The Tech Lead

[Dominae]

I always play Emperor, and usually gain a tech lead sometime at the beginning of the Industrial age.

I suppose you really need to define what you mean by "tech lead". Oftentimes I feel I'm ahead when I'm actually 3-4 techs behind, but that's just because I've got the techs I want. The Industrial age is a perfect example, because in most games I couldn't care less about Nationalism, Communism, Espionage or Sanitation.

To get into a nice tech position in the Medieval age, I let the AI make the decisions for me, mostly. I try to research techs that I know I will be able to sell, or that I know I'll be able to get the attached Wonder (Smith's, for example). This means that I'm not really looking for a tech lead, just trying to get by as well as possible. Consequently, Libraries and especially Universities are not priorities for me. By the end of the age, a big trading session ensues and all competitive civs hit Industrial together. This is where I gain the lead, due to the poor decisions of the AI: while they're rushing for Communism, I'm laying down Railroads and building Factories and pre-building the Theory of Evolution. Then it's a simple matter to "go scientific" and pull way ahead of the competition.


Dominae

[punkbass2000]

Industrial. ToE. Deity.

[joncnunn]

I always grab the tech lead 4 to 6 turns after completion of the Forbiden Palace on Emperor level. (This is with 1.21f; I just recently got the 1.29f patch which I'll install as soon as my current game finishes.)

I usually complete the FP in the mid to late Middle Ages. In my current game though, I completed it 2 turns after the rest of the world was in the Industrial Ages, but still beat the AI to the first Industrial tech 6 turns later. (There aren't any Scientific civs in this game.)

The bigest tech lead I've ever gotten on the Emperor level was half an era. (With me being the only player at peace.)

[joncnunn]

On the Emperor level, I get to the point where I can research by ignoring Libaries entirely (unless Scientific) and instead putting all my effort into completion of the FP in the best place and in the mid time lauching a major Court House, Market Place, and Bank building campaign, growing the economy to buy all techs as they become adviable. Occansionly my 1 beaker reserach even gets a tech the AI has bypassed.

On the Monarch level, I can often get a tech lead in the Ancient Era, especially if industrious. (Faster road network completion -> faster economy building -> faster tech lead.)

Originally posted by BRC
How does everyone get to the point where they start researching? Do you build libraries as soon as they become available? Do you wait until a certain advance?

I would like to know what requirements must be met before you start researching. I like to extort as long as my continent can keep pace with the rest of the world. As soon as my continent falls behind, I feel like I need to kick it in and start to play catch up. This usually happens in the Medievil Age, as I have hit each civ on my continent a couple of times, and their ability to keep pace with the rest of the world is hampered. What do you guys wait for??

[joncnunn]

To me, having a tech lead means consitantly being first to the world to a given tech branch, even if you sell it that same turn to everybody.

I don't keep techs in reserve until the AI can't afford my prices. A 3 tech lead usually doesn't occur for me on the Emperor level until Theory of Evolution, but I once got it before then because all the AIs were at war while I was at peace.

I've never gotten a full age in front on Emperor level, the most I've gotten ahead was about 60% of an era. (Same game where the AIs were all at war while I was at peace.)

Originally posted by SanPellegrino
for me it's usually the ToE, where my tech lead gets really big on monarch. btw, what is a tech lead for you? being 2 or 3 techs in front or having a huge civ2 like tech lead, being more than 1 age in front?

[joncnunn]

All of this is on Emperor level.

I sell my tech for the one on the other side of the tech tree at a discount compared to if they hadn't reserached it.

Unless I'm playing a Scientific civs, I don't build a libary in a city until I have a Bank unless I'm rushing tihe libary for the culture.

Build the FP in the proper city. The FP city site should have access to fresh water (free aquaduct). The Temple, Court House, Market Place, and Catherdrial with sufficent luxaries for a WLTPD should usually be built first. (The WLTPD might not be needed if your in a Golden Age while building the FP.)

After Court Houses become adviable, there needs to be a massive Court House building campaign in all cities not in the first ring from the Palace.

Originally posted by BRC

How do you get the other side of the tech tree? Do you extort, buy, etc. ?? Just would like to know.

I usually build them in all of my core cities at about the time of Education. Is this too early?? If it is, what should I do to keep up. Assume Emperor, Standard everything.

[joncnunn]

On Emperor level, Sanitation is often what I go after first on the Industrial era, so I can start consturction of the Hospitals. Under a Democracy/Republic every worked tile is worth at least 2 trade arrows, and so there is a major boom in the economy as those Hospitals complete and the population grows.

AI makes Nationalism a high priority even if there's no Scientific civs there that get it for free, so I always buy it when I'm not Scientific myself.

Communsim & Espiodage are techs I reserach after I have Industrialization, Replaceable Parts, and Scientific Theory of the AI hasn't and I have time to reserach them + Atomic Theory by the time I finsish the Theory of Evolution.

There's no need to prebuild the Theory of Evolution. Just build a Factory - Hospital combo in two cities and have the first of these cities build Universal Suffarage and the second build Theory of Evolution. Even if the AI gets Sceintific Method, they'll often pick a city without a Factory to build it and so you'll get it first. The best 2 techs to get from it are Electronics & Radio which completes the bottom half of the industrial tech branch.

Originally posted by Dominae
I always play Emperor, and usually gain a tech lead sometime at the beginning of the Industrial age.

I suppose you really need to define what you mean by "tech lead". Oftentimes I feel I'm ahead when I'm actually 3-4 techs behind, but that's just because I've got the techs I want. The Industrial age is a perfect example, because in most games I couldn't care less about Nationalism, Communism, Espionage or Sanitation.

To get into a nice tech position in the Medieval age, I let the AI make the decisions for me, mostly. I try to research techs that I know I will be able to sell, or that I know I'll be able to get the attached Wonder (Smith's, for example). This means that I'm not really looking for a tech lead, just trying to get by as well as possible. Consequently, Libraries and especially Universities are not priorities for me. By the end of the age, a big trading session ensues and all competitive civs hit Industrial together. This is where I gain the lead, due to the poor decisions of the AI: while they're rushing for Communism, I'm laying down Railroads and building Factories and pre-building the Theory of Evolution. Then it's a simple matter to "go scientific" and pull way ahead of the competition.

Dominae