AU 501: Philosophy feedback

[alexman]

The version of the AU mod used for AU 501 included a change to Philosophy: This technology was no longer required in order to advance to the Middle Ages, and part of the cost of the Republic was added to it.

If you played AU 501 using the AU mod, how did these changes affect your strategy?

Was a beeline for Philosophy the usual no-brainer for you? Or did you think twice before researching a more expensive Philosophy in case an AI was already on its way there? Would your research choices have been different if there were no change to Philosophy? Did you research Philosophy even though you didn't plan to become a Republic?

[alexman]

I used Philosophy to get Mathematics, which means that the AU mod did not appear to have its intended effect on Philosophy for me.

Still it was far from a no-brainer. I was aiming for Monarchy, but Japan already had Polytheism. Sumeria had Map Making, Code of Laws, and Literature. So my choices were a) research something that the AI already had at a discount (probably Polytheism), b) try to get Philosophy first, or c) go for Mathematics. Since Sumeria was researching much faster than me, I thought about it long and hard before I chose to research Philosophy. If Sumeria had beaten me, I would have wasted precious time towards my Monarchy goal.

[ducki]

Was a beeline for Philosophy the usual no-brainer for you?

Not even close. I had no illusions about getting the freebie.

Or did you think twice before researching a more expensive Philosophy in case an AI was already on its way there?

Nope, I still only thought once about it, just in the opposite direction.

Would your research choices have been different if there were no change to Philosophy?

I don't think so, being new to Emperor still, I decided early on that I was going for Monarchy.

Did you research Philosophy even though you didn't plan to become a Republic?

IIRC, I traded for it, then used it to get other techs I wanted.
As soon as I sized up Japan, and saw the Luxury situation, I knew I was going to need troops and happiness help - Monarchy was the no-brainer this time. At the same time, I also decided that I was going to do Monarchy->Democracy - to the point that I beelined Demo as soon as I had Chivalry for taking out Japan.

I think I even ended up getting Republic in trade at some point, but Monarchy was so attractive I didn't even debate myself when Anarchy was over. "Monarchy was so attractive" - I can't remember the last time I said that, if ever. Which means, to me, we're doing good things with the early government changes - now we just need to make it very preferable to make a second change.

[Rhothaerill]

I did not make a priority to research philosophy, preferring to get map making sooner and be able to get my dromons out to wage war on Japan. By the time I got around to researching it, no one else had yet, but I ended up missing being the first to research it by a turn or two (the Dutch got it just ahead of me).

[lockstep]

I decided to go for Philosophy after I had contacted the first 3 AI civs and suspected that the 'normal' AI would be rather isolated in this scenario. Being able to trade Writing away for some other techs surely made the decision easier.

I wanted to change to Republic eventually, but the Great Lighthouse seemed more important in the short run, so I chose Map Making as (possible) free tech.

[Arrian]

Oh darn, I think I might have voted incorrectly. I did research Philo, and I did get there first. I voted that I used it to get to Republic faster (Code of Laws), but now I'm thinking back and I may have used it on Map Making! Arg, I don't remember.

That's what I get for not taking notes.

-Arrian

[Tall Stranger]

Like several others, I used the free tech to get Map Making.

To answer your questions:

1. Yes, pursuing Philosophy was still a no-brainer for me, primarily because I was planning on a Republic GA, and wantd to get Republic quickly.

2. No, I didn't think twice about pursuing it, since I needed it anyway. If anything, I was more intent of getting it ASAP, so that I could get MM and start building dromons.

3. No. Most games I beeline for Republic. (I probably should rethink that approach, given the changes that have been made to unit support, etc. for Republic.)

[Fosse]

I went for Philosophy, and was three turns away when I learned the Dutch had it. As I recall, I stopped for Map Making along the way, in the spirit of seafaring and all that.

I would have used it for Code of Laws, which was still undiscovered, and traded that around. In short, I would have behaved just like I did in stock. First time I was ever beaten to it before, though. That was nice (in retrospect )

[Aeson]

I played Deity stock rules. I got the popup that Mausollus had been built the same turn I finished Writing. Later on I was just barely beaten to the Republic by the Sumerians.

Would be interesting to see if the AI wouldn't have gone for it so quickly as an optional tech. That might affect the player's ability to get to Republic first on high difficulties.

[Aqualung71]

I went for it, but missed out by 2 turns. The rule change didn't affect my choice, but it gives more flexibility in that you can bypass Philosophy and go for the middle ages more quickly. Of course, that can be counterproductive in the longer term since you'll probably be in Despotism longer unless you've also gone for Mopnarchy.

Overall, it probably adds more flexibility for the human player rather than the AI. Not sure how the AI reacts to the change though.

[pvzh]

I played AU mod, Emperor. Sumerians beat me to philosophy by 2 turns or so with their detour for Literature. They took Code of Law as a bonus. I think AU mod took care of Philosophy beeline nicely.

[Theseus]

I went for it, got there first (and got an SGL), traded around mid-stream, and took Monarchy as my free tech.

/me still hates early Republic, and ended up sticking with Monarchy the whole game.

I think the AU Mod tweaks on this one are great.