Qin it is (Chinese)

[-SafaN-]

hadn't noticed yet none of the civs start with mysticism ...
GS has the spirtual leader ...

[ForesterSOF]

hands did not type what was thinking

should have said hunting

[PJayTycy]

I have recently played a few games without the religious techs, and I've found it pretty hard to expand the cultural borders for a new city if there is no religion in that city. A theater is usefull later on, but the early culture-generating buildings are all religious. Being constrained to 8 tiles to work is pretty hard :-)

If we end up on a continent alone, we surely need to found a religion, if we share the continent, we can "use" our neighbour's religion.

BTW: in a SP game the AI gets upset if you have an other religion, I guess in a MP game this (only) negative of religion doesn't really come into play?

[GeoModder]

In MP, having the religion of a fellow player means he knows what is in your cities qua defense.

[Chaunk]

A library generates +2 culture in addition to 25% research. They're nicely cultural IMHO.

Having said that, religion is easier and cheaper to expand borders, plus the probable extra gold, and possible spying opportunities.

[GeoModder]

I don't expect to see much religious spying in a MP game. Too much chances most of the teams will go Theocratic. And likely won't look generous at sneak conversions of cities.

No... our best chance at getting some religious "infiltration" is in founding a religion first and getting a prophet ASAP by establishing a shrine.

[-SafaN-]

so best choice would be mysticism, meditation, bronzeworking and chopping stonehenge?

[Lacero]

I guess, that means we can't build cottages though. if we've no rivers I would agree completely, but the extra gold from finacial is really useful at that early stage.

[Chaunk]

I think it's somewhat situational, but that does seem like a sensible b-line.

Having said that, if we manage to get flood plains for example, we should probably go for cottages immediately to maximise research. We'd more than likely pass up budism and hinduism, but we'd probably be able to get jewdaism like that.

Also, masonry allows quarries which are useful if we end up with stone. That alone would probably guarantee us stonehenge, or the oracle with marble.

[Senethro]

There is no reason not to get Bronze working first. Its the Industrial Automation of Civ4.

My opinion - Bronze working, An. Hus, Hunting, (spot bronzes and horses, Spearmen to counter Horde-rush), religious techs --> Oracle. With Oracle grab either Code of Laws for our first religion or metal casting for our forges (Industrious trait building) and a step towards machinery+crossbows.

[Kataphraktoi]

Absolutely...bronze working is first tech to get. IMHO religions are way overrated, ussualy i dont even bother and just get the 4 last ones instead like chaunk says. why compete for useless religions when we can pick up real advantages, in econ? its like messing with ecology etc in SMAX, imho. interesting but just not as good

bronze>cottages>sharp\blunt toys would be my tech beeline

i have never had problems with early attacks from barbs, using warriors only(and sometimes no warriors) and then having macemen by the time they got axes, but in MP we probably need spears or something? bah, military, what a waste. remember industrial makes forge half cheaper so put that on beeline. i need to get a printout so i know what im talking about, not even sure where forge tech is.

[Kataphraktoi]

Originally posted by PJayTycy
Favourite starting techs:
mining : 5
the wheel : 3
hunting : 3
farming: 2
fishing : 1

Favourite traits:
financial : 4
creative : 4
philosophical : 2
industrious : 1
organised : 1
spiritual : 1


Now I'm off to play a few practice games with Qin against these leaders on the C4DG settings...

Thats because financial\creative is the strongest traits, and chop rushing is as mandatory as crawlers in smax. surprised no one got a expansive trait. its needed on high levels...what difficulty are we on anyway?

[Lacero]

Prince I think.

The religions are very useful to get, because if we don't have them somone else will be able to see into our cities.

[Kataphraktoi]

We only need 1 religion for that. So what if they do see our cities? all they will know is we are blowing past them in econ. maybe going against common logic here, but i would rather have 20 cities and econ than 10 cities, less econ, and info,as buster puts it. At least in cIV. and dont you need to build lots of missionaries to actually spread your religion? wasted resources favours defender already.

a econ advantage is something tangible than can be translated into something, like kickass military units. a religion dosnt win the game.

could go theocracy also.

[GeoModder]

Newfound cities who don't have a religion yet in the first few turns are susceptible to getting a religion without missionaries, offen another then the state religion (if not running Theocracy). And going Theocracy isn't that beneficial to create an economy asap. Organized Religion is better for that.
Also, in the early game nobody has Theocracy. The first to get a religion is the more likely to see it spread far beyond as a random surplus.