Early Wonders

[joncnunn]

If your not Creative, I'd rank Stonehidge right at the top of any early wonders list.

I'm also fond of Oracle for a free tech, probably the best bet on timing to complete is late first era / early second era.
(The first era techs aren't worth Oracle, but too much past the second era and you might get beaten out by the AI, particularly in light that I haven't found a way to know if the AI is building a wonder prior to them finishing it)

Pyramids look great on paper; you may need to be Industrious and also have the resource that doubles it's production (stone?) in order to beat the AI to it though.

If you do grab that wonder, I think for most of the game that Representive is a better choice than Universal Sufferage. (Until you have other late game civics to combine.)

Representive + Caste System + Pacifism is quite powerful and doesn't require as many techs as the even more powerful Universal Sufferage + Emmancupation + Free Religion.

[stravaig]

i love the smell of wonders in the morning

Just to echo everyone else...
Stonehenge tops my list for non-creative civs.
I like to play SPI, and I love GE's, so I'd like to go after the Pyramids, but I never seem to manage it.
I also always go after the Oracle. I'll chop forest if I have to, and I always try to time it with my tech acquisition so that it gets me Theology for Christianity.
I seem to end up with the Parthenon a lot, even though it's far from a priority.

- Stravaig

[khumak]

Originally posted by joncnunn

If you do grab that wonder, I think for most of the game that Representive is a better choice than Universal Sufferage. (Until you have other late game civics to combine.)

Representive + Caste System + Pacifism is quite powerful and doesn't require as many techs as the even more powerful Universal Sufferage + Emmancupation + Free Religion.

I agree, that's why I ALWAYS build Pyramids. It's annoying if I miss Stonehenge but it's disaster if I miss Pyramids because Representation is so much better than anything else until late in the game. Plus since I generally take Spiritual as one of my traits so I can freely swap between Representation/Caste/Pacifism to Police State/Vassalage/Theocracy for a short burst of high caliber military units or pop over to Universal Suffrage to go on a spending spree and rush a bunch of buildings. Then switch back again.

Oracle is great for snagging Metal Casting or Theology early on.

[Saurus]

Originally posted by Melboz99

Is there a leader with both PHI and IND?

Having both PHI and IND traits would have been too powerful a combination so no civilization was granted this.

The industrial traits allows you to pump put those wonders and great people and the Philosophical trait would double the effect - too powerful.

[V3nom]

if you're playing an industrious civ you should be able to get the pyramids unless you're playing on extremely high difficulties. I play on Emperor and get it in 80% of my games even without the resource.

if you find yourself loosing the race I will say this one thing: cut forests will give you increased hammers for a wonder if you're industrious.. use this.

[Adderax]

I go stonehenge first. Can't neglect a free obelisk. You also have a little leeway in getting it built, since it seems most AIs don't go for it asap. The oracle is nice and cheap but usually I'd be giving up too much early on to warrant researching up to it. To finish the pyramid though which you just cant let slip through, I usually have 2 workers out early on, and if need be I help chop. If I have stone, chopping will give at least 90 hammers. I usually keep 1 or 2 tiles in my cities with forests (for lumber, and those are only the ones that have 2f on them off the bat).

[Mayfield]

It is too easy to get Stonehedge, The Partheon, and the Oracle if you have marble and stone. Playing with Washington last night I was able to grab all three, and he is not even industrious! With industrious, marble, and stone it is a joke.