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I truly believe Representation to be the absolute best civic the game offers when combined with an expansionistic civilization. Why is that you ask? Because you'll have population levels through the roof.
This is the strategy I use with Isabella but could be applied for almost any EXP civ :
1.) Pick a civ that is expansive (For this strat, I use Isabella)
== Early Game ==
2.) Utilizing Expansive - During early game, don't be afraid to settle next to flood plains. Because you are expansive, your people are more resistant to icky diseases
Make sure to secure as many health+ items as you can get your greasy hands on.
3.) Utilizing Religious - During early game, I lean heavily upon my religious type to hold up the happy faces. Since I won't be concentrating on getting fur,gems,etc(see #2) - I will want to use religion to make up for my lack of luxury resources. Multiple religions are even better of course! Founding religions is a KEY part of this process.
4.) Using religion as a money machine - Another truly important part is getting great prophets asap. You will want those great person points accumulating asap so you can get the special religious building for the religion(s) you founded. I use these buildings to make up for the fact that I haven't really touched the writing tree yet since I probably have founded monotheism and am concentrating on Iron Working at this point.
5.) Using religion as a scientific tool. Build as many monestaries as you can instead of libraries during this point in the game. Libraries aren't as much of a priority since more then likely you haven't gotten writing yet.
6.) Religion as a diplomatic tool - Convert as many as you can this early game period so they instantly convert over to your religion. This is a great way to keep people off your back while you want to just GROW.
== The Writing Tree->Explosion ==
** Any Great Prophets/Persons you get after you have founded your initial Religious Special Buildings or Academies should be applied as Great Specialists to the city.
7.) After you have secured all early religious*up to monotheism* and military options*up to iron working, possibly horse riding if necessary/needed* , it is time to head towards writing.
8.) Writing to Math to Currency is the right order at this point. Writing will allow you to form open borders to start converting neutral-religious civs to your state religion. Math will allow you Aquducts and Currency to start popping markets. You may be hurting on money by the time you get to this point. If you have stone, make sure to get the hanging gardens. Get construction for an added benefit after math and currency. Catapults are just necessary for any war play.
== Mid Game ==
9.) Don't be afraid to get monarchy to help control the bigger cities. If you managed to get the Pyramids - Representation would be great to start utilizing immediately for the 3 happy faces in the largest cities.
Code of Laws is definately important at this point for courthouses if you have some big distance cities but if not - concentrate on purely wealth generating buildings. You will need Code of Laws to fully utilize this strat later.
10.) Depending on the type of map, you will probably want Harbors to help with health a bit more if you have secured any off-shore resources such as fish. A bee-line to guilds will obtain grocers(which give money + health). Grocers are probably the most important building at this point and will give your cities even more time to grow. Guilds also allow the special unit of Isabella which is even an additional present.
11.) Probably now is the time to do one of the following :
-> Banks are a great idea at this point too to crank up the $ towards science even higher at this point.
-> Swing over to Constitution. Nationlism isn't bad since you CAN utilize the draft with your large cities but Consitution is really the money. As soon as you get it - convert to representation and watch your science go through the roof in your larger cities. Switch to a Caste System at the same time you goto Representation. Each person is +3 science. All the great specialists you also absorbed will even be that much better. If you are behind at this point - the best way to work is go straight across on the tech tree and end up trading the more rare/high value techs for ones you missed to catch up greatly.
This is the strategy I use with Isabella but could be applied for almost any EXP civ :
1.) Pick a civ that is expansive (For this strat, I use Isabella)
== Early Game ==
2.) Utilizing Expansive - During early game, don't be afraid to settle next to flood plains. Because you are expansive, your people are more resistant to icky diseases
Make sure to secure as many health+ items as you can get your greasy hands on. 3.) Utilizing Religious - During early game, I lean heavily upon my religious type to hold up the happy faces. Since I won't be concentrating on getting fur,gems,etc(see #2) - I will want to use religion to make up for my lack of luxury resources. Multiple religions are even better of course! Founding religions is a KEY part of this process.
4.) Using religion as a money machine - Another truly important part is getting great prophets asap. You will want those great person points accumulating asap so you can get the special religious building for the religion(s) you founded. I use these buildings to make up for the fact that I haven't really touched the writing tree yet since I probably have founded monotheism and am concentrating on Iron Working at this point.
5.) Using religion as a scientific tool. Build as many monestaries as you can instead of libraries during this point in the game. Libraries aren't as much of a priority since more then likely you haven't gotten writing yet.
6.) Religion as a diplomatic tool - Convert as many as you can this early game period so they instantly convert over to your religion. This is a great way to keep people off your back while you want to just GROW.
== The Writing Tree->Explosion ==
** Any Great Prophets/Persons you get after you have founded your initial Religious Special Buildings or Academies should be applied as Great Specialists to the city.
7.) After you have secured all early religious*up to monotheism* and military options*up to iron working, possibly horse riding if necessary/needed* , it is time to head towards writing.
8.) Writing to Math to Currency is the right order at this point. Writing will allow you to form open borders to start converting neutral-religious civs to your state religion. Math will allow you Aquducts and Currency to start popping markets. You may be hurting on money by the time you get to this point. If you have stone, make sure to get the hanging gardens. Get construction for an added benefit after math and currency. Catapults are just necessary for any war play.
== Mid Game ==
9.) Don't be afraid to get monarchy to help control the bigger cities. If you managed to get the Pyramids - Representation would be great to start utilizing immediately for the 3 happy faces in the largest cities.
Code of Laws is definately important at this point for courthouses if you have some big distance cities but if not - concentrate on purely wealth generating buildings. You will need Code of Laws to fully utilize this strat later.
10.) Depending on the type of map, you will probably want Harbors to help with health a bit more if you have secured any off-shore resources such as fish. A bee-line to guilds will obtain grocers(which give money + health). Grocers are probably the most important building at this point and will give your cities even more time to grow. Guilds also allow the special unit of Isabella which is even an additional present.
11.) Probably now is the time to do one of the following :
-> Banks are a great idea at this point too to crank up the $ towards science even higher at this point.
-> Swing over to Constitution. Nationlism isn't bad since you CAN utilize the draft with your large cities but Consitution is really the money. As soon as you get it - convert to representation and watch your science go through the roof in your larger cities. Switch to a Caste System at the same time you goto Representation. Each person is +3 science. All the great specialists you also absorbed will even be that much better. If you are behind at this point - the best way to work is go straight across on the tech tree and end up trading the more rare/high value techs for ones you missed to catch up greatly.