Emperor Level Frustration

[Cruddy]

And don't forget the goody huts - if you are behind on tech you are more likely to get a free tech. I always miss the Scouts when I play a non-Expansionist civ.

[Demerzel]

i just use the standard emperor level tactic of getting to marketplaces ASAP and then cranking taxes to 90% and using all the incoming to buy up research off the AIs ( or stealing it ).

A war or two never hurts either and with judicious use of funds to get libraries & universities setup you can get a lead by the industrial era.

[ToeTruck]

demerzel, does that really work?

I've considered that kind of strategy, but never actually put into practice. So...I gues that means you don't both with any of the Ancient Wonders, eh?

- TT

[ThePlagueRat]

Sometimes it may work. This tactic depends on the AI, I guess.

I tried the tactic on a monarch-level game, with the BTM-mod.
(lower espionage costs, impoved AI, and some smaller modifications) But this setup was one of the most difficult I tried, and after som time the AI wouldn't even give one tech for 2000 gold. The lower espionage costs (about 500 per tech cheapest) didn't help much after some time when it's wasted 50% of the tries. So the tactic didn't work as well as I had planned on this setup.I had to do research myself or invade a much stronger civ.

AI disrespect for borders makes the stronger AI civ able to flank you on different sides, they can even invade another AI through your empire. The probability of you becoming the victim is pretty huge if you protest. So at the Emperor-level I guess you have the choice of going to war with stronger civs, or just lick their toes so they prosper?

[ceroomaster]

Originally posted by Demerzel
i just use the standard emperor level tactic of getting to marketplaces ASAP and then cranking taxes to 90% and using all the incoming to buy up research off the AIs ( or stealing it ).

A war or two never hurts either and with judicious use of funds to get libraries & universities setup you can get a lead by the industrial era.

Coupled with getting a few nations into going to war (bribe them with all the extra cash) with the one or two fastest tech developers (i.e. if they're at war they wont trade) and this stratergy works quite well IMO.

[Demerzel]

yeah I've used it many a time to great success. The main thing is to try and keep relatively close tech wise whilst you build up your own research infrastructure in the middle ages.

As I said a war is often useful, making sure you pick on your weakest neighbour and use that to expand your own empire. Make sure you fight on just one front initially as your aim is to still trade techs with the others for a while.

Plus I should mention if you start nearby another AI then its often worth sacrifing a worker/settler to get a few extra attack units out there to smack down that AI. If you can cripple it quick enough then you get a few free techs/cities whilst ensuring there is plenty of room to expand.

If you do it right, you should be 1st to steam power ( or a very close 2nd ) and have a pretty large empire with a couple of hundred gold surplus a turn.