What Wonders Do You Build?

[Narz]

I know its probably been asked before but not by me.

More specifically, what wonders do you go for in what order (of course it depends on the game, landmass, 1player or multi, etc. etc. so I'm asking in genral, which ones do you try to build?

Narz's Top 3 Wonders for each time period:

Ancient
(1) Pyramids : This is usually the deciding wonder in a Multiplayer games and for normal games I like it too. I hate building granies and most other wonders you can just go out and capture if the AI builds it.

(2)Hanging Gardens : I used to never build this one but I find its one of the most helpful of the early wonders and the fact that it lasts until Railroad is great. I always build it in my main city to get "we love Narz day" and republic trade in Monarchy (or fast growth in Repub. or Democ.)

(3) Colossus : This one is a big boost if you got a large profitable city, but if you can't waste the time to build it or someone with a city near you (that you can take) builds it then just get it that way.

Renaissance
(1) Mike's Chapel : Build this as soon as possible in a well protected city. It is one of the best. The only way you shouldn't build it is if you're supremely confident that you can quickly capture it once someone else does.

(2) Marco's Embassy : I never used to build this one either but now that I know the trick about exchanging maps (just give the AI enough free tech and they'll switch with ya) its great. It beats building diplomats and sending 'em (possibly to their deaths) all over the map. Its also a good one in MP games.

(3) Magellian's Expedition : The importance of this depends on the map but in most games, especially towards the end, naval superiority is a critical issue.

Industrial
(1) Leonardo's
(2) Adam Smith's
(3) J.S. Bach's

'nuff said

Modern
To tell you the truth I rarely get to this stage of the game, I've usually won already The only one of these I really make an effort to pursue is Hoover Damn.

So what does everyone else think?

 

[KingWilly]

Gotta agree with most of your rankings there Narz. Gotta love the Pyramids early on. Don't know if I'd rank the HG second though. I'd probably put the Colossus second, just for its extra trade (especially for SSC or an OCC game). Also, the Lighthouse can be really important in some games.

Renaissance rankings are good. Just have to get Mike's Chapel, esp. on the higher levels (doesn't really matter on lower levels, except to increase score). Like yourself I didn't aim for Marco's either, but it can be really helpful for diplomatic purposes as you mentioned. A must have on large maps where the AI is scattered.

For industrial, I'd probably stick in INC, instead of Leonardo's. I used to always build Leonardo's but the fact that units lose their vet. status gave me the s**ts. INC really helps the science, especially when combined with Col. & Cop. Observitory.

As far as Modern goes, I really try and build Hoover Dam, Seti Program (for the science boost) and Apollo Program (for the space race victory).


All Civ2 players should play the Civ2 GOTM.

 

[sethos]

If I can I build them all. In one of my games I managed to build 20 WoW - with a single city (OCC - deity).
Pyramids are great - but not a must have in SP (don't play MP often - lack of time).
As i mentionend in another post HG gives a kick to your expansion, and Mike's gives you a boost.
For big empires, Adam Smith's really helps you.
I think that Leonardo's is overestimated - and it will become obsolete. I build it only to prevent another civ from building it.
Hoover Dam is a must have.
SETI comes to late in the game - then nearly all my cities have libraries and universities and market places and superhighways and the other science raising stuff.

 

[kmad]

Colossus- all that early trade is hard to pass up
Hanging Gardens- on emperor or deity the happy guy helps a lot
Pyramids- like the growth
Leonardo's Workshop- like the shields saved
Michaelangelo's Chapel- just incredible
Hoover Dam- you win the space race
SETI Program-
Apollo Program- i dont need to build this but i like to before they get the space techs
Adam Smith's Trade Co- save a lot of monay

 

[eyeball]

My favorite wonders (in no particular order):
Colossus, Copernicus, Newton - all in same city for a HUGE amount of science
Pyramids - a growth boost without using shields on granaries
Leonardo's- free unit upgradessave time and shields in a war situation
King Richard's - shield bonus for one citgy, use it to build lots of wonders
Michalangelo's - helps the happiness problem without the expense
Adam Smith's - saves TONS of gold

Wonders I never build:
Apollo - I always win by conquest
Lighthouse - I am almost never in the seas in the early game
Manhattan - Nukes = pollution = global warming, also it enables them to do it to me
Oracle/Hanging GArdens - I only play at lower difficulty levels so I don't have happiness problems that early

 

[starlifter]

Ancient
(1) Colossus - Far and away #1 in the Ancient era.
(2) Hanging Gardens
(3) Pyramids

Renaissance
(1) Mike's Chapel - I will possess this. It is the #1 wonder in the game.
(2) Marco's Embassy - Almost too powerful, esp. with early Trade.
(3) Magellan's Expedition - Crucial to science, too. Might choose Copernicus on some maps as #3.

Industrial
(1) J.S. Bach's - Easily #2 in the game.
(2) Leonardo's - Nice, but not essential.
(3) Adam Smith's

Modern
(1) Hoover Dam
(2) Cure for Cancer
(3) Womens Sufferage

 

[Old n Slow]

I think that I’m too fascinated by the Wonders (there’s pun potential with that thought but I’m too lazy to work for it ).

One of the observations that I’ve seen is how the ai seems to go for Wonders -- of the ancients, Oracle seems to go last; Pyramids & Colossus seem to go first. So as I looked at it, rather than four groups of comparisons, I feel for some of us middling players, there seems to be eight or nine groups of choices -- the Early Wonders @ 200 shields, the remaining earlies, the first few of the early mids (MPE, CO, & STWA) and so on.
------------------
But to answer the question:

Ancient

1. Colossus -- (SSC)
2. Great Library -- (Insurance)
3. Great Wall -- ( Ditto)

If I start playing at Emperor & Deity more, then I’ll have to reassess the above (add HG); also if I start power trading better, then I will definitely reassess (once I get up to speed, I’ll be able to comfortably drop the GL ).

Renaissance

1. Mike’s
2. Marco’s
3. STWA, Magellan, Cope’s, KRC, ST -- argh I like them all! I like sticking ST and KRC in the SSC with Cope’s (had to have one non acronym). But Magellan’s is unique and after one plays with it and boats, it is hard to go back to slo-mo.

Has anyone fleshed out the difference of the growth of the SSC with ST & without? Does the quicker growth (with ST) offset the Cope’s effect? I’ll probably go with Magellan if I can’t snag the fully operational SSC

Industrial

1. Leo’s
2. J S Bach
3. SoL, because if I have to limit myself to three at each stage, I need toggle a few Fundy turns to correct the situation.

Modern

1. Hoover
2. UN (weak choice -- can I go back & grab another Renaissance Wonder?)
3. SETI
---------------------------
Bonus follow question -- If Smash were to give us a Wonder

at the start of the game which Wonder would you choose? SETI? Mike's? UN? Cure for Cancer?? Hmmm another Poll opportunity

 

[starlifter]

by Old n Slow:

at the start of the game which Wonder would you choose? SETI? Mike's? UN? Cure for Cancer?? Hmmm another Poll opportunity

Actually, I've tried seveveral combinations of games with both Humans and AI getting certain wonders, to see the overall game balance. So, your comment started me thinking about how that might be done in a GOTM. The end result is not quite ready yet the implementation I have in mind would make for a very unique GOTM to date. I did post a poll, but with the limit to the 7 ancient wonders, to see what people think would be the most practical wonder from their perspective in BC 4000 .

Here.

 

[Old n Slow]

Starlifter, good poll.

Almost as interesting is to sift through the answers -- note the high rankers in GOTM and their choices (HG); the rest have scattered answers.

 

[Archer 007]

Ancient
1. Pyramids
2. Colossus
3. Hanging Gardens

Renaissance
1. Marco's Embassy
2. Mike's Chapel
3. 2 tuff to pick a third

Industrial
1. Leo's Workshop
2. Smith's Trading Company
3. Bach

Modern
1. Hoover Dam
2. SETI
3. The rest of em stink

 

[Jamesds]

My best are:

Ancient:
[1] - Collosus - In capital, increases trade (more tax, science, lux')
[2] - Pyramids - Get bigger cities=Bigger score
[3] - Great Library - Quicken (in some ways) your tech discoveries

Renaissance:
[1] - King Richards Crusade - In capital, get wonders quicker
[2] - Michelangelo's Chapel - Saves Gold and brings happiness
[3] - Copernicus' Observatory - Science, build where Collosus is.

Industrial:
[1] - Leonardo's Workshop - Upgrade Units (VITAL!!!)
[2] - Adam Smith's Trading Co. - Saves UNCOUNTABLE Gold!
[3] - Statue of Liberty - Get this, gov' switching must be quick

Modern:
[1] - Hoover Dam - Increases shields while decreasing pollution
[2] - SETI - Research lab in every city - more science, plus research labs are expensive to upkeep!
[3] - Apollo Program - See the world. If the enemy gets their spaceship to a 'near-to-launch stage, capture their capital city! Al their hard work down the drain!!!!!!!!

MUST NO HAVE:
[1] - Manhattan Project - You can build nukes, they can too. Global warming is probably just around the corner!

 

[CultureFreak18]

I play on Warlord, so my choices will be a lot different than you diety/emperor players

1. Adam Smith's Trading Company
2. Leonardo's Workshop
3. Michelangelo's Chapel/J.S. Bach's Cathedral combo
4. Great Library
5. Women's Suffrage

Those are my favorites. If you don't like em', well, then I guess if we play multiplayer I'll get em' (lol...sadly, I don't have multiplayer).