State Religion, or No?

[Virdrago]

Oh, and Isabella founded Buddhism (of course). I have never seen another civ NOT change when it is under another religion's majority - especially by this much. Maybe they're getting smart.

[Blake]

Playing without a state religion is a handicap, plain and simple. The vast majority of a time, being without religious allies makes the game more difficult. My easiest games are usually ones where I found a religion and then engineer a rolling dogpile with my religious allies. But founding the religion isn't entirely essential - it's just a lot more profitable that way.

At difficulties above about prince you can't afford to be neutral - you need to get some friendly relationships so you have someone to cover your back.
There will be the odd game where it makes sense to go No State Religion, these will mainly be ones with EXTREMELY chaotic religious situations so everyone hates everyone else... but these tend to be exception rather than the rule, unless you tend to play with like 6 or less AI's.

[Arrian]

Originally posted by Virdrago


Unfortunately, everyone had a religion already (except me). When I founded Confucianism, I made many missions to India (my closest neighbor). Now he has four Confucian cities and one Buddhist (and it isn't his capital). Meanwhile, my cities kept picking up Confucianism naturally (like a cold spreading). Maybe what I should have done is kept religion-free, but I would have no chance to use the religious civics. Now I'm trying to get someone else to switch... if they'll let me in.

India has 1 buddhist city and 4 confucian cities and they're running buddhism?? That's odd.

-Arrian

[Saurus]

Originally posted by Arrian


India has 1 buddhist city and 4 confucian cities and they're running buddhism?? That's odd.

-Arrian

Unfortenately this is quite common.
I had a game where Washingot had Confusiasm spread to all cities execpt one city on a tundra that had Budhism. Now Washingon switches religion from Confusiasm to Budhism and then even switch to "organized religion" and pays high upkeep for this even if the only city having budhism was so poorly located it could never take advantage of the production boost provided with organized religion.

Maybe Blake´s better A.I has imrpoved this, I don´t know but at least the unmodded A.I handles religious issues and civics pretty horribly.

[zeace]

I've had India completely converted to Confucianism, every single city, plus been his best friend in the world, and still had him switch to Buddhism even though he only had a few cities with that religion.

I think every ten turns he was taking a bribe from Izzie, followed 5 turns later by a bribe from me.

In retrospect he probably played a pretty good game...

[Virdrago]

I'm using Blake's A.I. for this game. I can't live without out it now... and it is odd. I'll keep trying to convert someone. All I need is one foot in the door...