through the late game (although in France's case starting position was a big part of that).

 

[floppymoose]

[...]I've had my eye on Ethiopia's capital for a few thousand years because it's gorgeous, it's on the coast, and it just happens to be the holy city for christianity [...] So, while I haven't focused on founding my own religion, I nonetheless have been focused on getting one.

Wait, wut? I thought that you don't really get the religion (ie, Founder bonus) by capturing another player's holy city.