Spending your gold in the ancient era

[Maelfyn]

How do you guys usually go about spending your cash in the ancient era? I gather that it's generally considered best to immediately rush enough units to take at least one enemy capital and/or explore your immediate area. Beyond that what about rushing a barracks, a galley, a ton of legions, or, God forbid, even a library. I hear a lot of people frown with disdain on that strategy, but I've seen it pan out if the city placement is right (GS, dye, whales, 2x fish). It can get you to code of laws much faster than normal at least. Obviously this decision is highly situational and I figure it depends a lot on how far your opponent is on the map.

Anyway, so let's hear your opinions! This is one of those gameplay decisions that has always fascinated me. I love this game! I can't believe I still play it so much.

[HydroDragon]

Well generally your first expenditure will be on a warrior and horsemen if you're horserushing. Ideally you'd want to reach 100g before doing any heavy spending but I for one find this difficult to achieve sometimes if I don't get a very fast start. A galley can be a good idea depending on the situation. Obviously the earlier you get a galley out the better but there are sometimes more pressing matters.

Barracks can be a good idea if you're trying a legion or catapult rush (or if you're germans obviously you'll want one most games) because the vet status makes a noticeable difference. With warriors or horsemen it's not a good idea to rush a barracks though because they'll probably vet up naturally and it won't make a difference in most battles. With legions the difference is very noticeable though and it can mean the difference between beating an archer/archer army or not, or surviving a counter-attack or not. Plus you're typically making a couple of legion armies at a time so you get a lot of value for money. And with catapults it allows them to overrun things which they otherwise could not which is always helpful.

A library can work. In the situation you describe it could. But it's definitely not a typical situation for the ancient era as you're probably aware. With whales it's usually better to rush settlers because you'll gain back the lost pop incredibly quickly as opposed to waiting to grow. Double dye might call for a library though since you can work gold to get it and then it'll probably pay for itself and start turning a profit in a few turns.

Oh, and settling a scientist is punishable by death in most cases....

[newsgothic]

Oh, and settling a scientist is punishable by death in most cases....

lolz... the only thing worse is selling for 15g.

[ITZ DENI3D]

I rush libraries in ancient as Japan, Spain, and English but that is just me. If I feel I will need to defend myself or if I'm too far behind and I know I will have to attack I will rush a barracks as well...

[MultiPlayaBeast]

Two fish resource for city, library. Gain 250g or more in ancient, library. Destroy opponents library or still gold from opponent, library. Expanded to 6 cities in ancient with Rome and have enough gold for library, library. As Deni3d says thought... Rushing with Spanish or Japanese isn't bad at all. I find with English.... only if the city has double dye... should I rush a library.

[HydroDragon]

Gain 250g or more in ancient, library. Destroy opponents library or still gold from opponent, library. Expanded to 6 cities in ancient with Rome and have enough gold for library, library.

I typically wouldn't build a library at all in these situations to be honest. There's just no reason listed here that calls for building a library (in particular) as opposed to something else. To me 250 gold calls for expansion or barracks + some kind of attack. 6 cities in ancient as rome calls for a barracks/legions.

[sdu754]

I rush libraries in ancient as Japan, Spain, and English but that is just me. If I feel I will need to defend myself or if I'm too far behind and I know I will have to attack I will rush a barracks as well...

I think the two best Civs to build a library with are Greeks or Egypt with collussus

To answer the original question, it does make sense to spend your gold while still in ancient to avoid the inflation as long as you don't spend it foolishly

[MultiPlayaBeast]

I typically wouldn't build a library at all in these situations to be honest. There's just no reason listed here that calls for building a library (in particular) as opposed to something else. To me 250 gold calls for expansion or barracks + some kind of attack. 6 cities in ancient as rome calls for a barracks/legions.

Face me and I'll prove your notion wrong buddy.

[ITZ DENI3D]

I think the two best Civs to build a library with are Greeks or Egypt with collussus

To answer the original question, it does make sense to spend your gold while still in ancient to avoid the inflation as long as you don't spend it foolishly

It is stupid to rush libraries in ancient with Greece because they are half price in industrial so that makes no sense. I have used libraries in over half of my games against forum members and done fine... It does depend on the situation though...

[MultiPlayaBeast]

It is stupid to rush libraries in ancient with Greece because they are half price in industrial so that makes no sense. I have used libraries in over half of my games against forum members and done fine... It does depend on the situation though...

Agreed... I have done it too. When the time permits and the funds are there, why not? Sometimes a spot for a settler isn't there and I definitely not into building a million crammed cities.

[Liam_Sutty]

And here we go again with the library debate... zzzz

[sdu754]

It is stupid to rush libraries in ancient with Greece because they are half price in industrial so that makes no sense. I have used libraries in over half of my games against forum members and done fine... It does depend on the situation though...

So you're going to wait until you have 14 techs until you rush / build your first library with Greece? This is actually a case where your letting a bonus hinder your gameplay. I wasn't talking about building multiple libraries in ancient, that would be a terrible allocation of resources. I was talking about building one library in a key city. It makes sense with Greece if you stay in democracy or Egypt with Collossus.

[Ravenmisca]

The times i do build a library i guess im just feeling behind. There should be no reason to build one or better yet you should have no funds left to build one I get the reason why people build it, i just dont see the point in most games. If you got funds for a library you have enough cash to harass your opponent, hurt him bad enough and its always better then building a library.

[Liam_Sutty]

With Greece the only time that bonus comes into play is if yousomehow fall behind and need to start expanding to catch up. 9 times out of 10 you should be able to easily get a 5/6 pop Athens with a library which should get you to feud/maths/nav way before anyone else even the English to begin your assault on the enemy. Hops will keep you more than safe till ad.

[Ravenmisca]

Just a question on that though, if you grow it to 6 pop would that not slow your expansion down to a low level. Maybe i just dont play greeks enough, and i certainly dont play good greeks at all on Ps3. Even if you would get to Monarchy/Nav first it seems to me after that you will be left standing.

[ITZ DENI3D]

With Greece the only time that bonus comes into play is if yousomehow fall behind and need to start expanding to catch up. 9 times out of 10 you should be able to easily get a 5/6 pop Athens with a library which should get you to feud/maths/nav way before anyone else even the English to begin your assault on the enemy. Hops will keep you more than safe till ad.

Ok definitely need to play your Greeks then because I have never seen that work, Prey just tried it on me earlier today in the league game and it didn't work at all... I would rather expand, anyone can quickly out tech Greece if they expand, at least from my experiences...

[Ravenmisca]

I guess he will have a 100g city to expand from aswell. Could work if you can take atleast 1 cap and put your 100g on a settler farm spot.

6 pop athens is 36 beakers all on water. Thats 5-6 medieval full trade cities.

[MorteEterna]

Face me and I'll prove your notion wrong buddy.

Face me and I'll prove your notion wrong buddy.

[ITZ DENI3D]

Face me and I'll prove your notion wrong buddy.

I almost/did have you beat except for that glitch and I built two libraries in ancient in our game...

[sdu754]

With Greece the only time that bonus comes into play is if yousomehow fall behind and need to start expanding to catch up. 9 times out of 10 you should be able to easily get a 5/6 pop Athens with a library which should get you to feud/maths/nav way before anyone else even the English to begin your assault on the enemy. Hops will keep you more than safe till ad.

That was basically the strat I was alluding to with Greece

Ok definitely need to play your Greeks then because I have never seen that work, Prey just tried it on me earlier today in the league game and it didn't work at all... I would rather expand, anyone can quickly out tech Greece if they expand, at least from my experiences...

That's because Greece isn't very good, they're probably the 4th worse civ after Russia, France & Mongolia and even mongolia would be debateable

[MultiPlayaBeast]

Face me and I'll prove your notion wrong buddy.

You rarely play for that offer to even mean anything to me.

[asmodeios]

Half priced libraries in industrial cost the same as they do full price in ancient.

[MorteEterna]

I almost/did have you beat except for that glitch and I built two libraries in ancient in our game...

Let's play other games, if you are so sure about that prove me that it's true. If you are, you won't be afraid about it.

[MorteEterna]

You rarely play for that offer to even mean anything to me.

We can play when we find time, we have all the time we need.

[ITZ DENI3D]

Let's play other games, if you are so sure about that prove me that it's true. If you are, you won't be afraid about it.

For sure, whenever you are ready...

[Liam_Sutty]

Ok definitely need to play your Greeks then because I have never seen that work, Prey just tried it on me earlier today in the league game and it didn't work at all... I would rather expand, anyone can quickly out tech Greece if they expand, at least from my experiences...

Don't forget I am a teching machine. If I remember rightly the last time we played I "teched corporation" whilst you were just getting knights... ;-)

I have plenty of experience using greece. Give me one fish and I'll have knights before you have legions... :-)

[MultiPlayaBeast]

We can play when we find time, we have all the time we need.

Sounds like riddles Morte.... Riddles. I want to set a date!

[MorteEterna]

Sounds like riddles Morte.... Riddles. I want to set a date!

We can play right now if you want, or whenever we find ourselves and it's me playing (sometimes it's my brother).

However, last time I had invention in 24 turns and no libraries.

[ITZ DENI3D]

Don't forget I am a teching machine. If I remember rightly the last time we played I "teched corporation" whilst you were just getting knights... ;-)

I have plenty of experience using greece. Give me one fish and I'll have knights before you have legions... :-)

I had a very small corner of the map, it was a bit hard. Actually I had cruisers but you got oxford bombers so it was pointless.. I know how to tech as well, but a 6 pop athens with a library is nothing...

[Liam_Sutty]

Well you see I disagree. You use that early tech to gain substantial power which enables you to take over Ai/Human cities which are at least 3 pop probably 4 pop. Then you expand from there and make use of the half priced libraries. That is assuming your opponent hasn't quit already just at the sight of your early knights/cats.

[MorteEterna]

Liam, why don't you prove me these tricks or whatever like "give me one fish and I'll conquer the world" just by playing? I send you a lot of game invites but you keep avoiding me for some reason. We've only played one game and would like to play more.

[Liam_Sutty]

I don't avoid anybody lol I'd be more than happy to play you and I haven't had any game invite requests or I would of seen them?

To be fair I'm selling myself short. I could probably conquer the world with half a fish.

[MorteEterna]

I don't avoid anybody lol I'd be more than happy to play you and I haven't had any game invite requests or I would of seen them?

To be fair I'm selling myself short. I could probably conquer the world with half a fish.

I sent you at least 3, in different days. You sometimes play single player I think. Last time after I sent you an invite, you started a multiplayer game.