Which Civs aren't Pidgeon-Holed?

[Kim Dong Un]

Now obviously you can play the game however you like, and it may even be a fun challenge to purposefully select a policy opener which isn't in the best interest of the played civ, but which civs are considered able to succeed with any of the three openers?

You're never going Authority with Brazil for example, meanwhile you're almost always going Authority with Zulu, Tradition with Arabia, etc. Although I've had back to back games where Attila/Shaka have selected Progress and have paid for it by still trying to warmonger. In general it seems Progress is the standard now, as AI which would normally be picking Tradition/Authority are often going Progress. Unless 100% sure from the beginning that you or the AI are going for CV or Domination, you really can't go wrong with Progress. OK I digress...

Back to the initial question, I'm using China for the first time and noticed how complete a civ she is. I really could've went with any of the three openers and I would've been in a good spot even if I'd taken Authority due to her UA bonus for conquering. Which other civs would you all categorize as being strong with any of the three opening policies (obviously choices will still vary by game situation). Off the top of my head I'd guess China, Japan, America, Indonesia, Babylon, and maybe the Celts? Just curious for input from others.

 

[Noob Fanboy]

Byzantium, Ethiopia, Poland, Inca (with enough terrain) in the list.

 

[CrazyG]

I've had a ton of success with Authority Brazil and Tradition Zulu.

Arabia is pigeon holed really badly, but very few others are in my opinion. Many warmongers are really good with progress (the Huns come to mind)

 

[chicorbeef]

Germany, Siam, Ottomans, Portugal, Netherlands, Morocco, all have fairly general bonuses and can be played in many ways. Statecraft civs can be played in many ways because Statecraft can be played in many ways.

And Shoshone....they're the Shoshone.

 

[saamohod]

You're never going Authority with Brazil for example

My latest game was Brazil with Authority. I had no choice but to pick it up in order to get an edge over my Iroquois neighbor with his early Mohawk Warrior spam. Due to my choice I managed to vassalize him and take his Holy City, and from then on my game was a blast and I was in the top charts.

 

[ElliotS]

I've had a ton of success with Authority Brazil and Tradition Zulu.

Arabia is pigeon holed really badly, but very few others are in my opinion. Many warmongers are really good with progress (the Huns come to mind)

This. More pigeon-holing is expectations than reality imo.

I remember when people were convinced that Eponia was the most OP pantheon for Celts and needed to be nerfed to hell. Then I pointed out that Luga was twice as powerful at least and blew everone's mind. (Many things got nerfed and reworked, including both Eponia and Luga) I didn't realize it until I was forced to objectively consider all the Pantheons and take my personal experience out of it.

The problem is that people were so used to playing Celts one way (pictish warriors and early expansion) that Luga wasn't considered because it requires you to play differently and sucks if you play like normal but pick it. However when you really focused on using it, it blew everything else out of the water.

Similarly because people want to play say... Zulu in a specific way Tradition isn't considered. Tradition is terrible for... traditional... Zulu play. (Excuse the pun.)

However if you focus on getting tons of yields from authority focused in your capital and snowball tradition style off that Zulu is very good tall. You just need to focus on it.

I mean most things suck if you don't play to their strengths.

 

[XplosiveLun]

I do pick authority with Brazil. Back to a few patches before, you get large sum of culture from Brazil camps. With Tribute policy and expansion pantheon, you could generate lots of faith, production, gold, and food. It maybe partly because I'm a huge expansionist and imperial player, Authority is very viable.

 

[Bromar1]

I think Persia can be pretty flexible. The only social policy tree that isn't that great for them is progress because they have early uniques so science is not as needed for them. Other than that, Persia can do well with every other tree. Authority for Immortal rushes, tradition for golden age synergy with ua, fealty for more warmonger rush, statecraft for gold synergy with UA, artistry for golden age synergy with UA, imperialism for UB synergy, rationalism for golden ages, industry for gold synergy with UA...

 

[HalfEmptyMug]

Authority/Imperialism Venice is an interesting alternative to the general Tradition/Statecraft/Industry route. Authority grants you a free Merchant of Venice and gives you the ability to buy skilled mercenary units en masse with the finisher, then, paired with the Arsenale di Venezia, Imperialism's navy buffs and upgrade discounts allow you to keep a modern, potent military that can conquer super buffed puppets. The increased merchant generation from those puppets can then be used either to acquire more city states or befriend them to gain control of the world congress and large sums of gold to keep your war machine chugging. There's also the tourism route with Artistry and the Murano Glassworks, though I haven't tried it personally yet.

 

[ElliotS]

I think the good question would be: "What civs ARE pigeon-holed?"

Other than Arabia, I'm not sure. Anyone else?

 

[HalfEmptyMug]

Korea's probably the most pigeon holed of anyone with their UA, UB, and UU all tailored around playing tall.

 

[Deadstarre]

if Brazil with Authority is so good... how come the Brazil AI top policy selection is never Authority? by top policy selection I mean a setting where AI picks what it thinks is best without any random factor. has anyone seen Brazil take Authority on this setting? I havn't.

and thats not just Brazil, there are a lot of AI who pick branches very predictably, especially the opening ones.