Best governments...

[Commy]

So you're probably sick of my polls, but I am trying to get some info here on what the pros prefer and suggest, so, for this poll, select the government you most commonly are in.

Note that you can vote for more than one. I realize that some of you have a war time government, so if you do, make that your second choice, otherwise, only vote for one, thanks...

[Mace]

It's a little bit game and style dependent. But even so I would argue Democracy, overall. You can do it all with Democracy.

If you're talking PTW then you could argue for Republic.
If you're talking Conquests then you could argue Democracy or Communism.

Depends on the level you're playing at too.

[Modo44]

Originally posted by Mace
It's a little bit game and style dependent. But even so I would argue Democracy, overall. You can do it all with Democracy.

Long wars will force a Democracy into Anarchy. Also, you need to do two government changes to get there, and you need two non-mandatory technologies researched. It has advantages, but only if you are comfortable enough to go for it. Plus there's the hidden danger - the AI seems to attack civs that are in Democracy more likely than others.

[Commy]

Democracy all the way. First stop, though, is republic...

[vmxa1]

I will only make one switch per game as a non religious civs, at least most of the time.

In fact I probably would only make one as religious civ. I tend forget about communism and no way am I going to Demo. I will probably be at war almost the whole game, by the time I learn that tech.

[Solomwi]

Republic in Conquests is much stronger than in PTW, enough to make Democracy irrelevant, IMO. The unit support and middle of the road war weariness makes it a pretty decent warmonger government, and usually, in my games, the support covers the corruption difference between it and Democracy.

[punkbass2000]

Yeah, I rarely switch away from Republic, even when Religious. There's really rarely a reason to.

[Odin]

Me:

Despotism-->Republic
Despotism-->Republic-->Communism
Despotism-->Republic-->Democracy
Despotism-->Monarchy-->Communism

[Cort Haus]

I find early republics troublesome in C3C if I have a large military on the go, including lots of workers, and/or have few luxuries. Research almost stops in the early Middle Ages until I either conquer loads of cities or build aquas everywhere.

Having said that - Republic is the best all-round government, and a definite one-stop-shop for a building game with a non-religious civ, but for warmongering on Emperor, Monarchy/Feudalism --> Communism can be good. Feudalism has the benefit of being a mandatory tech, and on low-food maps offers awesome unit support.

[UnOrthOdOx]

Purely on personal style, not 'best':

Despot-->Feudalism-->Communism

(*vs AI, and only up to Demigod. Don't play above that personally, haven't since vanilla.)

[Mace]

Originally posted by Modo44
Long wars will force a Democracy into Anarchy.

I understand the WW problem. Except on the highest diff levels, I have found that I am able to largely avoid it when I have proper cities (read: Police Stations, lux, etc) and a powerful, fast-striking military, and the civ know-how to use it correctly. On Monarch it can even be done without Univ Suffrage, although that helps.

Also, you need to do two government changes to get there, and you need two non-mandatory technologies researched. It has advantages, but only if you are comfortable enough to go for it.

Yes, on non-religious civs the two switches hurts.

Plus there's the hidden danger - the AI seems to attack civs that are in Democracy more likely than others.

This, I have never heard before. Could be, seems to happen a lot. When the AI does attack a Democratic player, it just helps the Dem player, as he is able to get extra war turns of happiness to do some damage to the offending AI.

[Mace]

Originally posted by Solomwi
Republic in Conquests is much stronger than in PTW, enough to make Democracy irrelevant, IMO. The unit support and middle of the road war weariness makes it a pretty decent warmonger government, and usually, in my games, the support covers the corruption difference between it and Democracy.

But what about the weaker FP in C3C?
Doesn't that weaken the Republic, vs. PTW?

[Modo44]

Originally posted by Mace
I understand the WW problem. Except on the highest diff levels, I have found that I am able to largely avoid it when I have proper cities (read: Police Stations, lux, etc) and a powerful, fast-striking military, and the civ know-how to use it correctly. On Monarch it can even be done without Univ Suffrage, although that helps.

High WW will force you into Anarchy. Not just make your luxury high, but overthrow your government. And you won't be able to help it, except by ending all wars before it happens.

Originally posted by Mace
This, I have never heard before. Could be, seems to happen a lot. When the AI does attack a Democratic player, it just helps the Dem player, as he is able to get extra war turns of happiness to do some damage to the offending AI.

The problem is with the end-game neverending world war. Once you're in it, you'll be at war for a long time, with multiple opponents (meaning: very hard to make peace). Usually long enough for the automatic Anarchy to kick in. Republic doesn't seem to draw the same kind of attention.

[Arrian]

In Conquests, I think the clear winner in Republic.

Communism is great for those of us who hate corruption/waste, but it comes very late and is more and more impressive the larger your empire is. By the time you're big enough for Communism to REALLY rock, you're big enough to win using darn near any government.

Republic comes early - end of the ancient age. It's flexible - it offers unit support such that a well-developed empire can field a strong military, and its WW level is manageable. It gets the commerce bonus and has a low corruption level, so it's strong for research as well. It has rushbuying, not poprushing. Overall, it's just solid.

Democracy... I've hardly touched it since I got Conquests. If religious, I *might* make the switch. If not, no way. Typically I find that my empire will actually pay more for its military under Demo than Republic, and the difference in corruption is quite small. The worker speed bonus is nice, but it's a pretty small perk to endure anarchy for.

-Arrian

[Mace]

Originally posted by Modo44

High WW will force you into Anarchy. Not just make your luxury high, but overthrow your government. And you won't be able to help it, except by ending all wars before it happens.

I know this. But I have almost always been able to end the war before that happens. Usually I destroy the AI civ.

The neverending world war happens a lot, but I have found myself able to get myself OUT of that war before bad things happen.