What technologies don't the AIs research?

[Lucilla]

I changed my strategy in the last 2 games (monarch level) and decided to go for the cheapest tech possible.
As I'm behind in tech on this level anyway, I might as well choose the one to be reached the easiest. If I'm lucky, there's a civ that doesn't have it yet and I can sell it. If I go for the more expensive ones, it takes ages to reach them, and I stay behind with the others at the same time.
The more expensive techs I need to buy anyway, so I put most of my income into taxes, not into research.
Only when I'm close to discovering a tech that only few or none of the other civs own, I increase science spending to speed up the research.
Don't know whether that's the best strategy, but it seems to work ok for me.

[Zachriel]

I usually set Science on 0%-10% from the the beginning and build a cash reserve. Once having bought the necessary prerequisites, I will then increase Science funding dramatically -- even if this puts me in negative cash flow.

Cleopatra's Vision is an example of this with Science funding reaching 70% from 800BC to 70BC, and culminating in Literature.

http://www.zachriel.com/gotm9/bc0800-Vision.htm

[Zachriel]

Re: What technologies don't the AIs research?

Originally posted by Theseus
So here's the question:

What should you research that is both critical to your game, but that will probably be something that you can sell like mad?

Put me down for Currency. I nearly always get Currency before the rival Civs, and nearly always get rich and achieve technological parity when I do.

Then, of course, I build Marketplaces.

(Minor edit for accuracy and clarity. )

[Zachriel]

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[Jawa Jocky]

I'm always selling sanitation to the AI even when I'm few techs behind.

[vmxa1]

By the time I get to sanitation, I am not likely to be making anymore trades or selling anything. Just dropping the hammer.

[Theseus]

Really? I'm starting to enjoy late-game machinations... given that there may be a few killer AI civs at this point, I like to not only wage direct warfare, but also trigger a messy geo-political mosh pit (i.e., lots of red lines!).

[vmxa1]

Oh, I will have lots of red lines alright, mostly pointing to me.

[Wormwood]

Re: Re: What technologies don't the AIs research?

Originally posted by Zachriel


Put me down for Currency. I nearly always get Currency before the rival Civs, and nearly always get rich and achieve technological parity when I do.

Then, of course, I build Marketplaces.

(Minor edit for accuracy and clarity. )

I find that interesting. I'm usually one of the last to get currency, because I go for Literature and then Monarchy, and then sell Monarchy to the AI for Currency and Construction, which are really necessary to make Monarchy viable.

[Arrian]

By the time I get to sanitation, I am not likely to be making anymore trades or selling anything. Just dropping the hammer.

Agreed. I *may* sell the AI medicine. No way in hell I'm giving them sanitation, though. Hospitals really boost their power, since they will bring in a bunch more money and their cities will get the metropolis defense bonus. Screw that. I like keeping the AI poor and backward, to the extent it is possible.

I'm usually behind in tech until the end of the ancient era/beginning of the middle ages, because my focus is on building & upgrading my strike force(s). If I can get Monarchy first, I will, but not to trade. In my newest Aztec attempt, I was laughably far behind for some time, since my neighbors were the Iroquois, Americans and Zulu. 3 expansionists who traded everything they got! The Zulu built the Pyramids and GL! I've NEVER seen a strong Zululand. The game would be a real good one (I have a pretty good Palace/FP setup and am just mopping up the continent with Knights) but for the as-yet-undiscovered Egyptians who have reeled off the Sistine and Sun Tzu in quick succession (the latter 2 turns before I would have completed it. "Sir, are you aware that switching from Sun Tzu to Colosseum will result in the loss of 450 shields?") OUCH! I rushed Leo's w/a leader and now regret that decision.

But I digress. Sorry.

-Arrian

[Theseus]

In picking up Knightblade's game over the weekend, I really had to put this technique to the test.

I started out researching Astronomy, maybe 1-2 turns of research complete, and behind by at least 5 techs. I switched to Printing Press, got there first sold to all, then did the same with Democracy. That got me caught up to only 2 behind. A little Knight music on India, and I extorted my way to parity.

But that wasn't enough!! I really wanted to gain absolute control by the time of the industrial 'corridor.' Beelined for Rep Parts, selling Steam Power and Electricity. Sanitation... sold it. Scientific Theory... sold it (I had a really good pre-build).

In the process, I got every other tech I wanted, got rich, and basically bankrupted the AI civs. By the time I put the game down, I was in the 'corridor,' with a 3 tech lead.

[vmxa1]

Yes that is how I see, if I sell them a tech that is the prereq for a strong tech, that will help them more than some cash will help me. I will sell/trade tech that is dead end or all are likely working so all I save them is a small amount of time for them. Holding back their growth is a goal and towards that end, I like to smash some cities and troops so they have to spent resources on them, rather than improving.

[Theseus]

I just read Bella Hella's account in the strategy forum... I'm starting to get the sense that Steam Power is a low AI priority, which could make it THE must-have-first tech in the entire game, setting up Scientific Theory and the ToE, Atomic Theory and Electronics and Hoover, and then control of the late industrial 'corridor.'

Any thoughts?

[vmxa1]

I consider it a priority already. Even though I will not trade or sell it. I want the RR's and I do not want them to have them any sooner that necessary. By this time in the game I am getting ready to hurt somebody and RR will allow me to defend my cities with a minimum of troops. If I see that another AI already has it then I would be willing to deal.

[Catt]

I also consider Steam Power a priority - I can't remember the last time I didn't select Steam Power as my first Industrial Age research project.

My anecdotal experience is that the AI will not avoid Steam Power, however. They seem to go after Nationalism first, then Steam Power (the scientific civs seem to go after Steam Power after getting Nationalism upon entering the age). I've come to expect the AI civs to beeline towards Industrialization -- although they don't necessarily rush to build factories, I have always suspected that they covet the first available wonder of the age - Universal Suffrage.

All anecdotal of course, but I have come to expect from the AIs: Nationalism, Steam Power, Industrialization, and then a smattering of Communism / Espionage / Medicine. Assuming rough tech parity upon entering the age (as opposed to a good lead or a serious shortcoming) I've found an opening research path of Steam Power, Industrialization, Electricity, Medicine, and Scientific Method usually allows me to have a good shot at U.S., gets RR's and factories up and running early, allows in some cases a second or third civ price on researching Medicine, offers the ability to trade Electricty for mucho gold and Nationalism, Communism and Espionage, and still doesn't put ToE too much at risk. All of which is capped by ToE providing Atomic Theory and Electronics (while manually researching Replaceable Parts and sometimes buying the Corporation). In times of heavy warfare, I might slip RP in somewhere early in the stream. A poor pre-build timing might also allow me to research Atomic Theory manually, and thereby secure Electronics and Radio with ToE.

As varied as I like my games to play out, the entry into, and then the mid-game portion of, the Industrial Age seems to follow a well-trodden path regardless of civ played, map features, game play to that point etc.

Catt