Wonder Rankings (BTS)

[reynoldsmj]

This may be posted somewhere, but I certainly could not find it. I was wondering if anyone had done a Wonder ranking (by Age I guess) listing the order they think the Wonders should be valued by. I know this might change depending upon a person's style of play, but I am looking for those with the war-like tendancies. If it is out there, please let me know.

[Ming]

We've had many discussions on Wonders, but it would be difficult to rank them in a specific order since many people have different opinions. Plus, it makes a difference on what civ you are as well. While Stonehedge is a great early wonder, I feel it's less important if you are creative.

[Theben]

Defining 'warlike' is hard also, since any wonder that benefits your empire will benefit your war effort. Great Wall, Statue of Zeus, and Pentagon are obvious examples that directly aid you, but the Great Library or Oracle will also by increasing your tech rate, or the Mausoleum by extending golden ages and all that comes with GAs.

[Boracks]

The Oracle seems to be a common favorite, usually to get CoL (for courthouses) or Metal Casting. After that, depends on who you are (civ and leader), and what your style is.

If you play with a religion, AP, Uof Sankore, Spiral Minaret are all useful.

If you are not creative, Stonehenge is good.

If you are financial, Colossus and Great Lighthouse are good for coastal cities.

And so on, I'm sure others can point out more.

[Thoth]

As others have said, it depends.

If I'm playing a charismatic leader then Stonehenge is a great value for the hammers (+1 culture and +1 happy in all cities until Astronomy? Yes please!).

If I'm going to have a lot of coastal cites (and especially if there is an offshore island or 3 for overseas trade routes) then Great Lighthouse is awesome.

If you are running Republic, and have a lot of cities on the same landmass, then Statue of Liberty rocks. (It's pretty good even without Rep).

Sistine Chapel can be very handy for helping new cities pop their borders (combines well with Statue of Liberty).

Cristo Redentor lets you micro your civics every turn so you are always running optimal civics.

Eiffel Tower gives you +50% culture, two artist slots, +1 happy from each "entertainment" resource and +1 happy per 10% culture slider in every city. Great for helping to deal with war weariness and allows you to pop borders in newly captured cities insanely fast, and combines very well with Sistine and SoL.

Under the right circumstances, any of the wonders can be great if it fits with your strategy for that game, even the much maligned Haiga Sofia. (Just captured a huge swathe of undeveloped or jungle choked cities? This wonder will expand your worker-force by 50% without having to pay the maintenance). Build the wonders that will enhance your playstyle/strategy, and capture the others.

[One_more_turn]

Stonehenge is a must for Charismatic civs, Egyptians, and Native Americans.

Great Wall is imperative for raging barbarian option.

Oracle is great for the Construction (offense) or the Feudalism (defense) slingshots.

Great Library is wonderful for GP generations, but creates a dependency that delays your willingness to research scientific methods.

Apostolic Palace in the hands of a rival religion can be a major pain in the butt, I generally raze those cities.

In later era, Pentagon and Kremlin are very useful. But Eiffel Tower and Cristo Redento come way too late in the game.

[Jaybe]

As a marathon speed player who ENJOYS the late game, I am (emotionally) dependent on Statue of Liberty and Eiffel Tower. Those free (and EARLY) broadcast towers are great, and SoL really helps when it takes 6000+ SPs to get that next great person!

I have this goal to sometime have no one win the game until around turn 1500, as I've never gotten it beyond about 12-13 hundred ... by which time it DRAGS along.

[rah]

What, no love for the Pyramids?

Early REP can be HUGE.

[Blaupanzer]

Stonehenge is a must for Charismatic civs, Egyptians, and Native Americans. [AND Ethiopians]

Great Wall is imperative for raging barbarian option. [You chose raging barbarians and now don't want to face the consequences.]

Oracle is great for the Construction (offense) or the Feudalism (defense) slingshots. [Care to elaborate, you can complete mathematics or monarchy and still have the Oracle available? If you do regularly, is it due to level of play (Noble?) or to the fewness of opponents (less than 7 on standard or somesuch?]

Great Library is wonderful for GP generation, but creates a dependency that delays your willingness to research scientific methods. [You must overcome your dependencies and blow through to Comunism, so the freed distance from cap dollars are available for the science rate.]

Apostolic Palace in the hands of a rival religion can be a major pain in the butt, I generally raze those cities.

In later era, Pentagon and Kremlin are very useful. But Eiffel Tower and Cristo Redento come way too late in the game.

Comments laced into the quote except for this last one. If seeking a domination victory, the ET and CR may be a bit late. But if you seek spaceship or cultural victory, both are a Godsend completely enabling the owner to switch back and forth from war civics to peace as your last opponents fool with you, and maintaining happiness as war weariness takes its nicks.

Liked your thinking and presentation.

[Blaupanzer]

Note three big ones for me are Oracle, SoL, Cristo Redentor. Eiffel Tower is important and usually doable and the GL is VERY nice to have. Others sometimes built as targets of opportunity if I am not at war. Can't spare the production otherwise.

[Dinner]

I usually try to pick up the hanging gardens if I'm playing a builder as having +1 health and +1 pop in all cities is pretty damn good.

[rah]

Yes, if the situation presents itself, always a nice one to have. Not critical, but as you say, pretty damn good.

[Boracks]

And yes, Pyramids for early switch to Rep is wonderful, as is the points towards a GE.

[rah]

Yeah especially if you follow up with HG.

[Theben]

I like Great Wall for more than just the anti-barb option. The +100% great General growth on your land is nice, but the real kicker is an early Great Spy or 2. A fast unit that can't be killed, it can scout out a continent and swipe all the huts from under barbs, then drop into your neighbor civ- the one with all the techs you don't have- allowing you to steal 5-7 techs. Combine with Pyramids and Representation and you'll have the tech lead in no time.

I liked getting SoL but didn't think of it as important until this last game with my buddy. I have 26 cities to his 30 and we're both Representative. He beat me to it by 2 turns which turned out to be a huge boost to his science. Only thing saving me is his tech path took him away from communism so I've got a boost there.