Outteched in late game

[trev]

The initial statement about graph vs demographics is wrong. The graph is not related to GNP, but instead to score or some similar statistic. If you want to maintain your science at a comparable rate to the AI's, then you must get your GNP on the demographic screen above their's. This is possible with sufficient towns and courthouses all round, easiest done with a financial civ.

[trev]

If you think it is too difficult to get you GNP above the AI's on the demographic screen, think again, on current immortal game my GNP is over double my nearest opponent on a standard size pangaea map, does not mean I will win as the strongest AI militarily has become jealous and launched a major assault, I have bought an ally into the war, but not sure if I can hold them off, I have infantry, they have cavalry and artillery.

[Loader2k]

The initial statement about graph vs demographics is wrong. The graph is not related to GNP, but instead to score or some similar statistic.

One of those similar statistics is called GNP...

[Yosho]

One good way to get a tech edge in the late game is to beeline to democracy ASAP, get the statue of liberty, and run representation. If you've got 12 cities, that's 72 extra tech per turn, which is huge, and it also helps your GP production. Also, the fact that you're first to universal sufferage will hurt the happiness of the AI's for a while, also helping you get an economic edge over them.

[Loader2k]

Well, i was asking for an explanation why the AI seems to get a science boost around the modern techs. Biology and GP explains this quite nicely i think. I have indeed seen the pop ups of GP every other turn.

[curtsibling]

Originally posted by Quillan
The AI also goes cottage crazy, and about the middle/late period border all those have matured into towns, so they rake in the commerce. I think the primary thing though, is AI tech trading. They will trade tech among themselves at far better terms than they'd ever trade with you. Some of the guys who routinely play and win on the highest levels make a point out of fomenting wars among the AI factions, since they can't trade with their opponents. It slows them down.

Indeed.

My tactic is normally to also go cottage crazy and try to start wars among the AI.

Failing that, it is time to break out the Panzers and derail their tech lead.

[couerdelion]

Originally posted by rjmatsleepers


The OP wanted to increase the research rate in the late game. Even on your figures the late game towns are generating more research. And in the late game, there may not be enough time to get a significant benefit from extra great people. Also, choosing free speech rather than pacifism will give your research a 10% boost in all cities.

I still need convincing that there is a research benefit in building farms on my towns, using specialists and switching to pacifism compared with maintaining my towns and choosing free speech.

RJM at Sleeper's

That would depend upon the multipliers. The commerce from a town is allocated according to the slider rate and then applied to the city multipliers. Using specialists, you can employ merchants in some cities and scientists in others and will be better off than if you had a pure 6 commerce tile.

I also forget the civic that gives +2 on towns but taking this will be at the cost of an alternative civic in the same way that Pacifism is an alternative to Free Religion. As for using Great People, I guess the only big use for some of these in the late game – with the exception of Engineers - is to lightbulb techs. Settling them is unlikely to give much in the way of a pay-off.

[rjmatsleepers]

Originally posted by couerdelion


That would depend upon the multipliers. The commerce from a town is allocated according to the slider rate and then applied to the city multipliers. Using specialists, you can employ merchants in some cities and scientists in others and will be better off than if you had a pure 6 commerce tile.

I also forget the civic that gives +2 on towns but taking this will be at the cost of an alternative civic in the same way that Pacifism is an alternative to Free Religion. As for using Great People, I guess the only big use for some of these in the late game – with the exception of Engineers - is to lightbulb techs. Settling them is unlikely to give much in the way of a pay-off.

I tend to be running at 90% or 100% research and financing my empire by selling techs to the AI, so I don't have much experience of lower rates or using merchants.

There is another potential problem with your suggestion. If you are up against your happiness size limit, you have to use one town for your farm and another for your specialist. That losses you twice as much commerce. Even if you can grow, you will lose commerce while you are growing.

Light bulb techs from the GPs are OK despite the difficulty in controlling what tech they will learn for you. Unless you get a pesky great prophet who can't learn anything!

RJM at Sleeper's