[Beorn]

Same old topic, new horrid pun, new questions.

So, techs the AI is keen to have avoided are Alphabet, Navigation, Astronomy ... and I can't fill the dots in. Is there a rule of thumb for techs the AI will strive to research? Will the AI actually go for tech beelines (ex: Mil Science) and ignore the fact that he wouldn't want a given tech on the way or do we get the dumb "chemistry is in the way of Mil Trad so I don't bother going for Mil Trad" syndrome?

Another Q: Religious factions are important, but is it possibly worthwhile to get an early built religion and try establishing a cartel? I'd guess it is so on huge maps, but on standard ones? So far, the common sense that was induced in me is: pick a religion according to whose heads you want and whose beds you want.

Last, this time: I'm confident at Monarch now. Does that mean anything for MP games, and does that mean I could stand up to some people in a standard 1v1 match? Not that I'm ready to commit but it just might come, when my everlasting enthusiasm for C3C finally gets outlasted by the absence of players...