What should are initial tech path be?

[CannonFodder]

Considering our rules of no caravans/wonders, our aims for techs are going to be a good deal different. We're going to have to depend on our military, government, city improvements, and terrain development to be able to win, which means that those techs are the ones we're going to need, rather than wonder techs.

I read that people are partial towards having better defenders than Warriors. That is a priority, and so is the ability to quickly explore. We started out with Masonry, which means we can get Construction once we have Bronze Working.

My current idea for a starting tech line would be:
Horseback Riding -> Bronze Working -> Ceremonial Burial -> Alphabet -> Code of Laws -> Monarchy

Pottery will be nice shortly after that, and so will Currency. We're definitely going to need Diplomats so we should also go for Writing. We could try for early conquests by going for Polytheism and/or Monotheism. And what about early Republic?

I am partial towards a beeline to Monarchy. After that, however, I don't know whether we should concentrate on building up our cities with better production/growth infrastructure and government or go all-out towards Gunpowder and Leadership.

Thoughts and suggestions will be appreciated.

[mrboo123]

I agree with the line, and rest I'll think about

[cavebear]

Those of us who have not played "No Wonder" games are going to have to keep checking our "automatic" choices". It's hard not to think of Wonders when I think of our tech path.

I think your proposed tech line is good. We'll want to get a couple of Horsemen out scouting and hut-tipping, Warriors are way too slow. With no Barbs, the city-defense can follow after that. And we'll certainly want to get to Monarchy quickly.

Perhaps a poll of tech paths that suggest different strategies might be the easiest way for us to choose how we want to approach this game. Like a Production path, a Growth path, a Defensive path, and a Expansion Path (or others).

[Ben Kenobi]

We need one free tech on the path to monarchy, let that be HBack riding.

So the path looks like this:

Alphabet
Ceremonial Burial
Horseback Riding
Code of Laws
Monarchy

We need the best government as soon as possible.

CannonFodder: Why Pottery? We can't build HG!

I agree we should rush for the Crusaders

After Monarchy:
Mysticism
Polytheism For Elephants.
Writing
Literacy
Philosophy
Monotheism.

We don't need Feudalism if we use Horses for defense, a la ICS.

[atawa]

Re: What should our initial tech path be?

Originally posted by CannonFodder
My current idea for a starting tech line would be:
Horseback Riding -> Bronze Working -> Ceremonial Burial -> Alphabet -> Code of Laws -> Monarchy

Pottery will be nice shortly after that, and so will Currency.

Skip bronze, if its no barbs we dont need phalanx.

Pottery is good if we want to go for seafaring, else we dont need it for ages.

I would say horse->alpha->cere->code->mon->writing.

[cavebear]

I think we want Horsemen right away, to explore. Exploring with single-square moving units of any kind will just limit us severely.

Horsemen first. Then a defensive unit.

[MrWhereItsAt]

I certainly agree Horseback Riding should be our first, and Bronze Working next. This will be a game full of war, so the earlier we get the ability to have an adequate defence, the better. Ceremonial Burial is necessary for the happiness, but whether we need this early on depends on how much settler building we do. Remember we don't need larger cities for Wonder building - spreading out over a large area quickly could serve us much better than concentrating in one well developed place.

[H Tower]

i don't think we'll need seafaring very much in this game, IIRC, atomant described this map as land massive or something like that

[Bob_Smurf42]

As I understand it, we won't be able to use boats at all, at least not usefully. I think Horse Riding first, then straight to Monarchy, after that we can go Mysticism>Poly>Writing>Literacy>Philosophy>Mono.

[atawa]

Originally posted by H Tower
i don't think we'll need seafaring very much in this game, IIRC, atomant described this map as land massive or something like that

The explorers are nice for um exploring

And they cost no unhappyness in Rep, making them Ideal to defend those forts at choking points where we dont have a city.

Bronze is nice if you want to defend, but we should be able to get either bronze or warrior code from the first city we take.

I though we were attacking this game

[Ben Kenobi]

Republic?



Let us stick with a real government, Monarchy!

[cavebear]

I agree with Obiwan. We want to get to Monarchy first thing. It's better suited to war. Maybe Communism later, but that's a ways off. Skip Republic, though; it's just a pain!

[CannonFodder]

Is there a general consensus or should I post a poll?

[H Tower]

consensus.

[Dre of Compton]

No one mentions Fundy???