Going from Regent to Monarch

[Ision]

I have been playing at Regent level for some time now but would like to move up to Monarch level. I realize that the AI will get research and starting unit bonuses. Here are my questions:

1. Is it still possible to keep up or stay ahead of the AI in science research by doing heavy research yourself combined with tech trading? Or does the AI research bonus virtually require that you use the, '0 research slider - buy techs - win techs in peace treatys' method?

2. In science research or military conquest, can you keep up with the AI in the Ancient era?

2. Can you keep up with the AI in wonder building? Or does the military conquest of wonders become far more necassary?

3. I have often read here in different threads that the builder/culture/diplomatic style is far more diffcult on Emperor and Diety level. Does this hold true for Monarch as well?

[Krakan]

my experience

I just finished my first Monarch level game last night playing as the Chinese. I found I had to put the slider at 0% and just buy or conquer the techs. Two wars with the Indians and then two with the Spanish caught me up in the middle ages. I was large enough by the industrial age where I just bought the techs. Haven't had a war since my last war with the spanish somewhere in the early a.d.'s ( except for a phony war with America ). I didn't turn any research on until I hit genetics, since Russia had a lot higher research levels and I had plenty of money to buy, with enough left over for whatever I want. My treasury ended with ~12000 gold and I researched about half of the modern era techs. So, my answers to your questions are

1.) It may be possible, but probably more efficient to just buy/conquer/trade techs.

2.) I used military conquest to pull out of the tech whole in middle ages, didn't keep up completely in ancient era

3.) After my last war with the spanish, I played a builder strategy with democracy completely, and I won, so it still works. Haven't played above Monarch, so I don't know about Emperor or Deity.

I ended up with the two other largest civs on my continent, both with larger militaries than me, so I couldn't play my usual warmonger style.

[vmxa1]

Re: Going from Regent to Monarch

Originally posted by Ision

"1. Is it still possible to keep up or stay ahead of the AI in science research by doing heavy research yourself combined with tech trading? Or does the AI research bonus virtually require that you use the, '0 research slider - buy techs - win techs in peace treatys' method? "

It depends on a lot of things. Now this is just my perspective and maybe wrong, but I find that if you are using CivIII 1.29F it is easier than PTW 1.14.
So if CivIII, it can be done, if PTW, probably not until after Ancient or early Middle ages.

"2. In science research or military conquest, can you keep up with the AI in the Ancient era?"

On PTW I find it hard to keep up after the 2nd set of techs. They will have better contacts than me and make more trades.

"2. Can you keep up with the AI in wonder building? Or does the military conquest of wonders become far more necassary?"

Again in CivIII, maybe, in PTW, not until late middle ages or later.

"3. I have often read here in different threads that the builder/culture/diplomatic style is far more diffcult on Emperor and Diety level. Does this hold true for Monarch as well? "

Well I do not play those styles so I can not say.
To me the games play the same at the higest levels, except you are in a bigger hole and your move to take the lead comes later. At deity the ai can bully you a bit more as it takes so long to get to parity.
These are just my perspective and I do not take advantage of trading to make this easier for me.
I tend to not do much trading or selling at Monarch, more at higher levels. I don't need much help at Monarch, at deity I take all I can get.

[Pentalog]

I play on Monarch pretty much exclusively. I win fairly regularly, but I have one criteria that I must meet before I begin a game...settler starts on a river near cows. Other than that, I play large maps, raging barbs and random everything else (including civ).

I feel that the way to win on Monarch is to play the tech broker. It is imparitive that you contact as many civilizations as possible as soon as possible. Then research something the AI is not likely to research (i.e. Polytheism or Literature). Whenever I first start out, I set my science rate to 10%. I then research a "tier 2" technology (like writing, iron working, mystacism - horribly misspelled - my apologies). I take that technology and trade it for other techs so I get caught up. Then I just play tech broker. If one civ gets a tech, I get it from them and sell it to the other civs. After all, its better that you get it and gain the benefit of selling it to other civs than the other civ gaining that benefit.

Occasionally, I find myself in the situation where tech trading will not work. That is the point that warfare comes it. Attack your weakest neighbor (better yet, get him to attack you). Take one of his cities then sue for peace, in turn getting some technologies in the process (demand techs for peace). Then turn to your next weakest neighbor - or if you have the military might, take on your strongest neighbor. You don't want one of your neighbors to get too powerful. Rinse and repeat.

Somewhere in the middle ages to the beginning of the industrial ages, you should catch up and pass the AI.

Pent

[mattcj]

I am playing my first game of monarch now, as well. 8 civs on 1 large landmass. I have stayed pretty even in science throughout the game. Make sure to try and research what they don't have for trading purposes. I fell a little behind near the end of the Middle Ages but made up for it in the industrial ages. Now, early into the modern age, I am about even or maybe a tech ahead of those civs that remain. I have the largest civ and army by far and a victory should be at hand, providing I don't blow it!

[Flight]

switched from regent to monarch a while ago and i tend to make a grab for the GL. by the time i get it most of the AI are approaching education while ive stopped research after getting literature. After that it varies. On my current game ive takent eh cavalry route and the AI have taken democracy so I have sold them all metalurgy for a bit.

As for wonders im always hopelessly behind and really should concentrate on military conquest more than i do. Not warring would be very difficult i think, but i tend to play a bad hybrid of builder/warmonger which doesnt work particularly well (especially when u leave your only source of saltpeter without any protection next to the persians who have just finished off germany and want some more ...doh)

[CerberusIV]

I have been playing Monarch for a while and find it is the Industrial era before I can pull ahead on tech. I am usually close to a dominant position by then due to picking on my neighbours.

I find the best thing to do is research selectively. Go for the techs the AI doesn't then trade them to the AI's for the techs you are missing and any gold or resources you can pick up. Just make sure you trade, or even give, your tech to ALL the AI's. You don't want the most advanced AI trading your tech to the other AI's and using the gold to pull away on research.

I rarely get any ancient GW's and usually only Leo's in the medieval but I can often get all three industrial GW's and most of the modern era ones.

EDIT: Basically monarch just allows less scope to get away with mistakes and poor choices - so don't make any!

Don't forget that an AI with a stronger military isn't necessarily a problem. Unless you are seriously outnumbered and your units are inferior the fact that the AI is bad at war means it can often be taken apart by superior strategy and tactics.