Civ3 for the Civ2 Apolyton vet

[Arrian]

metalhead,

Actually, since human research completes just before human production, you can time your tech discover for the SAME TURN that ToE completes. Example: time the discovery of replaceable parts for the same turn as ToE, you will discover RP, select AT, and THEN ToE will complete, granting you AT and asking for #2, which is clearly going to be Electronics.

Good point about switching out of despotism. If playing a religious civ, I will switch to Monarchy ASAP, and later to Republic. If playing non-religious, I will only switch to Republic unless I envision a long period of warfare. I did once play an entire game as a Monarchy (China, Monarch level, and WOW did things go well). It's a question of balancing the benifits of: 1) military police happiness bonus, 2) unit upkeep, 3) corruption level (negligable between Mon & Rep), 4) trade bonus (huge, but does it make up for the loss of 1 & 2), 5) war weariness or lack thereof.

The Great Library certainly isn't crucial, especially if you are beating tech out of the AI. But it is nice to have/deny to the AI.

-Arrian

[vmxa1]

Staying Despot is less useful if you are not a warmonger as you will have fewer unit to pay upkeep on. If you are not going to pop rush or war it is a painful form of government.

[Rufus T. Firefly]

Wow! Thanks for the input (and please, keep it coming if you like). It's all very helpful (especially the 6-point list for the Civ2 vet -- thanks Arrian). I look forward to gleaning more wisdom from these fora -- though not as much as I look forward to my next game.

[Rufus T. Firefly]

After posting those last thoughts, I played the start of a game, and have a follow-up question about despotism. Given the need to have a REX, and given the inability to extract more than 2 food from a normal square (even if irrigated) under despotism, doesn't despotism actually work against having a REX? If not, why not?

[vondrack]

Originally posted by Rufus T. Firefly
After posting those last thoughts, I played the start of a game, and have a follow-up question about despotism. Given the need to have a REX, and given the inability to extract more than 2 food from a normal square (even if irrigated) under despotism, doesn't despotism actually work against having a REX? If not, why not?

Yes, it somewhat helps to slow the REX down... but not very much (read: not enough)... Look for cattle and wheat tiles, they will give you more than two food even under despotism. By the time Monarchy is available, this (lack of food productivity) is not your biggest problem. Balancing the happiness, early rushes, and choosing the proper time for anarchy is much more important.

[SpencerH]

Originally posted by Rufus T. Firefly
After posting those last thoughts, I played the start of a game, and have a follow-up question about despotism. Given the need to have a REX, and given the inability to extract more than 2 food from a normal square (even if irrigated) under despotism, doesn't despotism actually work against having a REX? If not, why not?

In a way you're missing the point, by the time you get to monarchy, even if you made a beeline for it, you should already be fairly well REXed anyway (on a regular map regent/monarch and up).

[FrustratedPoet]

Exactly, almost by definition REX has to be carried out in Despotism.
If you wait until Monarchy then your Rapid eXpansion is no longer Early.

[Rufus T. Firefly]

Okay, that makes sense; I forgot that it takes so long to get into monarchy in this game (another big difference from Civ2). Many thanks again.

[Inverse Icarus]

the GL is ESSENTIAL on the higher levels... the AI just whores it's tech so fast you'll get left behind easily.

in multiplayer, it might be a waste of shields... but we'll see.