Spice trade vs Economic theory

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Spice trade vs Economic theory

Post by ronsu »

Hi guys!

I usually play with russians. A civ with a pretty bad eco until TC booming. So I use cards to boost my macro. And I always have the same doubt... Spice trade (+20% in gathering food from animals and berries) or Economic Theory (+10% for all resources)?

As russians consume a lot of food, Spice Trade seems a good deal. But Economic theory us usefull for all the resources and better long term (as it affects mills and plantations too).

Of course an option is sending both. But which one should I pick first? Any advice?
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Re: Spice trade vs Economic theory

Post by deleted_user0 »

spice trade. then eco theory.
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Re: Spice trade vs Economic theory

Post by momuuu »

Imo it depends on the amount of hunts left on the map. Usually I think you want to ship either pretty late, after the usual stuff like 700w cossack cards and boyars, at which point eco theory might be better. If you ship both ship spice trade first as its usually a stronger effect.
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Re: Spice trade vs Economic theory

Post by zoom »

Depends on the map, the game and how early it is. The more hunts & berries you have access to and the more remaining, the better ST will be. In general I find it's not as viable as people seem to think it is, because at the point in the game where ST becomes better than its alternatives, there aren't enough accessible hunts and berries remaining.
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Re: Spice trade vs Economic theory

Post by deleted_user »

spice trade ofc.
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Re: Spice trade vs Economic theory

Post by optimusprime »

spicetrade
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Re: Spice trade vs Economic theory

Post by _H2O »

I dont like spice trade, if you look at the math when you send it, it is not a lot of villagers, even if you have 20 on food its only a 4 vil shipment and it dissapears when hunts run low.

I think its eco theory but send it much later when you have 40-50 vils. Other shipments are just better before then. I have the age 2 mill card in place of spice trade in most of my decks.
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Re: Spice trade vs Economic theory

Post by deleted_user0 »

_H2O wrote:I dont like spice trade, if you look at the math when you send it, it is not a lot of villagers, even if you have 20 on food its only a 4 vil shipment and it dissapears when hunts run low.

I think its eco theory but send it much later when you have 40-50 vils. Other shipments are just better before then. I have the age 2 mill card in place of spice trade in most of my decks.

agreed 100%. After you run out of hunts it has zero value. I never use it 1v1. Ruski colonial is full of imporant shipments anyway.
in team games you want to use team 10% hunting instead (+15% bushes).
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Re: Spice trade vs Economic theory

Post by Garja »

Eco theory is much better because even when sent early it always pays off continuosly for the rest of the game. It helps in swithching to mills and plants, it boosts fishing ships, etc.
Spice trade totally depends on the access to hunts and even then you hardly want an extra food gathering boost when you already have steel traps. Spice trade however is better for berries. Also it saves a bit more food from animal carcasses due to more efficient gathering and less depleting.
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Re: Spice trade vs Economic theory

Post by momuuu »

Spice trade is good on berry maps I think. Dont like it too much but Im pretty sure Goodspeed was all over spice trade for a bit. He adviced shipping it first in age 2 as russia sometimes I think lol.
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Re: Spice trade vs Economic theory

Post by deleted_user0 »

well if you are going to play boomy on maps where you cant mass tps going spice trade eco theory is the way for russia to boom. and in that case, you will just use the 400w + trickle for the market ups + a tp if you can take one, and you only need a bit of coin for steeltraps + maybe a batch of musks. usually you can get that with tres. so in that case, obviously, it should be spicetrade before eco theory, cuz u simply will have most if not all vils on food. its just not gonna happen often. and whether thats the best way to play in that situation is another discussion

but in team, especially 3v3, if id play boomy, id go trickle spice eco theory 700w. or 700w and then the other 2 cards
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Re: Spice trade vs Economic theory

Post by ronsu »

Thank you for all this interesting comments!

I agree with the idea that Spice Trade is very dependant of the map hunts and berries, plus a risk of "over-gathering" with the two food market researches. Economic Theory is more solid, but it have little impact early on Colonial.

So here is my next doubt: playing Russia, ¿which way do you think is the best to invest in eco? ¿Eco cards, crates, TPs,...?

I know 5 cossacks is a very good card, but i'm trying to play ruskis in a different pace and no rushing.
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Re: Spice trade vs Economic theory

Post by deleted_user0 »

ronsu wrote:Thank you for all this interesting comments!

I agree with the idea that Spice Trade is very dependant of the map hunts and berries, plus a risk of "over-gathering" with the two food market researches. Economic Theory is more solid, but it have little impact early on Colonial.

So here is my next doubt: playing Russia, ¿which way do you think is the best to invest in eco? ¿Eco cards, crates, TPs,...?

I know 5 cossacks is a very good card, but i'm trying to play ruskis in a different pace and no rushing.

Then you are playing wrong civ
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Re: Spice trade vs Economic theory

Post by iNcog »

ronsu wrote:Thank you for all this interesting comments!

I agree with the idea that Spice Trade is very dependant of the map hunts and berries, plus a risk of "over-gathering" with the two food market researches. Economic Theory is more solid, but it have little impact early on Colonial.

So here is my next doubt: playing Russia, ¿which way do you think is the best to invest in eco? ¿Eco cards, crates, TPs,...?

I know 5 cossacks is a very good card, but i'm trying to play ruskis in a different pace and no rushing.


viewtopic.php?f=29&t=3759
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20 Mar 2020, 21:46
I just hope DE is not going to implement all of the EP changes. Right now it is a big clusterfuck.
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Re: Spice trade vs Economic theory

Post by zoom »

Jerom wrote:Spice trade is good on berry maps I think. Dont like it too much but Im pretty sure Goodspeed was all over spice trade for a bit. He adviced shipping it first in age 2 as russia sometimes I think lol.

Yes, but then – as usual – I explained to him in what way he's mistaken and he reconsidered.
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Re: Spice trade vs Economic theory

Post by momuuu »

zoom wrote:
Jerom wrote:Spice trade is good on berry maps I think. Dont like it too much but Im pretty sure Goodspeed was all over spice trade for a bit. He adviced shipping it first in age 2 as russia sometimes I think lol.

Yes, but then – as usual – I explained to him in what way he's mistaken and he reconsidered.

Can you tell him TPs are OP?
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Re: Spice trade vs Economic theory

Post by ronsu »

iNcog wrote:
ronsu wrote:Thank you for all this interesting comments!

I agree with the idea that Spice Trade is very dependant of the map hunts and berries, plus a risk of "over-gathering" with the two food market researches. Economic Theory is more solid, but it have little impact early on Colonial.

So here is my next doubt: playing Russia, ¿which way do you think is the best to invest in eco? ¿Eco cards, crates, TPs,...?

I know 5 cossacks is a very good card, but i'm trying to play ruskis in a different pace and no rushing.


viewtopic.php?f=29&t=3759


Thanks for that link! I didn't see it.
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Re: Spice trade vs Economic theory

Post by Hazza54321 »

Spice trade is nice to send on berries maps

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