Tech Path Discussion for after Construction

[UnOrthOdOx]

After Construction, we're in an interesting spot.

We'll have a local tech lead. And increasing that margin. Since Machinery won the Engineer poll, I highly doubt military techs are really needed.

So, a list of options that I see.

• The Optics Beeline:
  
  Sailing > Compass >Optics.
  
  Sailing would allow us to colonize that little island to the east, and allow us to pillage up some Sarantine fishies. Plus, the Lighthouses would help increase our food dominance.
  
  Personally, I say Sailing should be soon no matter what beeline we take due to all that.
  
  Compass gives harbors and explorers. Neither extremely usefull at the moment.
  
  Optics, being the goal here, for the Caravels. This is our ticket to earliest contact, and possibly circumnavigation.
  
  
• Taoism Gambit
  
  Drama > Philosophy
  
  Not the traditional path to philosophy there, eh?
  
  Drama can solve happiness problems for us for a time by allowing slider work. Theaters are a 1 pop rush for us, and can thus be used very aggressively. Coupled with our Creative culture bonus already, and we'll be pushing back anyone.
  
  Taoism...
  
  It's a gamble. The other side of the pond may very well be beelining liberalism, and thus potentially researching philosophy.
  
• Christianity Gambit
  
  Monotheism > Theology
  
  IMO less of a gamle. The only incentive on the other side of the pond would be for Sistine. They've probably got better wonders to go after.

Thoughts?

Other ideas?

[Octavian X]

Well, beelining for optics assumes that we'll have the resources to afford the settle other islands - after all, a city building ships or settlers isn't helping the war effort. If we think it's a secondary plan that we can afford, I'd say go for it.

If we don't think we can spare the hammers, then Drama looks very tempting.

[UnOrthOdOx]

War Weariness creaping in may very well force our hands on the drama thing.

[OzzyKP]

Yea, sailing, then drama sounds good to me.