MantaRevan
Emperor
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- Oct 9, 2011
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Because I tend to find early ones unnecessary or at least awkward. What era is most appropriate?
When is the best time to activate a golden age?
- Thread starter MantaRevan
- Start date
AnthonyIII
Warlord
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I find it best if I can time it so that the GA comes straight after changing government. So if I beeline to The Republic, trade it around, then the GA often comes very early in the MA. Via a prebuilt wonder or a fake(or real) war using the UU. Let's you build tons of horsemen for a cavalry upgrade or get you very cheap infrastructure.
The best time depends on what you need from your GA. You can make a case for having it in the Middle Ages to help build some key wonders and start to take over.
You could make a case for the IA when your empire is quite large and all your core cities are producing well.
I have had games like a large demi god always war, where I had to get a GA with only 4 towns or get killed.
So what is it you need to get out of the GA, that determines when it is best for you.
You could make a case for the IA when your empire is quite large and all your core cities are producing well.
I have had games like a large demi god always war, where I had to get a GA with only 4 towns or get killed.
So what is it you need to get out of the GA, that determines when it is best for you.
MantaRevan
Emperor
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In my current game my GA was activated by Newton's University 800 A.D.
RickFGS
Deity
Usually i prefer to have my GA after i change from despotism to another government, but it all depens of course...
Building the productive infrastructure should be a good way to spend the GA, not just Granaries, Libraries, Marktplaces and key wonders, but also roads/rails/mines/irrigations and upgrading military to blitzrieg a neighbour...
Building the productive infrastructure should be a good way to spend the GA, not just Granaries, Libraries, Marktplaces and key wonders, but also roads/rails/mines/irrigations and upgrading military to blitzrieg a neighbour...
Fiddlin Nero
Prince
Well, ask yourself when would a 20 turn boost in commerce and production be most beneficial?
What's your victory conditon?
I'm a middle/late game warmonger. I definitly wait for a well producing core, railroads even better, starting production of tanks the best.
What's your victory conditon?
I'm a middle/late game warmonger. I definitly wait for a well producing core, railroads even better, starting production of tanks the best.
MantaRevan
Emperor
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I'm you going for science/culture. But since it's 1066 and I have atomic theory, it'll be science.
tR1cKy
taking over the world
Usually, right after you're out of despotism, supposing your core is already established. If not, it may be more advantageous to delay it a bit.
creamcheese
Spreading since 1990
LOL at Lincoln Spoonwood. That is definitely the hardest part of playing the US, triggering that GA.
While it does depend on victory condition, level, and civilization generally I like the GA to be right as I'm entering that tech bottleneck after the initial Medieval techs. It is often hard to get good/profitable trades at about this time and so self research is often a good idea. With luck the GA will give me 4-6 turn research for 20 turns, getting me past the hump and into the mid-game.
If I got the Great Library I will probably try to trigger my GA right after it runs out. So I get a bunch of techs for free, all the while using my cash to have a large army in republic and take some land with said army. By the time I get to education and it runs out, I have some libraries and markets up and the GA will have a very large effect on my research and I can spring ahead to cavalry for the blitz that will hopefully win the game. Building universities in my GA is very quick and then my research is set for the rest of the game for the most part.
While it does depend on victory condition, level, and civilization generally I like the GA to be right as I'm entering that tech bottleneck after the initial Medieval techs. It is often hard to get good/profitable trades at about this time and so self research is often a good idea. With luck the GA will give me 4-6 turn research for 20 turns, getting me past the hump and into the mid-game.
If I got the Great Library I will probably try to trigger my GA right after it runs out. So I get a bunch of techs for free, all the while using my cash to have a large army in republic and take some land with said army. By the time I get to education and it runs out, I have some libraries and markets up and the GA will have a very large effect on my research and I can spring ahead to cavalry for the blitz that will hopefully win the game. Building universities in my GA is very quick and then my research is set for the rest of the game for the most part.
I think most people would agree with a GA right after you are out of despotism. There may be some exceptions, but the basic reason is that Civ3 is a game of exponential growth. 1 city becomes 2, 2 become 4, 4 become 8, etc. This growth is eventually blunted by corruption, though generally the more land you possess, the better positioned you are to compete with the AI. In addition, the earlier you assert dominance, the easier the game will be.
Despotism usually takes too much of a toll on the benefits of the GA though sometimes a Despotic GA isn't so bad.
I think that there are two basic schools of thought - one is to wait until your core is stable so you can reap the benefits of an established, powerful core. The down side is that you need to hold of the GA until you are ready. The other is that the GA will help you establish such a core much faster and thus out produce the civ that is still 'preparing' to move out. The down side is that the multiplier buildings may not be around to capitalize off your GA.
That can be a tough crystal ball to gaze in to.
An early GA could help you conquer a neighboring civ and doubling your size. A later GA may help you push through the early Middle Age tech trap. I have rarely found a GA in the IA or MA to be of much use. Even late Middle Ages seems to be pushing it.
Despotism usually takes too much of a toll on the benefits of the GA though sometimes a Despotic GA isn't so bad.
I think that there are two basic schools of thought - one is to wait until your core is stable so you can reap the benefits of an established, powerful core. The down side is that you need to hold of the GA until you are ready. The other is that the GA will help you establish such a core much faster and thus out produce the civ that is still 'preparing' to move out. The down side is that the multiplier buildings may not be around to capitalize off your GA.
That can be a tough crystal ball to gaze in to.
An early GA could help you conquer a neighboring civ and doubling your size. A later GA may help you push through the early Middle Age tech trap. I have rarely found a GA in the IA or MA to be of much use. Even late Middle Ages seems to be pushing it.
whenever you want to build a wonder within 20 turns
even better when you use a wonder to activate it, 2 wonders for the price of 1
otherwise, when you're going to war with a unique unit, preferably in the medieval ages, or industrial if you've somehow not had it by then, but it can work in ancient era. usually less powerful though
even better when you use a wonder to activate it, 2 wonders for the price of 1
otherwise, when you're going to war with a unique unit, preferably in the medieval ages, or industrial if you've somehow not had it by then, but it can work in ancient era. usually less powerful though
del62
Deity
An early golden age combined with the pyramids with good food bonuses around can be useful for fast exspanion in depotism, giving your very early settler factories, though genrally it works better later on.
creamcheese
Spreading since 1990
Are you using the GA to get the Pyramids or getting it and then making up for lost time with a GA? Or are you using an SGL? SGL is my preferred way to get the Pyramids
.del62
Deity
The SGL gives the pyramids which in turn with certain tribes gives the golden age, though you could hand build it.
