We Love the ***** Days

[Straybow]

Fundamentalism is absurd

I have experimented with Fundies. It drove me nuts that my large cities would actually drop out of We Love the Guy in the Funny Hat Day. Probably that odd-numbered-citizen thing. Even returning to 80% Lux couldn't pump them up for the ol' Archbishop.

Anyway, Fundies robs the game of challenge and reduces it to just pumping out military units and pounding your opponent. Who is probably Fundie as well. You don't have to balance malcontents with happy campers; there is no unhappiness. You don't have to balance maintenance of a standing army with production levels; it takes gross incompetence to have any maint cost. You don't need to worry about money; your Temples, Cathedrals, and Coliseums earn money for you while only the one requires upkeep. Even the 50% research penalty isn't too bad as others have pointed out.

Change free support limit to zero and it becomes almost balanced.

[Verrucosus]

Hello again,

Thank you all for commenting my attempt at celebrating Fundamentalism. I certainly feel and enjoy the attention that missionaries show towards a lost soul showing interest in conversion, but I'm afraid it will have to be gradual process rather than a Damascus-like experience.

Leaving strategy aside for a moment, it is amazing how much there is to learn about the hidden rules of the game. Both the 50 % science rate cap for science under Fundamentalism and the limit to luxury effectiveness were complete news to me, and the concept of the "key civ" is something I still fail to see the rationale behind. I can understand that the game wants to make it more difficult for those who are ahead in technology to expand their advantage than for those who are behind to catch up, but I have no idea why this factor of calculating the cost of research should be based on comparing my level of technology to that of a single opponent (however weird the method of determining him).

As far as the net benefit of 60 % of tax/science I claimed in the report posted earlier is concerned, I have to admit that my approach to the game was less scientific than warranted by the nature of our discussion. The figure was based on the 20 % luxury rate and the assumption that celebrations under Fundamentalism increase the gross trade income by 100 %, which - as was pointed out - is only true if a lesser increase on some squares is balanced by enhanced trade route income. Since I had quite a number of squares producing more than one trade arrow (prior to celebrating) and trade routes only in the cities on my original continent, the actual benefit must have been lower than 60 %.

The question of the research rate in a celebrating Fundamentalism is a choice between maximizing strengths or minimizing weaknesses. Scouse Gits' point about the impressive treasury that can be built is valid, of course. However, bribery does not work with Democracies and when I am fighting those, I still prefer a superior army moving swiftly along railroads and crossing the seas in large transports over moving nine musketeers all over the map and watching them die (even if I know that the tenth one will capture the city). Maybe I'll change my mind if I play be next game with Bach Toccatas as background music.

Well, I guess I will read a bit more in this board's Great Library to find out more about other aspects of the game well-known to the natives, but surprising for the more casual player.

Verrucosus

[Scouse Gits]

Originally posted by Verrucosus
Thank you all for commenting my attempt at celebrating Fundamentalism.

You are most welcome

Originally posted by Verrucosus
...and trade routes only in the cities on my original continent,

See my first note: All research is carried out by Caravans and Diplomats - to reap the rewards you need to continue trading throughout the game - (you do realise that the one-off trade gold bonus is matched by an equal beaker bonus?) Your big celebrating cities lead to fat bonusses on delivery and your actual research rate continues quite satisfactorily

Originally posted by Verrucosus
I still prefer a superior army moving swiftly along railroads and crossing the seas in large transports over moving nine musketeers all over the map and watching them die (even if I know that the tenth one will capture the city).

Eh!? That's what vet Crooks are built for - after the 'Clads and/or dips have softened them up. You only need suffer these 10 to 1 attrition rates when they have fundamentally better defence units than you are fielding - and the Dips make sure that that does not happen! Democracies are not immune to tech theft.

Keep on civin' SG[1]