What's yer Oracle slingshot?

[Theben]

I always go for Metalcasting when I can. Hammers rule!


Although next time I'm gonna try for Feudalism.

[Seedle]

I chose metal-casting. I never have feudalism or civil service open when I complete the oracle, so those are out. Code of Laws can be attractive, and I have taken it if I am in a truly desperate economic situation, but I generally prefer to get forges to maximize chops/whips. This is especially true if I have mined happy resources, forges just get stronger.

[Methos]

Civil Service if possible. Granted, it also depends on what level/version I'm playing.

[Modo44]

I don't use it. The tech is too late when on my preferred beeline to literacy. I'm a sucker for the Great Library, so sue me.

So for me. Not that you included the option.

[Seedle]

Originally posted by Modo44
I don't use it. The tech is too late when on my preferred beeline to literacy. I'm a sucker for the Great Library, so sue me.

So for me. Not that you included the option.

What's wrong with the Great Library? I think it's arguably the best wonder in the game. And what difficulty do play on that you have to beeline for the Great Library? And when will the newbies on this board learn to stop jacking threads?

But seriously, couldn't you use the Oracle to get one of the literacy techs?

[Modo44]

Originally posted by Seedle
What's wrong with the Great Library?

Nothing wrong with free scientists.

Originally posted by Seedle
And what difficulty do play on that you have to beeline for the Great Library?

I play on monarch. The beeline is to Aesthetics (traded for Alphabet and other goodies, works every time), after which literacy is a nice, cheap target.

Originally posted by Seedle
But seriously, couldn't you use the Oracle to get one of the literacy techs?

I assume it is too easy to lose the wonder to an AI, at which point my beeline wouldn't work. Although now that you suggested it, I might try just to be sure.

[Harovan]

Code of Laws, if it still comes with a religion and I don't have one yet. Otherwise probably Metal Casting. That said, I don't go after the Oracle that often anymore. I not so much into beelines as they're always a gambit. It just don't feel right. I prefer a "broad" development.

[Crossfire]

I usually try for Feudalism but when that isn't possible I will usually take Metal Casting. Everything you need for the Oracle puts you on the path for Literature anyway so I usually have no trouble getting the Great Library too if I want it. If I manage to get free Feudalism, it does alter the way I play a bit because I can run Hereditary Rule and so I tend to build more military and whip less to keep my cities happy.

[Yuufo]

Most of the time : theology
It gives me a religion, and enables to build to Apostolic Palace : I tend to build it for the +2 hammers per church / monastery

[Modo44]

Originally posted by Crossfire
Everything you need for the Oracle puts you on the path for Literature anyway so I usually have no trouble getting the Great Library too if I want it.

Not true. If you beeline strictly for literacy, you can not build the Oracle, as you don't research the tech. And if you beeline strictly to aesthetics, you don't research any of the religious techs at first - the ones needed for literacy are made after aesthetics. That's a lot of time, and a big diversion just for the one-tech wonder.

[couerdelion]

Generally Code of Laws because I’m unlikely to have my own religion and it is quite a nice tech to get early. Also gives a decent enough civic which has uses in the early game.

When playing industrious or with a large number of coastal cities, Metal Casting might be a nice alternative.

[Addled Platypus]

depends on map really

GL on lot of water
Monarchy when I need the gov'ment
metalurgy when i need some better units

[AAHZ]

I get the most expensive tech usually. This saves time in the long run and opens the door for future trades to get the cheaper, more neglected, techs.

If it isnt CoL it will be Metalurgy, or whatever the most expensive tech down from there is.

[Ming]

While Metalurgy is the usually the most "expensive" tech available when I build Oracle, I will take COL if I don't have a religion, or then Metalurgy if I got one of the early religions.

[rah]

Same here. But, if I'm the native americans and have some good beaker resources I may try for feud. Highly promoted longbowmen can be a lot of fun that early.

[jbp26]

Originally posted by Modo44

Not true. If you beeline strictly for literacy, you can not build the Oracle, as you don't research the tech. And if you beeline strictly to aesthetics, you don't research any of the religious techs at first - the ones needed for literacy are made after aesthetics. That's a lot of time, and a big diversion just for the one-tech wonder.

agreed. once i came to appreciate the power of the great library, i beeline for it to the exclusion of all the other wonders. i haven't even tried to build the oracle for a long time.

[Ari Rahikkala]

Back when I played cIV, I probably took oracle slingshots a bit too seriously. I once had civil service before agriculture .

[Ming]

LOL... But I will admit, if I don't have any resources that require agriculture, and I have a bunch of other resources that require other techs, I sometimes "forget" to research agriculture

[Kataphraktoi]

I lean towards getting fishing, myself. Love those clams...

[Supr49er]

Metal Casting most of the time. I love .

[snoopy369]

Originally posted by Sir Ralph
Code of Laws, if it still comes with a religion and I don't have one yet. Otherwise probably Metal Casting. That said, I don't go after the Oracle that often anymore. I not so much into beelines as they're always a gambit. It just don't feel right. I prefer a "broad" development.

also ... I prefer a more military/scientific development path to Oracle. There are more long-term useful wonders (Pyramids, Temple of Artemis, Great Library, Great Lighthouse, Parthenon, even Great Wall) that give much more than 500-600 beakers, and are less likely to be researched by the AI. Unless I research an early religion - relatively rarely - there's no reason to bother building it. CoL is nice, but generally I can just research it directly these days... the only real reason to do it is if I have a hammer-heavy civ (or Industrial) with relatively little commerce, then it's more helpful.

[DirtyMartini]

Since breaking/being broken of my addiction to the CS slingshot, I rarely build the Oracle. I just never work up the religious pathway until too late -- too busy preparing for war. The rare occasions that I have built it recently, I've taken Metal Casting or Monarchy for Hereditary Rule when happiness limited. My early game has been pretty formulaic lately -- appropriate worker techs, iron next priority, then to construction ASAP. The religious line doesn't usually enter into the equation until I've taken out a civ. Maybe mysticism for border pops.

[Common Sensei]

I used to be addicted to the CS Slingshot as well back in vanilla, but once Mathematics became a requirement for Civil Service, I pretty much quit cold turkey. If I have access to Marble and/or am using an Industrious leader, I will go for the Oracle, but otherwise, I usually don't go out of my way for it anymore.

The only time I will go for a true Oracle gambit anymore is if I have a spectacular start, like two gem or gold resources in the capital's fat cross.

[martin mcmartin]

my "problem" is that I usually get the option to go for machinery. theology is not available, so I go for machinery....but there is not much to do with it at that stage.

[Robert Plomp]

I used to go for CoL, but now I don't build the Oracle anymore. I figured out to get to CoL without the Oracle sooner. Building the Oracle is actually a waste of time.

[Jvstin]

Originally posted by CyberShy
I used to go for CoL, but now I don't build the Oracle anymore. I figured out to get to CoL without the Oracle sooner. Building the Oracle is actually a waste of time.

Why do you say that, Cybershy?

[marvinkosh]

I usually go for Theology, if I can take advantage of the Theocracy civic.

[Jaybe]

I built the Oracle once, a few games ago. But I don't take the religious techs (other than CoL) until I have need of them. Also, I rarely go for marble wonders while having no marble.

[Yosho]

Eh...I don't really build the oracle for the "slingshot" exactally. If I'm already taking the religious path to grab an early religion, I might also get the oracle; partly in order to grab the most expensive tech I can (at that stage in the game, it's just a very efficent way at that stage of the game of turning hammers into commece, even without marble) and partly for the great prophet points to get me my shrine. But again, that's only if I've already headed down the religious path, gotten a early religion, and therefore know I'm ahead of the AI's on that path; and even then, I have to be in a situation where I think I can devote that many early game resources to something like that without being swamped by barbs or crushed by Monty or someone. So I tend to view grabbing the oracle as more of an oppertunistic thing then a stratagic goal, for me.

[joncnunn]

I prefer a deeper slingshot than anything listed there when I build the Oracle at all.

Normally it's Theology, but once I have gotten Philosphacy with it. Granted the Philo was with Warlords and not BTS.