Hinduism as early religion rush on Monarch?

[cal_01]

Hmm. If I start with Mysticism (I generally play as a random civ), then I typically try and get Buddhism as my first religion/tech.

On the other hand, I found that the AI always beats me to it on Monarch by a few turns. However, I always see that the AI gets Hinduism several turns later.

So.. is Hinduism a better early religion in SP since the AI doesn't really go for it in the early game?

[Tuberski]

Well the religions are all the same, gamewise. So go for the one you can get.

ACK!

[Dinner]

I normally go for polytheism since that sets you up to get Judaism as a follow up.

[Commy]

Polytheism has more options...it leads to monotheism (which leads to theology), so theoretically, even if you're not the first to get Hinduism, you can still go for Judaism or Christianity...

I think Polytheism also has the Parthenon, which I find to be a great GW if you have marble and get it early on...

[snafuc4]

Re: Hinduism as early religion rush on Monarch?

Originally posted by cal_01
So.. is Hinduism a better early religion in SP since the AI doesn't really go for it in the early game?

I think the AI is simply trying to grab a religion ASAP; Bhuddism is the quickest to research, so that's what it goes for - I don't think it understands the strategic advantage that hinduism gives you that early in the game..

[Yuufo]

This is a really interesting question. I never know what to do when I start with a mystic civ. I play on Monarch for now.

My experience shows that:
- If an AI starts discovering Meditation or Polytheism right after the game begins, it will get the religion. Its research speed is more important.
- If an AI has mysticism it goes for either religion with about the same chances. I think it's like when the human player sees the religion advice for the tech choice: sometimes it prefers Meditation (when the research capacity is high) and Polytheism on the other cases.
- Polytheism is useful to Judaism later.

However, on high difficulty settings, unlocking worker abilities seems more important than getting a religion. That's why I hate beginning with Mysticism: it means I lack one "useful" technology, because of Mysticism. I usually prefer waiting until Confucianism or Taoism, but I think I'll open another topic to discuss this.

[TheZvi]

If you want one of the first religions on Monarch I've found you 100% want to try for Hinduism and not Buddism. The computer is far more aggressive in my experience in going after Buddism and as noted Polytheism is a far better thing to get early on than Meditation; I generally trade for Meditation after I get Alphabet rather than research it. However, I agree that getting any of the three early ones is a long shot if you don't want to go straight for it and that doing that isn't worth it. However, if you are in a situation where you can afford to go for a religion you can and should go for it. It seems like those civs that don't start Mysticism won't go for a religion that aggressively, so sometimes the AI gives you a good opening to get Polytheism or Monotheism first. But I've never seen a game where I got Buddism and couldn't have had Hinduism instead.

[cal_01]

Hmm, good points everyone!

I was doing some testing last night, and I got Mao. I sat my city near an Oasis (2G a turn) and went Mysticism and Polytheism. I grew a bit too, but I can't remember where I put the other citizen.

Surprisingly, I only missed Polytheism by one turn, even when I had to get Mysticism. At that point, I didn't go for Judaism and just went my usual Mining/Bronze Working route for Slavery.

So, maybe only go for an early religion if you have Mysticism or Financial (that contributes to beakers, right?). Otherwise, you're SOL?

[Thoth]

On Monarch I've found that if I have Mysticism as one of my starting techs, I can usually get Polytheism first. If I have to research Mysticism, I can usually get to Monotheism first if I beeline it. If I'm starting without Mining or Mysticism then an early run at Code of Laws is likely a better bet.

[cal_01]

I think you can get Code of Laws popping a Great Scientist, no? Hmm. I wonder if that's abusable early on.

[Yuufo]

I don't think a great scientist can be sacrificed to get Code of Laws.
However, Philosophy can be researched that way. Or, if you have a Great Prophet (from Stonehenge or Oracle for example), use him to get Theology. You won't be beaten.

[Saurus]

I´m playing on Monarch and even though i never start out with Mysticism, in most cases I'm still able to grab Hinduism - or at least Judaism. A.I always seem to go for Buddhism.

However, I have noted also that while on the higher difficulty levels (at least on Monarch) it is relatively easy to grab an early religion even as a non-spiritual civ, those later religions are considerable harder to get.
During those games I in fact missed the early religions, I missed the later religions also no matter how hard I tried going for them.

[The keeper]

I have gone for worker improvement techs, and forgotten about hinduism and buddism. After the worker techs are done, and my civ is started, then begin to look for religion.

I can usually grab christanity, if I beeline for it. It is even easier if I can use the oracle to get Theology.

[BigWilly1974]

I can get Hinduism (via Polytheism) every game. I always beeline for it straight off the hop. Buddhism I never even attempt.