The Pyramids, or Colossus #2

[Theben]

1st off I'd like to say sorry if this idea has been posted before, but I've been away from these forums for awhile.

This borrows heavily from the idea someone (I forget who) posted about using a 5+ size city for an early tech jump. So I thought why not empire wide?

So I tried a game a few months ago using 3 size 6-8 cities+ libraries with only scientists in them (plus occasionally 1 worker on a high food tile to minimize pop loss) and 2 size 6-8 cities with marketplaces. It cut my tech research time by 40%, and greatly improved my bank account. I also had the SSC, but the Pyramids helped me get those cities to that point quickly. After a while I continued to develop those initial cities, and had newer cities further from my capital (and more corruption) take over the task. I never had the whole empire going completely specialist at one time, but I think it could work, and the Pyramids would be key.

So now I'm posting this here to see if you guys think it's worthwhile, and hopefully develop it further. I just don't have the patience to micromanage this as much as it needs to be.

[Ming]

In the short term, your strategy works. But in the long term, an ICS strategy would still be better once you kick in WLYD's...

While I like Col for the SSC (especially in SP games)... and it does help big time, given a choice I would prefer Pyramids in MP games. It really helps jump start the population early in the game, and while happiness can be a problem, it can be dealt with.

[La Fayette]

quote: Originally posted by Theben on 05-15-2001 03:39 AM the idea someone (I forget who) posted about using a 5+ size city for an early tech jump..

The name is Xin Yu ('Size 5 strategy', in the GL).
Let us bow.
Some of us (at least Adam Smith, solo and myself) love using 5 or 6 cities size 7 or 8 apart from the SSC (but solo gets better results ).


------------------
aux bords mystérieux du monde occidental

[solo]

For early landing attempts, I limit the number of cities and concentrate almost entirely on trade, but for conquest games, the more cities the merrier, and I would lean towards ICS, and would buy or capture the Pyramids ASAP.
[This message has been edited by solo (edited May 15, 2001).]

[geofelt]

After hanging gardens, I like pyramids over colossus in sp play, even on deity. The best super science city will have colossus, but it still can be quite decent if you build it in the city with hanging gardens. Pyramids seems to make the rest of the game go easier. In particular, it keeps you out of trouble by keeping the food box at least half full as a reserve.

[EdwardTKing]

I prefer Pyramids to Colossus; my logic being:

a) Colossus is a one city wonder. Pyramids benefits all cities.

b) It is rare for a city to be high in both trade arrows and shields. It is easier to build wonders in a high shield city; but the Colossus is of less value in a high shield oriented city. It is difficult to build wonders in a high trade city where the Colossus is most beneficial; you usually have to wait for trade technology and Caravans. The Pyramids can be built in a high shield city (and often rush finished before acquiring trade) where they are fully useful.

c) Colossus expires; the Pyramids do not.

[East Street Trader]

Another point is that when one of the A1 cities has Collosus you are assured of one decent trading partner.

[EthnicCleanser]

quote: Originally posted by East Street Trader on 05-18-2001 02:31 PM Another point is that when one of the A1 cities has Collosus you are assured of one decent trading partner.

good point....especially if its on another continent

i only wish the ai would build the SSC in one city and not three

------------------
Someone from your village just called. They said their idiot is missing !

[Filip]

The first wonder I build is usually and preferably the Pyramids. When you build it, especially combined with Monarchy, you can build many settlers fast and get a lot of cities in the beginning of the game. Then you can use 5-7 cities to build caravans and the rest of the cities to expand and explore. If you're good and have a bit of luck you'll probably have every wonder in your possession.

Don't aim for the Colossus until you get the Hanging Gardens, especially when you play in deity mode. Everybody knows how good the HG wonder really is, making one person happy, and later, when you get more cities, one person content. One more good thing is that you can wait a while before building temples, concentrating on building settlers.
But Colossus and HG in the same city, now that's something. It's pretty easy to get 'we love the emperor day' with the two wonders combined with a temple, three cheap troops and Monarchy. Remember, Monarchy + 'we love the emperor day' makes Republic in the city. Use the advantages with Monarchy and Republic at the same time. Now make sure that you build Copernicus Observatory and the other 'one city only wonders' in this city.

After you get the Great Wall and Sun Tzu's you can sit down taking it easy for as long as you like, building up an army automatically upgraded with Leonardo's Workshop. When you get Steam Engine you just take your Ironclads and attack every enemy coastal city one by one. Because you have every important wonder, your enemies will stay in the bronze age for as you like, defending their cities with only warriors and phalanxes. They don't stand a chance.

Of course, this only works with playing against non-humans.

[Dr.Oogkloot]

I though Hanging Gardens used to be preferred....have things changed in the last few months?

[Ecthy]

HG is #1... they ask for #2... pyramids or colossus....

I can't decide either... why not build both simultaneously?

[Devil's Advocate]

I think the science city is more important than having a lot of science specialists in several cities.
I always try to build the Colossus first, so as to have more trade arrows for my science city.
It seems to be to much bother to change specialists back and forth.
I don't really think the Pyramids are that important, because I can build granaries in cities I want to grow faster.
I don't think I would try to play that way, as it wouldn't be fun for me.

[La Fayette]

Originally posted by Dr.Oogkloot
I though Hanging Gardens used to be preferred....have things changed in the last few months?

One thing has changed: avatars
(and I confess that, given the choice, I would take Mary Ann's )

[Scouse Gits]

Sorry - never build the Pyramids - so the question is self evident ...

[Jaguar]

Yipes! An AI built the pyramids in 2400 BC in one of my games! I suppose the AIs have stated what they think about this debate!