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We'll have to choose our next tech at 825 BC (If Im counting right), so I've made some analysis about our options (from bottom to top in tech tree):
Compass
pros:
- req of Optics (could be of use once we plan some major overseas action - allows Caravels which can find other continents/civs quickly and scout coastline without open borders)
- harbors (according to blake, they're good only mid-late game as all they do is aid your competition for best trade routes - increase the 'weight' of the city it's built by 50%)
cons:
- expensive (588b)
Theology
pros:
- religion (we have one already and we aint spiritual, so the value of additional religion is smaller than for, say, GS)
- allows to skip CS in run for Liberalism (an unlikely tech route though as CS is valuable enough to research it)
cons:
- expensive (>700b*)
Monarchy
pros:
- wineries
cons:
- we don't need HR, we have it already
- the tech is not very expensive (429b), but might too high a price for +1 hapiness (at least for now when need for hapiness is not so urgent as we have possible +4 hapiness from Representation + Judaism)
CoL
pros:
- religion
- courthouses (we might need them quite soon - once we conquer Bananas)
- Forbidden Palace (see above)
- req for CS
cons:
- not cheap (500b)
Currency
pros:
- +1 trade route (this should give us additional +5d instantly in commerce: +2 Beijing from GS, +1 all other cities from local commerce; and more as cities grow)
- can trade for cash (instead of IOUs and 'somewhat' fair deals we'll be able to have totally equal deals - missing beakers paid in cold hard coin)
- market (not useful in any of our cities atm. a mid-game building)
- speeds up research of CoL
cons:
- expensive (572b*)
- rewards lessened a bit if we antagonize GS and they cancel trading (tho still it gives +1 in each city as per internal trade)
Calendar
pros:
- we'll be able to use the hapiness resources in our and Banana territory (once we conquer them) - not much of use atm, as we have enough hapiness
- map centered
cons:
- not cheap (500b)
Drama
pros:
- ability to invest in culture
- theatre (even more use from culture investment)
- Globe Theatre (probably useful later when we have Beijing made as GPP Farm)
- req for Philosophy
- req/speeds up Music research
cons:
- none, I mean the cost aint that big (429b), the rewards aren't immediately useful too, tho
Literature
pros:
- cheap(286b)
- Great Library - there were some plans to build it asap, but Im not sure when they'll come to fruitition with us preparing for war and the marble hookup not being a close term goal
- National Epic - useful, but probably after the war's done
- Heroic Epic - could aid our war effort greatly (as much as +20h turn in Xian)
- req/speeds up Music research
* - I'll check the values against game as soon as I can.
As you see, many of the listed is either quite expensive for their rewards, or the rewards are not immediate or at least in close reach.
I suggest the following as the most viable options (in order of priority):
CoL or Currency
Literature
Code of Laws appears to me as crucial tech if our war effort is at least half as successful as we wish to. The span of our future territory will make us cry for lost cash to upkeep. It also has the nice side effect of a religion, being a prereq to CS and giving access to a wonder that might aid us in war effort (Chichen Itza)
Currency might give us quite a big immediate benefit (minimum +1 per city once that city exceeds 1 pop), which might be slightly influenced by GS canceling trade if we antagonize them.
We could also use it as a remedy for upkeep problems we'll have after conquest.
Literature's reward doesn't belong to short-term plans, but the fact we own it and probably own it for some time, could defer at least some of our opponents from building the Library. Literature is also quite cheap and could be done in 11-12 turns.
I think we should weigh the prospective benefit of Currency in ducats versus the upkeep amount lost due to us building courthouses and that would be a fair estimate of which tech is better (because while CoL might seem to give a bit more due to religion and wonder, the courthouses must actually be built and they are not cheap).
Compass
pros:
- req of Optics (could be of use once we plan some major overseas action - allows Caravels which can find other continents/civs quickly and scout coastline without open borders)
- harbors (according to blake, they're good only mid-late game as all they do is aid your competition for best trade routes - increase the 'weight' of the city it's built by 50%)
cons:
- expensive (588b)
Theology
pros:
- religion (we have one already and we aint spiritual, so the value of additional religion is smaller than for, say, GS)
- allows to skip CS in run for Liberalism (an unlikely tech route though as CS is valuable enough to research it)
cons:
- expensive (>700b*)
Monarchy
pros:
- wineries
cons:
- we don't need HR, we have it already
- the tech is not very expensive (429b), but might too high a price for +1 hapiness (at least for now when need for hapiness is not so urgent as we have possible +4 hapiness from Representation + Judaism)
CoL
pros:
- religion
- courthouses (we might need them quite soon - once we conquer Bananas)
- Forbidden Palace (see above)
- req for CS
cons:
- not cheap (500b)
Currency
pros:
- +1 trade route (this should give us additional +5d instantly in commerce: +2 Beijing from GS, +1 all other cities from local commerce; and more as cities grow)
- can trade for cash (instead of IOUs and 'somewhat' fair deals we'll be able to have totally equal deals - missing beakers paid in cold hard coin)
- market (not useful in any of our cities atm. a mid-game building)
- speeds up research of CoL
cons:
- expensive (572b*)
- rewards lessened a bit if we antagonize GS and they cancel trading (tho still it gives +1 in each city as per internal trade)
Calendar
pros:
- we'll be able to use the hapiness resources in our and Banana territory (once we conquer them) - not much of use atm, as we have enough hapiness
- map centered
cons:
- not cheap (500b)
Drama
pros:
- ability to invest in culture
- theatre (even more use from culture investment)
- Globe Theatre (probably useful later when we have Beijing made as GPP Farm)
- req for Philosophy
- req/speeds up Music research
cons:
- none, I mean the cost aint that big (429b), the rewards aren't immediately useful too, tho
Literature
pros:
- cheap(286b)
- Great Library - there were some plans to build it asap, but Im not sure when they'll come to fruitition with us preparing for war and the marble hookup not being a close term goal
- National Epic - useful, but probably after the war's done
- Heroic Epic - could aid our war effort greatly (as much as +20h turn in Xian)
- req/speeds up Music research
* - I'll check the values against game as soon as I can.
As you see, many of the listed is either quite expensive for their rewards, or the rewards are not immediate or at least in close reach.
I suggest the following as the most viable options (in order of priority):
CoL or Currency
Literature
Code of Laws appears to me as crucial tech if our war effort is at least half as successful as we wish to. The span of our future territory will make us cry for lost cash to upkeep. It also has the nice side effect of a religion, being a prereq to CS and giving access to a wonder that might aid us in war effort (Chichen Itza)
Currency might give us quite a big immediate benefit (minimum +1 per city once that city exceeds 1 pop), which might be slightly influenced by GS canceling trade if we antagonize them.
We could also use it as a remedy for upkeep problems we'll have after conquest.
Literature's reward doesn't belong to short-term plans, but the fact we own it and probably own it for some time, could defer at least some of our opponents from building the Library. Literature is also quite cheap and could be done in 11-12 turns.
I think we should weigh the prospective benefit of Currency in ducats versus the upkeep amount lost due to us building courthouses and that would be a fair estimate of which tech is better (because while CoL might seem to give a bit more due to religion and wonder, the courthouses must actually be built and they are not cheap).
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