When to buy?

[Rosicrucian]

Can you give me a good idea of when to buy things, and good spending limits?

For instance, should I purchase settlers as often as possible at the beginning (obviously half-built settlers, ones I pay about 50 or less for)

Also, I'm in a multi game, should I hasten to purchase Mike's for 900?

 

[Duke of Marlbrough]

I buy units (especially settlers) early on when possible. Be sure to step buy the units though. There is a post here showing what step buying is all about. Anybody know exactly where it is?

If your opponent is working on Mich's, or you may even think they might be close to getting to it, buy it if you can. In a multi-player game, it usually makes the difference between winning and losing.

Throw as many caravans as you can into the city, or even disband units you no longer need (or can do without for now) into the cities production. Wonders cost 4 gold per shield. Another trick I use is to rush buy caravans. They cost less than a Wonder, but can be used 100% for building wonders.

As far as sepnding limits my general rule of thumb is the divide the $ needed to rush build by the number of turns left. If it is 8 or less I usually buy it. Also remember, you don't have to buy the whole item. Change the production to a lesser item that costs less, buy that item, then change the production to the bigger item and you are that many turns closer to finishing.

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Thanks,

Ray

[This message has been edited by Duke of Marlbrough (edited June 26, 2001).]

 

[woke25]

Yes, caravan rushing is always more profitable then buying a wonder. What I do: i rush buy caravans from far away totally after the first build turn (say 1 turn build caravan 4 shields, then i rush thrue all the lines up to 50) and rush the closer cities to the wonder per line, making the line full every time. I start this when i start researching the tech of the wonder or earlier. mostly its 4 or 5 turns to discover it. If you dont have enough gold for the rush buying, put your tax to 80 1 or 2 turns. You better have the wonder tech 1 or 2 turns later, then that you have to wait building the wonder 1 or 2 turns after the tech. Because if you do this, you risk the possibility that your opponent steals the tech and build the wonder quicker then you can.

Always try to have your caravans arrive at your wonder at the same time. this is why i rush buy the far away cities completely and the close caravans in stages. Cost/50 = # of caravans needed. be sure you have this amount of caravans arriving at your wonder when you research the wonder tech. Its mathematics for distance to trafel to your wonder city, buying the caravans and researching the tech.

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Woke23

Civ Fanatics Ladder Operator

 

[thedirk]

I too will rush buy caravans from nearby cities rather than rush buying the wonder itself (cheaper). Unless of course you are less than 50 shields from completing the wonder, in which case you will waste a portion of the caravan.
For units, I never rush buy from scratch. I at all possible, wait one turn even if it produces only a few shields. This greatly reduces the completion cost of the unit. Unless I am loaded with cash, my rule of thumb is to only buy units and improvements that are at least half finnished or more.

 

[HIEROPHANT]

In fundy govt rush buying certain improvements helps you with money in the long run.

 

[starlifter]

posted July 10, 2001 02:25 AM
In fundy govt rush buying certain improvements helps you with money in the long run.

Even in the SHORT run, a marketplace, bank, stock exchange, temple, colosseum, Michelangelos Chaple, JS Bach will all raise gold quickly! The sooner you get it done, the sooner these improvements will raise cash.

BTW, when you have the above in all your cities, it is almost always time for Democracy... and massive growth!