Variant Rules suggestion

[kg21kg]

I really like the additional variant rules of the RB games, having read a few reports the other day on Sulla's site.

I cannot recall a GP ever being used as a super specialist though. It would be interesting to see how players coped with only being able to use GP's as super specialists. So far their (SS) utility seems to under appreciated by the majority. It may also help to drag many players away from the addiction of building shrines and academies.

Hopefully 'GP's only to be used as super specialists' would be considered for a future Adventure game.

[Jester]

I only ever use super specialists at two points in a game, provided I'm not playing a variant.

1) Great Artists that I get early on when I'm going for a cultural victory.

2) Specialists, notably engineers, that come inconveniently late in Space Race games, and have no other use.

Other than that, tech is king. If you have no "normal" or GA related use, just turn them into beakers.

-Jester

[Morred]

Super Specialists are underrated, especially if you have Representation and the Sistine Chapel going. I will also use Super Specialists when the only thing to research is Future Tech.

[Majromax]

If the only thing left to research is Future Tech, then it's so late in the game that any one-off benefits of GL's (shrines, acadamies, etc.) are pointless.

Merging GLs as super-specialists isn't quite enough of a variant to support an entire game concept, but how about in addition to other rules?

Example: Arrogant Aztecs

Montezuma looked out upon his empire, and it was Good. The mighty Aztec people had to their credit an entire city, a feat unrivaled by any other empire within sight! Montezuma's pride lifted the spirits of the entire nation, who demanded that the natural Aztec superiority be recognized.

Made in America? Nothing compared to "Made in Azteca."

Variant rules:
1) Other empires are inferior. Period. No tribute (or gifts) may be offered, including as payment for peace. Also, entangling alliances (defensive pacts, war alliances, and certainly permanent alliances) are forbidden.

2) The people refuse to accept anything not made in Azteca. This means:
2a) Foreign happiness and healh resources may not be accepted in trade with other empires. Nor may another nation's map -- if it were really there, the Aztecs would have seen it for themselves!
2b) While technology may be traded freely, anything actually built must come from a tech that was researched directly. For example, if you buy Metal Casting, no forges or Colossus for you -- but you may use Metal Casting to research onwards.
2c) The Aztec empire may only benefit from native, Aztec-founded religions. If another religion spreads into the Aztec empire, you must immediately switch to an Aztec-founded (not just controlled) religion as state religion -- otherwise the city with the religion would get +1cpt. This incidentally forbids Free Religion, unless (unlikely) all religions in the game were Aztec-founded.

3) The greatest people in the Aztec empire should not be squandered -- they must be settled in the city of choice as super-specialists, so that they may demonstrate Aztec greatness to the people for all time.

Suggested difficulty: Prince for the easy side, probably Monarch. I'd estimate that these rules would add about one and a half levels of difficulty to the game, mostly because of the limited relations-upside potential. The Aztec aggressive/UU bonus might help with early war to mitigate this, but it's far from guaranteed.

[playshogi]

3) The greatest people in the Aztec empire should not be squandered -- they must be settled in the city of choice as super-specialists, so that they may demonstrate Aztec greatness to the people for all time.

I think the Aztecs should be sacrificing their great people for golden ages, and may never cash rush-- pop rushing is OK, however

[Atlas]

2b) While technology may be traded freely, anything actually built must come from a tech that was researched directly. For example, if you buy Metal Casting, no forges or Colossus for you -- but you may use Metal Casting to research onwards.

I would say that this condition in itself is enough for a variant. I mean, there would be ALOT of techs you would not want to trade for.

What about military units and civics?

[Majromax]

What about military units and civics?

Military units no, civics could go either way. The former is definitely included in "build," the latter is a bit more of a stretch; I'm inclined to say "yes," because a civic is much less concrete than a building.

Also something that could go either way would be worker improvements enabled by tech. For simplicity's sake, I'm leaning towards "yes" on those too. Otherwise, what would you say about trading for Biology?

I think the Aztecs should be sacrificing their great people for golden ages, and may never cash rush-- pop rushing is OK, however

No, what the Aztecs would do would be sacrifice other empires' great people. We can't do that one, though.