[GS] When is it too late for SV on deity

[Mahi]

I was wondering if people have a general rule of thumb on when they consider a SV to late to catch up on the competition. General you are pretty far behind on the science on deity until you get a proper Empire going later in the game. I find myself losing a couple of turns to a SV before I get it myself and always debating with myself mid game if its worth aiming for or if war is the way to run to instead.
Standard speed on a standard sized map

 

[InsidiousMage]

I was wondering if people have a general rule of thumb on when they consider a SV to late to catch up on the competition. General you are pretty far behind on the science on deity until you get a proper Empire going later in the game. I find myself losing a couple of turns to a SV before I get it myself and always debating with myself mid game if its worth aiming for or if war is the way to run to instead.
Standard speed on a standard sized map

How turns till the AI wins and how many cities do you have that can do laser station projects?

 

[vorlon_mi]

I don't play Deity level, but these comments are about a Science Victory overall.

First, how far are you behind? Assuming Gathering Storm and later, how many projects have you finished? Do you have any Great People to speed up the projects?

As @InsidiousMage wrote, how far is the AI ahead? Have they launched yet?

A key insight: Once the spaceship is launched, it becomes a numbers game. The ship needs to travel 50 LY, starting out at 1 LY per turn. Each laser station that is built adds speed, so that it can go 4, 6, 7 LY per turn. The AI rarely build these accelerators, but you can (and should). Each city with a spaceport can build a terrestrial laser station and (at least) two lagrange point stations. Maker sure that you've built the Royal Society and that you have a pile of builders streaming towards your Spaceport cities.

Approximate math: if the AI ship launched 10 turns before yours, but you have 3 Spaceport cities, you could build 6 laser stations (one of each kind) to get to 7 LY per turn. Overtaking the AI ship is possible. If the AI ship launches 15 or more turns before yours, you would need even more Spaceport cities and workers. The numbers may not work. Fewer than 10 turns, you should be able to overtake the AI ship.

 

[Naokaukodem]

War is always good, and nearly a must-have in Deity I would say. (problem is that with backwarded units you got one shot by walls) I give up my games (I go only for SV) when I'm late on about 15 techs on the leader in some middle era. (when I can't settle nor conquer basically)