Managing golden ages

[codekiddy]

After more then a year of playing civ V I finaly figured out why golden age length changes over time, I hoovered with a mouse over the "start golden age" button (located under great person tab), then LOL I saw that golden age decreases every time you start a golden age to a minimum of 3 turns
It says that length decreases only if you manulay start a golden agen by expending a great person.

OK, noting bad, I was just confused becuase I completed a chichen itza wonder and my 1.st golden age was 40 turns long (playing maraton).

then in some renesance era (after expending some great persons) it turns out that a golden age was only 6 turns (decreased from 40 to only 6)
While Of course golden ages are the best in late game when your empire has large GPT, and a lot of cities, knowing that my golden ages are now useless because all are decreased to 3 turns until end of the game.

I'm not sure if next golden age will be decreased after golden age is started normaly (by acumulated happines) ? or is it decreased only if you expend GP? (can you answer this?)

Also it looks that according to my conclusions abowe great people are the best for tile improvements and their unique ability, but not to start a golden age, starting a golden age with Great person is worst you can do because you wont benenfit from golden ages in late game at all because they will be only 3 truns in duration meaning nothing

If you can add something please do so.

[VicRatlhead51]

The golden age length will be normal length if triggered by happiness. I generally only start golden ages with great generals since you really only need one or two of them and their tile improvement is really only useful if you have a hotspot to defend. The other great people tend to be more useful. Artists I usually use for their tile improvement, the culture bomb can be nice for peacefully stealing resources but since it pisses off the civ you used it against it can lead to war anyway and seems a waste. The scientists I'll use to build academies the first half of the game but then I'll use them to discover techs the second half. Merchants I almost always send on trade missions for the gold and influence it gives you. Hope that helps.

[Joketa]

There's only a decrease in length when using great people. Normal golden ages are unaffected by those generated by great people.

What I don't understand is why sometimes my golden ages are ten turns (normal speed) and sometimes 15 turns (no chichen itza). It seems random. Does anyone know if it's truly random?

[Machturbo]

Base golden age = 10.
Darius' UA = +50%.
Itza = another +50%.
Freedom finisher = +50%

That should be a GA of 25 on just the base GA.

With Great People, it drops, but uses the same format. So if you are using all three, you will have a minimum off GPs of 12 per GP.

With just Freedom finisher and Itza, my GAs usually last me from when I complete Freedom to the end of the game. (I also save the Piety 10 GA to add more) I easily get them over 100 turns long. Also I use only Artists, GGs, and GMs. When I run out of wonders, GEs as well.

This is all based off standard speed, on prince.

What I don't understand is why sometimes my golden ages are ten turns (normal speed) and sometimes 15 turns (no chichen itza). It seems random. Does anyone know if it's truly random?

This is most likely caused by the Freedom Finisher.

[codekiddy]

There's only a decrease in length when using great people. Normal golden ages are unaffected by those generated by great people.

Thanks, that makes sence to start golden ages with GP