No Religion Strategy

[Jive Turkey]

I'm starting to experiment with different gameplay strategy. One that works surprisingly well is to ignore Religion.

I build Scout, Builder, Builder, Settler, Builder, Slinger, Settler.... and get 3 cities ASAP.
Go hard Science in every city from now on. (Culture is too easy to win)
Get your encampment producing horses if you have them, other wise 2 warriors per city.
Kill the Apostles/Missionaries (go to war) as they appear in your borders.
Stop doing that at Renisance Age to avoid war weariness.

Spam cities and get science buildings churning technologies. I go with 8 cities on Small maps.

When the Apostles/Missoinaries return, I let them fight amongst themselves to convert all my cites as I march to the Space Race. I always get a Culture victory before I finish.

Give this a try, tweak it, let me know what you think.

[Steppenrazor]

Idk..

I like the founder beliefs.. might give that African chap a try. maybe ghandi as i think both have ways to gain the found belief/+.

though I admit, in both huge/marathon games so far - i've wasted one each time i founded one, as i never ended up useing it. (build school/theater stuff with faith. 2 - -30% cost)

[WarWise]

You should tell which dificulty you play.

[paugus]

Ignoring religion doesn't really strike me as a particularly powerful strategy. The opportunity cost of building enough to grab a prophet (in the middle-ish difficulties) is pretty low, and the benefits of having a religion can be quite high.

[Cccactus]

Don't build any Religion or Culture things unless you're going for that victory type, it's a waste.

[paugus]

Originally posted by Cccactus:

Don't build any Religion or Culture things unless you're going for that victory type, it's a waste.

10% faster growth rate in all cities for like, three turns worth of faith generation is a waste?

[Jive Turkey]

Yeah, the founder beliefs are good.

I think I spend more turns building Holy sites/buildings than I like. I'd rather use a few early turns to build a Production and Science districts. The early turns are so game changing, saving a few turns can make a large difference.

Also, I don't see a down side to being another religion. Do we not get the founders perks if we didn't originate the Religion?

[paugus]

Originally posted by Flashover:

I think I spend more turns building Holy sites/buildings than I like. I'd rather use a few early turns to build a Production and Science districts. The early turns are so game changing, saving a few turns can make a large difference.

I usually chop a holy site so I don't waste many turns producing it. Yes, this is costing me the ability to use the woods to chop wonders or other things, but honestly I like being able to buy GP with faith, and to spawn a bunch of apostles if the AI gets fresh and tries to convert me, even if I'm not going for a religious win.

Originally posted by Flashover:

Also, I don't see a down side to being another religion.

Well.. there's the downside of losing to a religious victory I guess.

[Jive Turkey]

I find it easy to prevent a Religious victory by declaring surprise war when a bunch of Missionaries are in my territory. Then just remove them with my Melee units and declare peace ASAP.


I was thinking about the Religions availablity. There is always at least one more CIV than available Religions. I want to be that 'other' Civ and depend on everyone else to expend time and engery preventing One Civ from winning.

This maybe a more effect strategy in Multiplayer. No one wants to lose to a Religous Victory and I expect someone else may not want to lose more than me. Meanwhile, I'm building Libraries and Rocketships.

[Steppenrazor]

Originally posted by Flashover:

Yeah, the founder beliefs are good.

....

Also, I don't see a down side to being another religion. Do we not get the founders perks if we didn't originate the Religion?

No, Only the founder gets them. (Well.. that African chaps get the founder belief of what ever religion is the major for his CIV. And ghandi has something like that, didnt read it very closely so not sure exactly what it is.)

In the end, you can end up picking 4 diffrent beliefs - 1 founder/1 people. Everyone can get the people. then you can "buy" 2 more. i've read it's more 1 founder/1people. (but the 3&4th picks all seemed to be from the big list. - so not sure)

[paugus]

Originally posted by Flashover:

I find it easy to prevent a Religious victory by declaring surprise war when a bunch of Missionaries are in my territory. Then just remove them with my Melee units and declare peace ASAP.

Surprise wars aren't always a great idea. Ever been war dec'd by your whole continent before? It can get hairy, (even with the AI being a little herpaderp on the unit management side) when you've got three Civs trying to murder you together. Also, quickly declaring peace isn't always possible, especially if the civ has a military to back up their religious troops.

[Rick80]

Have a religion is very important for the casus belly holy war.

[Rafein]

I FInd religion to be powerful to not take

Even if your going Science, found a Religion, grab the Belieft that lets you buy Campus and Thearte building with Faith, Grab the faith building that adds Science and Faith

Can even grab the government that lets you buy military units with Faith.

Overall, I find Faith > Gold in usefulness. And no one would play a game where they did not build their economy.

[Rick80]

Originally posted by Rafein:

I FInd religion to be powerful to not take

Even if your going Science, found a Religion, grab the Belieft that lets you buy Campus and Thearte building with Faith, Grab the faith building that adds Science and Faith

Can even grab the government that lets you buy military units with Faith.

Overall, I find Faith > Gold in usefulness. And no one would play a game where they did not build their economy.

I agree... and Faith is important also for the great person o for the naturalist.

[Jive Turkey]

Good points all around. Cheers!

[BladeSe7en [ICON_RESOURCE_FURS]]

Originally posted by Steppenrazor:

Idk..

I like the founder beliefs.. might give that African chap a try. maybe ghandi as i think both have ways to gain the found belief/+.

though I admit, in both huge/marathon games so far - i've wasted one each time i founded one, as i never ended up useing it. (build school/theater stuff with faith. 2 - -30% cost)

Exactly. I never push my religion past my borders but I love the bonuses I get from it. The first two things I always build would be a slinger then a holy city. If I have stone then of course Stonehenge.