Which civ is most fun for a space race?

[eewallace]

I've done some satisfying warmongering as the Greeks and Aztecs, and done a cultural victory with Gandhi, so I'm now ready to try for a science victory (which was my favorite in Civ IV).

The choice of good civs for warmongering and cultural victory seemed pretty obvious, but which is good for a space race seems less obvious. Nobody except China has UB that provides science, and the advantages there don't seem significant. I'm thinking maybe Greece or Siam (for the city-state advantages), or maybe Russian (which looks all-around good, and I haven't tried playing Russian yet).

Suggestions?

 

[delra]

Bybylon I guess with all the great scientist they can use for slings blitzing through tech tree like it was butter... Their special unit, building and trait beg you to play a defensive specialist economy.

 

[eewallace]

I just have the regular version of the game--Babylon isn't an option.

 

[Polterer]

Having the same problem here, don't have Babylon, and I guess your choices are pretty much the best ones... Perhaps Siam more so than Greece, if just for their UB...
I really wish Babylon becomes a buyable DLC at one point

 

[iggymnrr]

China can make a good case. I just finished a 2 city game with 19 puppets and an non GA of +350 gold per turn with ~950 beakers. Seeing puppets build paper makers is a sight for sore eyes.

 

[Drago Askani]

China is pretty damn good since their Library replacement the Paper House provides 4 gold as well. They have been one of my favorites so far. Though I have only won like 9 games. So still a few different civs to try still.

 

[delra]

Greece would allow you to enslave all the city states and get science bonus from them via Patronage. That along with all the food you'd get might be all you need for a good victory.

Still I feel that late in the game neither Civ bonus really matters. So you might just go as whoever you enjoy playing the most.

 

[Namel]

Try Egypt. Their ability of 20% for wonder production is quite good and burial tombs are awesome. With no upkeep you get +2 happiness and +2 culture.

 

[bhavv]

Try Egypt. Their ability of 20% for wonder production is quite good and burial tombs are awesome. With no upkeep you get +2 happiness and +2 culture.

Meh. Paper Maker pays for itself and a Colosseum, though the Egypt UB is really good too.

Hmmm, but you save a lot of temple maintenence, and get by using the Burial tomb though, I'll have to try that out.

 

[Syiss_]

Persia, Siam, Greece, or Babylon if you have them.

 

[Mathew]

I just won a space race with the Persian's, it was a fun game.

 

[Horserush]

Try going for part culture win while you're on your way to science victory. Some of the policy trees are really awesome for this (rationlism, patronage). With just a couple cities you can really get science going if you specialize heavily. Great scientists are really awesome in this game.

 

[eewallace]

Yes, I ended up with alot of great scientists in my cultural game--they are arguably the best fo the great people, I think.

Well, I've started my great space race game with the Chinese and, for the third time in a row, my nearest neighbor is Askia the irrational...Am I lucky, or what? Well, Chinese with the early, powerful great general may be a good choice for this one!

 

[glaivemaster]

I just won a very fun Space Race with Haroun al-Rashid of Arabia (just *buy* your way to victory) and I haven't tried it yet though it'll probably be my next game, India looks good as well - extra population (which science is based on) and being a generally powerful civ anyway by the look of it

 

[JanissaryRush]

Try Egypt. Their ability of 20% for wonder production is quite good and burial tombs are awesome. With no upkeep you get +2 happiness and +2 culture.

Egypt is often started near a marble square. So if I play them I keep restarting until I get it.

 

[delra]

I played today a chariot game just for the sake of testing the rush thing. I spawned 4 tiles from marble but it was too late when I found it. DO look around before you settle.

 

[bhavv]

Egypt is often started near a marble square. So if I play them I keep restarting until I get it.

I hardly ever get marble nearby as Egypt so it takes me a lot of restarts.

How I would use egypt is to build the following 4 buildings in every city:

Monument > Burial Tomb > Library > University.

The extra and no maintenance cost of the burial tomb should allow you to grow your empire larger and afford the universities, and you should prioritize getting the +1 from universities and +15% science policies from rationalism.

You can afford to keep maintenance costs low using the burial tomb, I would only build more expensive buildings if they are absolutely needed, otherwise focus on building science and gold ones instead.

Try to push out about 5 cities early on, and get to philosophy to get the burial tomb. After you have a burial tomb in each city, you can rex faster than other Civs can.

 

[KhanIndustries]

Without Babylon, when in doubt I just go Persia+Chitz for the perpetial golden age trick. I mean the production and money from golden ages is just sick. You won't even need the starship factory when the time comes. You'll have enough money to buy every.. single.. city state faster than Alexander can reduce their decay or buy/field a larger army compared to anybody else. The production bonus over the course of the game being in an almost non-stop state of golden age elclipses even that of Cathrine of Russia IMHO.

 

[Buccaneer]

What kind of production do you have in your cities that will allow you to build the 750-1000 hammer space ship parts? I understand racing up the tech tree, that's easy with most civs. But once you have Apollo, it's still expensive to build the parts. In my game, I am doing extremely well in all areas...except production.

 

[Uncle Ho]

Without Babylon, when in doubt I just go Persia+Chitz for the perpetial golden age trick. I mean the production and money from golden ages is just sick. You won't even need the starship factory when the time comes. You'll have enough money to buy every.. single.. city state faster than Alexander can reduce their decay or buy/field a larger army compared to anybody else. The production bonus over the course of the game being in an almost non-stop state of golden age elclipses even that of Cathrine of Russia IMHO.

Hey guys please could you explain the "perpetual golden age trick"...thanks