Which wonder to rush with SGL?

[splunge the 2nd]

Advice anyone?

I'm playing the Byzantines on a small/very small (it's random) archipeligo map on Regent setting and very early in the game I got a scientific great leader for getting writing first (looking for the early run to Republic).

The question is which wonder should I use him for? The Pyramids are a waste as my starting island is tiny. I'm thinking getting literature and rushing the library to shore up my techs I missed by rushing towards Lit and Republic vs mapmaking and the lighthouse to get Dromons sooner and an early expansion to other islands.

I understand it's a matter of opinion, but I'm curious to see what people think.

 

[Tone]

I'd go for the lighthouse. Dromons with an extra mp and the ability to use sea tiles will be just awesome. It depends upon the actual map you have but you might also be able to trade with some other civs which will be good for shipping luxes in. Also many civs might not have a safe path to reach you until Astro and so you can place your military wherever you want.

(GLib on Regent? Surely only for 20K games?)

 

[ecuwins]

Tone is correct about the Lighthouse. If you had more land I would say Pyramids. The Lighthouse will speed up your expansion in this case.

 

[splunge the 2nd]

(GLib on Regent? Surely only for 20K games?)

20K games is cultural victory?
Why not the GLib on Regent?

 

[megistatos]

Why not the GLib on Regent?

On regent the build rates for player and AI are equal, so you should generally keep scientific parity with them, if not a lead. Given a decent start, researching and trading should be enough- the GLib would be a waste of 400 shields.

Unless of course you are going for 20k, in which case the GLib's 6 culture per turn make it the best ancient wonder for this victory condition(not to mention that science can be more problematic early on in such games).

 

[Marsden]

The Great Lighthouse is extremely helpful, just as Tone said. Depending on the victory you want, you can easily dominate the seas for the rest of the game. Dromons can easily kill any other ship up until ironclads by stacking and bombarding, they have lethal sea bombardment.

 

[Mursi lives]

The question is "is there civs you cannot safely reach?" (not sure on tiny/small maps). If there are such civs, yes the lighthouse is the most logical choice.
But if you already can go safely everywhere, I would look for a place with ivoiry, rush a barracks and the SoZ. Yes, it's only 200 "free" shields, but on a small/tiny map, with slow AI reseach, and your dromons dominating seas, it would be fast and easy conquest.

 

[AutomatedTeller]

I'd absolutely go with the Lighthouse.

Being scientific, you have cheap libs anyway, plus a free tech, so the impact of the GLib is lessened.

 

[Lexicus]

Rush the Lighthouse if you have a tiny island. I usually keep a SGL handy for Leo's Workshop, but GL sounds like a better choice on your map.

 

[splunge the 2nd]

Thanks everyone!

I managed to meet and greet (I assume) all my rival civs and have caught up tech-wise establish good attitudes with all but the Germans (who declared war on me for not ponying up alphabet) and have a small fleet of Dromons. My start position was really lousy- a tiny island with room for 3 towns, no grassland, no resources except 2 luxuries. We'll see if I can make some headway by setting up towns on the unpopulated islands without corruption messing me up. Wish me luck!

 

[Lexicus]

. .. .. .. ., that sounds hard. Good luck, man.

 

[Elephantium]

On regent the build rates for player and AI are equal, so you should generally keep scientific parity with them, if not a lead. Given a decent start, researching and trading should be enough- the GLib would be a waste of 400 shields.

Unless of course you are going for 20k, in which case the GLib's 6 culture per turn make it the best ancient wonder for this victory condition(not to mention that science can be more problematic early on in such games).

On low levels like Regent, pretty much any human player ought to be blowing the AI out of the water in production and research once they have a basic understanding of MM. Parity should really only happen for players who are still learning the game or maybe for players who feel lazy and use the governor and automated workers.

 

[iambenben]

i would usually rush the lighthouse, leonardos or any other wonder related to happyness

 

[bryanwallace]

very stupid question,but how do you get an sgl?

 

[Tone]

Not a stupid question at all. You need to be the first to research a tech. If you do get a tech first you have a 5%/3% chance of getting an SGL depending upon whether you are scientific or not.

This can be switched off so you also have to have this option enabled when you set up the world settings, choose your rivals and all that.

 

[D0NIMATRIX]

Great Lighthouse, all the way.