When should I research "trading"

[iamzyp]

When I play the CIV4, I always try to research Alphabet which allow me to trade tech with other civs as early as possible. So in FFH, what is the good time to start the path to "trading"? Should I start this path before or after getting bronze working and a religion? Btw, I always play the huge map with more than 10 civs. Thanks!

 

[MagisterCultuum]

Personally, I usually try to research Trade before I start the game. I don't care much for the slow buildup in the early part of the game, so I pretty much always use advance start with at least double the default points for buying stuff. I usually use No Tech Brokering, so I can trade tech's immediately to catch up with others and not risk falling too far behind due to rivals trading with themselves. I still try to keep trade away from them as long as I can though, so all tech trades must run through me.

 

[Breunor]

Unfortunately, the answer to everything in FfH is 'it depends', bronze working is a military tech and you may need it early. I don't usually get trade before bronze working.

Trade is more important in FfH than it is in base Civ, trade itself is a hgiher percentage of income and you have good trade boosters. However, overseas trade is harder, Astronomy comes later.

I usually consider trade as a first after the 'basic' techs and sometime a beeling for a religion. I usually find that my economy is quite tough as I expand. However, if I play a financial leader or an economic powerhouse like the Lanun on a map with water, I may delay it.

Best wishes,

Breunor

 

[DaveGold]

I think it depends a lot on your nation. Always get your defences up first. After that it is possible to develop alternative economies without trades for quite a while. Keep in mind that you need sailing or horse riding before you get trading so you can't just rush it when you need it.

 

[cabbagemeister]

Hm, I would argue that tech trading is LESS important in FFH than in base CIV because the vertical nature of the tech tree encourages civs with different playstyles to specialize. For example, the Svartlafar, who should beeline down the Recon line, will be relatively uninterested in trading a lot of techs with the Hippus, who prefer the Mounted/Econ lines, or the Amurites, who go down the Magic line. It's not that there's no interest in trading...it's just that it's less important to get every tech, and the techs you REALLY need are less likely to be the ones researched by others.

I usually delay Trade for quite a bit, unless I'm going for techs like Honor or Feudalism which need it as a prereq. The AI will eventually research it anyway, and I trade techs with them at that point.

 

[Breunor]

I agree tech trading is less important than in BtS, but I think that the income from trade routes is more important in FfH.

Best wishes,

Breunor

 

[Clove]

I never bee-line for trade. It doesn't really "do" much of anything I find critical for getting ahead in the early game. I get trade a lot earlier in games where I find the pre-reqs for trade to be more important.

The basic techs are all just so good. Markets and elder councils are extremely powerful in comparison to trade for the benefit they give compared to their cost in beakers and in hammers to build the buildings. Running a scientist and/or merchant in a high food city gets you fast early great people, which gives early economy and teching a big boost. Mining boosts hammers so much, allowing your empire to build units and settlers fast. Bronzeworking gives 4 power warriors if you have copper. Construction gives catapults that crush anything in the early game, and irrigation to grow your cities. Sanitation gives huge boosts to happy, healthy, and food. Even Runes of Kilmorph has many economic, building, and military benefits that make Trade pale in comparison.

To get to trade you have to get either horsemanship or sailing, as well as education and writing. These are good and important techs, but some are situational. I find for the amount of time it takes to get through these, you can get much further ahead getting critical early-growth techs first. But as I said in the beginning, if you need these techs earlier, then getting trade earlier too is a no-brainer.