Tech Discussion

[sooooo]

I'm convinced by T-Hawk's arguments.

[Swiss Pauli]

Sorry, but it's clearly better to get Philo from PAL. Bulbing Philo is plan B.

[Zeviz]

I am also convinced. Let's switch research to be parked on Drama, since we are unlikely to buy it any time soon.

[regoarrarr]

What about neither bulbing nor building an academy, but using this as a golden age? What are the numbers on that?

[T-hawk]

Golden Age now is not as good as Golden Age later because we have no anarchy to save at the moment.

Golden Age is worth about 8 x 40 (including city centers) = 320 commerce, translating to about 400 beakers (it's all gravy over cash expenses.) It's also worth about 8 x 30 = 240 hammers. It's quite comparable to the lightbulb in terms of immediate payoff. The downside is a possible extra turn of anarchy later for Nationhood/Theocracy if we can't swing another GA then.

[Dreylin]

Golden Age now is not as good as Golden Age later because we have no anarchy to save at the moment.

But we could certainly use the Hammers right now....

[Swiss Pauli]

I now favour the bulb because it's looking like we're going to get doubled teamed, which will cost us Ivory & Gems, so we'll be forced to whip down our pop anyway which is the last thing you want to do during a Golden Age.

[T-hawk]

Sullla asked for a comparison of Academy in Pink versus super-scientist in Airstrip One. Super-scientist makes 6 x 1.75 = 10.5 beakers plus a hammer. Super-scientist is ahead until Pink gets up to 10.5 / 60% (science rate) x 50% (academy payoff) = 35 base commerce. Pink will not make that in the near future, and by the time Pink does, A1 will have Oxford. (More generally, Pink is not a strong commerce city at all. Two cottages and one hamlet does not make for a powerhouse.) So super-scientist is superior.

But I'm pretty sure we'll lightbulb Philosophy. We don't have to do that right away - in fact no need to do that until we have enough cash for the entire 100% Nationalism run. We would get Nationalism about T145.

But another plan could be to Golden Age now, and use the GA GPP boost to put out scientist #3 quickly. If we can go all-out with two extra hired scientists at Airstrip One, that scientist #3 pops only 7 turns from now! 300 / (15 * 3) = 7. Use scientist #3 to bulb Philo, save cash in the meantime, then plow Nationalism at 100%. This bulbs Philo and starts Nationalism on T137, finishing Nationalism T147.

So the tradeoff is two turns later to Nationalism (so Taj risk) in exchange for lots of hammers and cash now to fight the war. Any opinions?

[sunrise089]

I would go for the Golden Age. Extra gold may allow us a unit upgrade ahead of schedule (though probably not early enough to matter in the north), plus we'll get an extra unit out of Cape Town.

[sooooo]

Yep, golden age looks good. I forgot about the doubling of GP points. It might scare off Templars too. That should be good. Let's all hope our second GP isn't an artist.

[regoarrarr]

I support the golden age

[mostly-harmless]

If golden age is superior, like thawk suggested, i am in favour.
Mh

[ruff_hi]

Do we kick off the GA now or wait until they have declared on us? How about we wait until later in the current turn to give them a chance to show their hand. Costs us nothing.

It could be that Templar declare, we GA, templer quake in their boots and run home to mumma

[T-hawk]

Golden Age is not strictly superior to lightbulbing now - we do get to Nationalism a couple turns later, plus have to seriously dedicate Airstrip One to GPP production for the next scientist. Also then we need Taj to get an anarchy-free change to Nationhood.

That's the risk and tradeoffs in order to get GA hammers and cash now for war. Plus Vassalage becomes an option. I'm still not sure if I support the GA-now plan, but throwing it up for discussion.

Of course we should wait till later in the turn, no reason to pop the GA now.

[Dreylin]

I also support a Golden Age with T-Hawk's plan to push out GS #3.

@Ruff - I would prefer that we scare off Templars before they declare, thus hopefully preserving our trade routes and resource trades.

How does a potential GA affect the numbers on the key builds this turn? I assume it will give us a 1-t unit at Cape Town, what about at Pink? Is Pink on max-hammers?