Which Wonders do you build?

[obsolete]

For a normal sized map, I think only the GL would make the game a lot easier, versus 2 out of those 3. This is because the effects of UoS would be so small compared to the investment, and the SM comes from one of the most dead-end & useless techs, which is in the most poorest tech-tree to begin with.

Not to mention, it is a rediculously over-priced tech at that.

But I suppose on a map where you had 50 cities, you can expect a good ROI from it.

 

[ParadigmShifter]

Pyramids + Great Library = much easier game.

If I get the Pyramids I tend not to bother with temples etc. because of the extra happiness from representation. I build a few monasteries in my science city if I get the chance, but I'm normally building units there anyway. So the religious building boosting wonders never really get a look in for me. I can get the Pyramids safely these days nearly all the time (on Monarch), I build worker first in capital, grow to size 4, whip a settler, grow back, whip another, then start building the pyramids and nearly always get it unless there's an industrious leader around with stone. Lots of chopping is performed though. On Noble level I used to build Pyramids after getting just 1 settler out, then dropped that plan for my Prince games because I always got attacked mid Pyramid building by Monty or someone like that. After struggling a bit on Monarch, I've gone back to a Pyramid friendly strat. I find it the best way to keep up in tech pace with the AI.

I don't think I have ever researched Divine Right unless I want to lightbulb military tradition and the Great Artist wanted to bulb that instead, I'll probably trade for it though in that case.

Divine Right really needs a free Great Prophet or something to make it worthwhile I think. Versailles is stupidly expensive too.

 

[obsolete]

You know, at one time a lot of people here used to think Pyramids was an awful choice because of its big expense, and that it only allowed you to change between a few civics. Civics which, everyone will be allowed to use anyway at one point or another in the game.

Looks like we have come full-circle.

 

[StuntedAzrael]

In almost every game I try to get Great library. If successful then National epic in the same city. Synergy is very powerful. All other wonders are situational and it depends on my Industrius trait and strategic resources at hand.

 

[ParadigmShifter]

I've certainly come full circle anyway. I always used to build pyramids when I first started playing. Then I got beaten up badly in my first prince games (noble is too easy I think) and stopped building it, going for oracle and great lib instead.

Now I've refined that strat and ignore the oracle unless I get priesthood early and have marble. Beakers from representation is worth more in the long run than a cheap free tech from oracle that you can trade for later anyway. Although I do like an oracle->metal casting->engineer pyramids gambit, but only on epic speed where you have more time to build a forge and the GP points required are larger, so you have more time to get your engineer going. After reading your threads obsolete I am keen on settling any priests though now, just don't seem to get any with my current games, but if I do (if I do build oracle), I'm not annoyed anymore (reserve that for artists from parthenon or national epic, grr).

EDIT: Skipping the oracle means I don't found confucianism though. Religion is dangerous at monarch level anyway - it does save building monuments or libraries though. I get Taoism from the first GS out of the GLib most of the time anyway.

I always go for the great library though. EDIT: And I often get Hinduism too since it is on the way to literature, if I have mysticism at the beginning. I don't pick that as a religion though on monarch, far too dangerous!

I only really use pyramids for representation, but do change to police state during a long war to cut WW. Having the pyramids also means you can skip monarchy and all subsequent techs until you need banking for rifles. I guess the cavalry beeline (which I'm just beginning to get good at) is nerfed in BtS though.

 

[obsolete]

Well a big bonus with Pyramids, is you can skip the whole constitution branch. Then you take advantage of the UN exploit to get around the emancipation demands, (with no anarchy either!).

In most my Emperor games (if I can get marble near by early), then I love grabbing Temple of Artemis, but you have to be fast! That marble also makes Oracle build super fast for you, and as well as library, so you can take some extra liberties. Then you can also couple a GE slingshot to grab the pyramids.

Now your Rep boosts both your two library specialists, AND your artemis priest. They cost absolutely no food to run, so you're making 6 + 6 + 3 beakers now, just on the science side, even if you turn science funding totally off and run no manual specialists. Eventually, that +1 hammer & gold the priest makes could pay for itself if you try to not obsolete them too soon ( and get your forge modifiers up, etc).

Don't forget you STILL get gp pts while they are running!

Oh and if you get the Wot, that priest doubles its hammer production too.

 

[popejubal]

I dearly miss the Pyramids of old. Anybody remember that?

A FREE GRANARY in every city.

I can't even imagine how amazing that would be in Civ IV even with the lower number of cities that people end up building.

...I think I'm going to go make a mod.

 

[ohjames]

Pyramids are great. Oracle I like, if I think I can pull off Oracle->Metal Casting->Forge->Great Engineer->Pyramids.

Beyond that, my favourite is–oddly enough–Angkor Wat. I think priest-heavy SEs are just the cat's pyjamas and you can get multiple temples in cities in the early game for multiple priests, but only one forge for only one engineer. With Angkor Wat, priests are better than engineers anyway!

 

[Sisiutil]

Pyramids are great. Oracle I like, if I think I can pull off Oracle->Metal Casting->Forge->Great Engineer->Pyramids.

Beyond that, my favourite is–oddly enough–Angkor Wat. I think priest-heavy SEs are just the cat's pyjamas and you can get multiple temples in cities in the early game for multiple priests, but only one forge for only one engineer. With Angkor Wat, priests are better than engineers anyway!

The only downside to AW and running priests all over the place is a plethora of Great Prophets, who generally become less useful as the game goes on. I tend to just settle them in the Wall Street city; the extra gold is nice, but a late GS, GE, or GM would be nicer.

 

[obsolete]

WallStreet is ok in some cases. However, if you have an Oxford/IW city, then there lays a superior double-whammy benefit for a GP. That city will also have your typical market/grocer/bank buildings as well, so you only really miss out on the WS.

BTW, I never have bothered going for the oracle --> forge shot. My only real slingshot/gambit maneuver is GW first then use GE from there for pyramids. Though +1 gpp is a little short, and takes a while without philosophical so you want to dump other GPPs into there from SH, etc. But then you may risk getting GP instead of GE.

I have had some odd emperor games where I had to wait until my third great person arrives, before I got the GE, and yet the pyr was still around to rush-build.

 

[LotusDagger]

My favorite wonder is Hero Epic. Although every civ can build its own, the earlier you build your own in a decent production city, the better. I recently played an immortal game. This is the only wonder I built.

Other than that, The Great Library is always good. It helps tremendously for the race towards liberalism. I found AI does not really prioritize this wonder. If I research Alphabet and Literature, and build this wonder with the help of chopping and whipping, 9 out of 10 times I can get it. Then I generally put NE into this city to help generate a few GS used for liberalism race. But it is a big trade off between researching literature, building this wonder and researching construction, building units. On emperor and above, the early expansion war is almost necessary. Catapults and War Elephants are huge help. And a few turns delay may mean the difference between facing longbow or facing archer in enemy's city. I found myself ignore GL more and more in preference for catapult, war elephant and other units.

Both the Pyramid and the Oracle have huge benefits, but it is really difficult to get at the higher level. You have to balance between the expansion and wonder building well.

 

[Coase]

I dearly miss the Pyramids of old. Anybody remember that?

A FREE GRANARY in every city.

I can't even imagine how amazing that would be in Civ IV even with the lower number of cities that people end up building.

...I think I'm going to go make a mod.

Ah, but the Pyramids of OLD old (Civ I) let you switch to any government type...

Full circle, indeed.

 

[The Bowman]

I do remember the pyramid from III! I was pretty peeved that they changed it in IV. Now I'm so used to it, I had forgot that!

Would it be worth it to build it now, for the same price for the Civ III traits?

I highly doubt it.

 

[Loose Nut]

I am looking forward to always building the Hunter-Seeker Algorithm in BtS.

What?

 

[manu-fan]

Moved up to monarch recently and I don't go for any wonders right now ... more focused on building troops and capturing holy cities and wonders

Hey,

I'm trying this now in my latest game with great results. I'm only playing Noble, but am heading towards my earliest domination win and highest score ever!

Cheers.

 

[IAM]

Situational:

If I found an early religion then that becomes a big part of my strategy so wonders like the spiral minerat I'll race for.

If my leader doesn't have creative trait or benefits from monuments (charismatic or Egyptian) then I'll race for Stonehenge.

My personal favorite is the pyramids. If I have stone or forest to chop etc. I'll go for it.

"When I come back no more Mr. Nice Guy." Adolf Hitler

 

[axident]

World Wonders:

Stonehenge - if not Creative, helps with city placement

Great Wall - if Industrious or have stone or lots of forests to chop; the great spy that ensues ensures that I can stay alive with 0% on spy, so it's sort of like having +11% to research

Pyramids - if Industrious and I really feel like it; or if I have stone

Hanging Gardens - if I have spare capacity, since health is so important later, and the +1 size is great for whipping

Oracle - only if Industrious or marble

Great Library - to help get a Gr Sci for an Academy

Parthenon - only if great engineer, or marble, or I think I can get it first somehow

Colossus and/or Gr Lighthouse - only if I have time

I can't ever seem to get the Mausoleum (sp?), or many of the theologically-oriented wonders of the classical age... it would be nice to have the Statue of Zeus or something, though

Similarly, I'll try for Uni of Sank and Spiral if I can get them, but I'm usually mired in some other major construction project

Taj Mahal - always if I win liberalism and take Nationalism

Statue of Liberty - always

Pentagon - always

Modern happiness (Broadway etc.) - always

Cristo Redentor - if not spiritual

3 Gorges Dam - always