What to do in GA?

[Effing]

Perhaps this seems to be a newbie question (like the HD discussion perhaps), but I don't really know what is best in the Golden Age, or what is the most effective that will help you also in later times after the GA has ended.
I use it mostly for research and building up a strong military with lots of cheap units. I imagine you could also use it to earn lots of gold or building up your cities, but I don't really know what is the best and most useful thing to do in a Golden Age.

-hf-
Thx in advance for all the replies

 

[Phantom Lord]

Very difficult question, since it depends on two factors. WHEN does it happen and WHAT is your plan at that moment.

GAs give you an edge no matter if you want certain wonders or more military power in an actual conflict. Middle age GAs usually result in getting some wonders (Sun Tzu, Leonardo, Michelangelo), the use of early GAs depends on if you if you're at war with a neighbour or not imho. If an early GA gives you the possibility to conquer your starting continent, everything's fine. Late GAs have the advantage that more cities benefit from it, but you can't always chose the right moment.

 

[MummyMan]

War is probably the best thing you could do. Or another very important thing would be to build up your marketplaces and libraries, which i consider to be very important.

 

[Woody]

I like to build wonders during my GA, that extra production is great for this.

 

[Chieftess]

It really depends, but if you like to build wonders, then the early middle ages (when you get cathedrals, universities), is PERFECT. Especially if you're India, or Japan. India is better, since they're commercial, and that means, you can build culture AND have a large army at the same time. In Tournament 3 Game 1, I played as India, and China attacked me just as I was building War Elephants (I could build cathedrals, and universities were close by). 6-7 turns for about 20 cathedrals isn't too bad.

 

[Bismarck]

Bear in mind that you usually get GA's as the result of a *war* (at least on higher difficulty levels, where wonders are few and far in between). So, since you're already at war, the temptation is great to just keep on churning out military units, so that you'll be able to obliterate or seriously cripple your opponent, rather than just whittling 1-2 cities off him (without the GA).

 

[Scyphax]

As stated the GA is usually the result of war.

I usually dedicate 2-4 of my cities to wonder production even when at war.

The remaining productive cities will be either creating useful city improvements or units. If it is a tough war then all those with barracks will be producing troops, those with harbours ships, with airports planes and the remainder artillery.

Frount line cities (usually corrupt and unproductive) create cultural improvements to extend my borders and if rail links are not available a few create barracks to provide RR for injured units.

 

[anarres]

As others have said, it all depends on your long-term objectives.

When I'm not going for a tech-related win (spaceship or diplo) I tend to concentrate on war, and hence build units. Only if I am at peace and a war would not be instantly productive will I go for improvments.

Wonders are often still out of reach on Deity (even in a GA), but even when they are not I wouldn't automatically build them. Just remember: if the AI can build the wonder, you can take their city and get it anyway.

As I am learning to my horror, playing aginast humans is a different matter