Recommended Tech research order

[Mariakles]

Hi All!

I was just wondering was is a good tech research order. I am just starting Civ 3 and enjoying it very much but am scratching my head wondering which is the optimal tech research order.

[Harovan]

That depends pretty much on your playstyle, the difficulty level and the map.

If you are builder/scientist, beeline for Literature, then for The Republic.

If you are a warmonger, beeline for Iron Working, Horseback Riding, Mathematic and Monarchy.

If you have an Archipelago map, beeline for Map Making.

If you are playing Emperor/Deity, beeline for Monarchy.

You should try to learn the basis (leftmost in the tree) technologies as soon as possible either from goody huts or by trading with your neighbors.

Don't push the science slider too high in the early game, keep it at most 10..30% (just that the science doesn't stop). Make money and buy techs (or share them). Don't listen to your science advisor. He never gets enough money.

In all cases it's not wrong to learn the 2 resource techs (Iron working and The Wheel) before all others, to know the resource locations early and to be able to settle there.

[barefootbadass]

Well, it depends on what civ you are playing. I would recommend trying to get as deep into the research tree as you can, so you have something to trade. Deeper techs take longer to research but can be traded well for multiple techs of the lower tiers if you do it right. Techs that show you resources are a priority, as well as ones that give you wonders to work on(if you build wonders). If you are alone on a small island getting to mapmaking is essential.

[Hawkx9]

Of course it depends on the level of difficulty, but seeing as I play mostly on Regent I'll offer advice for that level.

I shoot right for Iron Working, and if you're playing with a Scientific Civ, Iron Working is available immediately. By the time it's researched I usually have 3-5 cities depending on the terrain. I then connect to the nearest source (or settle next to the nearest source if one isn't within my radius), upgrade my 8-10 vet Warriors I've stockpiled to Swordsmen, and launch an assault against my nearest neighbor.

How can I afford the $400 it takes to upgrade all those Warriors? Simple. As soon as you've finished research on Iron Working, max your taxes. By the time you've hooked up your Iron supply (which isn't usually in my radius so I need to settle another city) you'll have enough cash.

After my initial Swordsmen rush I shoot for Horsemen (and a Horsemen rush again my second opponent). Then Knights, then Cavalary, and so on.

I guess you could say I'm a warmonger, but not completely. I only use slave labor camps for my war-needs. All other core cities produce infrastructure, mainly culture producing, in preparation for the eventual Republic switch, which I generally don't do until after my third war-wave with Knights.

Peace.

[hannibcannib]

i like that saying at the bottom Hawk
lol
thats cool

[Lawrence of Arabia]

THis is what I do when I am the Americans

Ancient Era
Alphabet-Writing-Literature-Code of Laws-Philosophy-The Republic-Currency-Construction

I trade these away for: Ceremonial Burial-Iron Working-Mysticism-Mathematics-Pottery-The Wheel-Warrior Code-Horsebackriding

As you can see, I trade for a lot more techs then I get. This is because some of those techs (probably about 1/2) which I am trading for will most likely get taken by popped huts (Ind, Exp)

If you can get a head start in the Ancient Era, you win the game.

[vmxa1]

I love the warmonger, bash em, stunt them, eliminate them. If they are shrinking, you are growing. Civs that are out of your reach, need to get wars going with others to keep them in check. If I see they are in a war, I try to get involved and help the weaker one, so the big one does not get to strong.

[ucel]

My little strategy

I played this strategy several times on Regent diff. level and it functioning cool.
Ancient: First goal is a literature. Try to start any other wonder as soon as you can. When you research literature switch this wonder to Great Library and point to Currency and later to Construction. These two are researched by AI as last, so when you'll acquire it your Ancient age will be finished. Don't research neither monarchy nor republic - you gain them from GL.
Middle: Straight way to Military Tradition, then Banking (Education you already have), Magnetism. At this point you should have cavalry when others have only knights and pikemens. Good reason to expand your borders .
Industrial: Many choises, but I choose usually the following tree:
Nationalism (for rifleman)->Steam (for RR)->Repl. Parts (fast workers)->Sci. Method (Theory of Evol.)->Electonics(Hoover)->Mech. Trans. (Armor). At this point I have armors, while others start to develop steel. Try to buy all old tech before you build theory of Evolution - I acquired once Radio this way.
Modern: If you wer peacefull: Fission->UN->diplomatic vitct. Give some "tokens of goodwill" for better voting. Other way continue your wars and start building SS.
Good luck

ucel

[Haertgaeden]

Originally posted by vmxa1
...... Civs that are out of your reach, need to get wars going with others to keep them in check ......

Got any tips for starting a war between two other countries?

My situation. The Chinese were sandwiched inbetween myself (the Romans) and the Greeks. Although small, I wanted to get Greece to help me in my war, but they always refused to sign a military alliance.

Once China was gone, it was just me and the Greeks on my continent. America, the Iroquois, the Japanese, the French, and the English were all on another continent, and all were massively strong civs.

I wanted to get a war going between some of them to try and weaken them up a bit, but I was at a loss at how to go about doing that.