Civilization V: Science Victory Guide

Understanding Science Victory Conditions#

So, you’ve chosen to embrace your inner Einstein in Civilization V and aim for a Science Victory. Excellent choice! Winning by Science means being the first to launch a spacecraft en route to Alpha Centauri. This isn’t just about building big rockets (though that’s super cool); it’s about managing resources, cities, and technologies smartly. Here’s what you need to know to win that Science Victory.

The Basics#

A Science Victory in Civ V requires completing the spaceship project. This involves researching specific technologies and building parts for your spaceship, which you’ll later assemble in your capital. The key components of a Science Victory include:

Researching Technologies:
- Prioritize techs that lead to spaceship parts.
- Focus on unlocking Apollo Program, which lets you build the spaceship parts.
Building Spaceship Parts:
- You need six parts: the SS Cockpit, the SS Engine, and four SS Boosters.
- Each part requires advanced tech and lots of production.

Key Strategies#

1. Focus on Science#

Science points are the backbone of your strategy. The more science points you generate per turn, the faster you can research crucial technologies. Here’s how to maximize your science output:

Library, University, Research Lab: Build these in your cities. They boost science considerably.
Great Scientists: Use them to found academies or pop critical techs. Generate them through Specialists and Wonders.
Policies and Ideologies: Rationalism tree in Social Policies offers excellent science buffs. For Ideologies, Freedom has valuable science bonuses.

2. City Management#

Your cities are your science factories. Manage them wisely:

Population Growth: More citizens mean more science. Encourage growth by improving food production.
Specialists: Assign citizens to work as scientists in buildings like Universities and Research Labs.
National College: Prioritize building the National College early. It offers a significant science boost but requires a library in each city.

3. Technology Path#

Charting a smart tech path is key:

Early Game: Go for Writing (to get libraries) and Education (to build universities).
Mid Game: Head for Scientific Theory (for public schools) and then Plastics (for research labs).
Late Game: Focus on Rocketry and Satellite technologies leading to Apollo Program and spaceship parts.

While you’re busy in your lab, don’t forget other civilizations:

Allies: Cultivate friendships with science city-states. They provide valuable science boosts.
Defense: Keep your military up to date to deter aggressive civs from interrupting your research plans.

Wonders to Build#

Some wonders are especially helpful for a Science Victory:

Great Library: Free tech early on is a big help.
Oxford University: Another free tech, plus a science boost.
Hubble Space Telescope: Provides two free Great Scientists and spaceship production bonuses.

Dealing with Hiccups#

Things might not go smoothly (it’s Civ V – there’s always a wrinkle):

Keeping Peace: Use diplomacy or a decent military to keep warmongers at bay.
Managing Economy: Balance your budget. Scientific progress can be expensive.
Spying: Use spies to defend against enemy spies stealing your tech. Counter-espionage is crucial.

Final Steps#

By the time you get access to the Apollo Program, you should have a clear shot at building your spaceship. Make sure:

All parts are built in high-production cities.
Assemble them in your capital city.

Once your spaceship is ready, launch it and watch your civilization boldly go where no civ has gone before!

By playing smart and focusing on science, you’ll zoom past the competition and win a Science Victory. Happy exploring and see you on Alpha Centauri! 🚀

Building Science Buildings in Civilization V#

If you’re aiming for that sweet Science Victory in Civilization V, you need to prioritize science buildings. These structures will boost your science output, helping you stay ahead in tech and eventually launch that spaceship. Here’s a breakdown of what you need to know about each key science building.

The First Step: Library#

Unlocked By: Writing
Cost: 75 production
Maintenance: 1 gold

The Library is your first science building, and it’s essential. It provides +1 science for every 2 citizens in the city. This means bigger cities generate more science, making it vital to both grow your population and build libraries early. Consider using your first Great Scientist to build an Academy near your city with the National College.

National College: Centralize Your Knowledge#

Unlocked By: Philosophy
Cost: 200 production
Requirements: Library in all cities
Maintenance: 3 gold

Once you’ve got libraries set up, aim for the National College. This building gives a massive +50% science boost in the city it’s built in and adds +3 science. This should be in your capital or another city you want to prioritize for science, as the bonuses are substantial. Remember, building it early before expanding too much can give you a strong early-game advantage.

Observatory: Stargazing Pays Off#

Unlocked By: Astronomy
Cost: 200 production
Maintenance: 2 gold
Requirement: City next to a mountain

The Observatory provides a +50% science increase in a city, but there’s a catch—it can only be built in cities within two tiles of a mountain. Plan your city placements to take advantage of this powerful bonus. Cities with Observatories can become science powerhouses, so it’s often worth settling near a mountain for this reason alone.

Public School: Get Educated#

Unlocked By: Scientific Theory
Cost: 300 production
Maintenance: 3 gold

Public Schools are pivotal for mid-game when your cities are growing larger. They add +3 science and also provide an extra +1 science for every citizen in the city. Building these quickly will significantly ramp up your science output, making them a high priority as soon as they’re available.

Research Lab: To Infinity and Beyond#

Unlocked By: Penicillin
Cost: 500 production
Maintenance: 5 gold

The Research Lab is the pinnacle of science buildings. It gives +4 science and a +50% increase in the city’s overall science output. The cost is high both in production and maintenance, but the payoff is worth it. Prioritize larger cities for these buildings to maximize their impact.

Other Tips for Maximizing Science#

Focus On Population Growth: More citizens mean more science from Libraries and Public Schools.
Specialize in Technological Policies: Policies in the Rationalism tree provide great science benefits.
Trade Routes: Internal trade routes can help grow your population quickly, boosting your science indirectly.
Build Academies: Use Great Scientists to create tile improvements that add a significant science boost.

Harnessing the full potential of your science buildings is a surefire way to breeze through the tech tree and grab that Science Victory. Now get out there and show the world what a super-smart civilization looks like!

Managing Great Scientists#

Great Scientists are your golden ticket to outpacing rivals in technology and achieving a Science Victory in Civilization V. Playing them right can make your empire smarter, faster, and stronger.

Generating Great Scientists#

Great Scientists are born from your cities’ Science output. You bolster this generation by constructing buildings like Libraries, Universities, Public Schools, and Research Labs.

Additionally, certain Wonders and Social Policies boost Great Scientist generation:

Wonders: The National College, the Great Library, and Oxford University are key.
Social Policies: Tradition, Rationalism, and Freedom offer boosts. For instance, the Rationalism tree can drastically speed up Great Scientist acquisition.

When to Use Them#

Great Scientists can be used in two main ways:

Immediate Tech Boost: They can discover new technologies instantly. Use this early or mid-game for critical techs, like getting to Education or Scientific Theory sooner.
Building Academies: They can create Academies, which provide Science each turn. This is a long-term investment, better suited for early to mid-game.

There’s a trick here: when using a Great Scientist to grab a tech, remember that the amount of Science they generate is based on your overall Science per turn. So, a good strategy is to use them when your Science output is at its peak for maximum effect.

Optimal Academy Placement#

When placing Academies, ensure they’re on tiles that won’t be heavily used for production or food purposes. Grasslands, Plains, or Desert tiles with minimal other resources make good spots. Moreover, make sure the tile is within your city’s boundaries and preferably next to a city with numerous other scientific buildings to magnify the Science boost.

Managing Timing#

The timing of using Great Scientists involves a bit of strategy. Avoid using them during wars unless it’s for unlocking a vital tech to defend yourself or strike at your opponents. Otherwise, focus on those peaceful times when you’re powering through the tech tree.

The Rationalism Tree#

Unlocking parts of the Rationalism Social Policy tree is a game changer:

Secularism: This policy boosts the Science output of your specialist citizens.
Free Thought: It makes Trading Posts give Science and increases University Science output.
Scientific Revolution: Two free Technologies – a perfect moment for two Great Scientists to provide a hasty catch-up or lead in science progression.

Leveraging Golden Ages#

Golden Ages increase your empire’s productivity, which includes generating Great Scientists more quickly. Timing these with generating and using Great Scientists can be powerful. You might leverage Great Artists to trigger these Golden Ages or invest in the Taj Mahal Wonder.

Endgame Strategy#

In the late game, Great Scientists should focus on rushing through the last techs toward your spaceship parts. You need these final pushes, so save a few Great Scientists to pop those high-cost late-game technologies instantly. This ensures you stay ahead or catch up in that final sprint toward the Science Victory.

Summary#

Managing Great Scientists in Civilization V is a balancing act. Generate them with a strong science base, use them strategically for immediate tech boosts or long-term Science gains, and always plan their timing and placement carefully. With the right strategy, Great Scientists can be the rocket fuel that launches your civilization to the stars.

Manage these scientific powerhouses well, and you’ll be counting down to a Science Victory in no time!

Using Science to Build Space Parts#

So, you’ve decided to aim for a Science Victory in Civilization V. Congrats! It’s one of the most rewarding paths, taking you all the way to the stars. But how exactly do you get there? Well, you’ll need to build the various parts of a spaceship. Here’s everything you need to know about using science to assemble your interstellar ride.

Get Those Techs First#

First things first, you’ll need to prioritize the techs necessary to unlock the spaceship parts. Here’s a rundown:

Apollo Program (required to start building spaceship parts)
Rocketry (enables the Apollo Program)
Satellites (unlocks the SS Cockpit)
Robotics (unlocks the SS Booster)
Nanotechnology (unlocks the SS Stasis Chamber)
Advanced Ballistics (unlocks the SS Engine)
Particle Physics (unlocks the SS Fuel Cells)

Your strategy should be to research these techs as quickly as possible. Beeline for Rocketry first to start the Apollo Program; once you’ve got that, you can move on to the other techs in a logical order based on your production capabilities.

Building the Apollo Program#

Once you unlock Rocketry, immediately start building the Apollo Program in one of your highest-production cities. The Apollo Program is a National Wonder that lets you build spaceship parts, and it’s crucial for winning a Science Victory.

Tip: Use Great Engineers or overflow production from other projects to speed this process up.

Producing Space Parts#

After finishing the Apollo Program, you can start building the spaceship parts. Each part requires different techs, so keep researching:

SS Cockpit: Needs Satellites.
SS Booster: Needs Robotics.
SS Stasis Chamber: Needs Nanotechnology.
SS Engine: Needs Advanced Ballistics.
SS Fuel Cells: Needs Particle Physics.

Pro Tip: If you have multiple high-production cities, build different parts simultaneously to save time.

Strategic Production Tips#

Focus Cities: Dedicate cities with the highest production to building spaceship parts. Use buildings like Factories and Hydro Plants to boost production.
Trade Routes: Send production-focused trade routes to your space part cities to give them an extra push.
Social Policies: Lean into Rationalism and maybe Order for their production and science boosts.
Great Scientists: Use them to bulb key techs.
Golden Ages: Time them to coincide with your spaceship part production to get that extra production boost.

Timing Is Everything#

Your research and production timings are essential. While you’re teching up, prioritize optimizing your city’s production. Build Universities, Public Schools, and Research Labs as early as possible to boost your science output.

Handling Rivals#

Aiming for a Science Victory means you’ll likely be leading in tech, but don’t neglect your defense. Rivals may try to sabotage your efforts, either through direct warfare or spying. Keep your cities well-defended and use counter-spies.

Is a rival close to winning? Consider using diplomacy or even a last-ditch war to slow them down. Remember, a well-timed peace treaty can also buy you critical time.

Final Push#

Once you’ve built all the parts, assemble them in your capital. Don’t forget to get all the pieces in one place; they need to be transferred to the capital to be assembled. Keep an eye on your nearest rivals and make sure you aren’t blindsided while focusing on your spaceship.

Congrats, space commander! Once you launch, you’ll win a Science Victory and leave your rivals behind on Earth. So, keep your cities humming and your science flowing. The stars await!

Have any more tips for Science Victory or need more details? Let us know in the comments!

Tips for Achieving Science Victory#

So you want to shoot for the stars in Civilization V? Aiming for a Science Victory means you’ll need to launch your spaceship first, outpacing all your rivals in technological advancements. Here are some expert tips to help you achieve that sweet Science Victory and become the ruler of the cosmos!

1. Choose the Right Civilization#

Picking the right civilization is crucial. Some civs are naturally better at science. Try out:

Babylon (Nebuchadnezzar II): Free Great Scientist with Writing, bonus Great Scientist generation.
Korea (Sejong): Science boosts from specialists and scientific buildings, extra science from every research agreement.

2. Prioritize Science Buildings and Wonders#

To out-science your opponents, you need to build infrastructure tailored for research:

Libraries: Unlocks early and adds a solid science boost.
Universities: Improves science output significantly, especially adjacent to jungles.
Public Schools and Research Labs: Essential in later eras.
Great Library: Grants free technology early on.
Oxford University: Provides a free tech when built; use it strategically.
Hubble Space Telescope: Gives two Great Scientists and speeds up spaceship parts.

3. Focus on Education and Population Growth#

High population means more citizens working tiles and slots:

Grow your cities: Build Granaries, Aqueducts, and Hospitals to increase food.
Specialists: Assign citizens to work as Scientists in your specialist buildings.
Trade Routes: Internal trade routes can boost food in your major cities.

4. Beeline Key Technologies#

Certain technologies are essential for a Science Victory:

Writing: Quick path to early science with Libraries.
Philosophy: Unlocks Universities.
Education: Essential for Universities and boosts.
Scientific Theory: For Public Schools.
Plastics: Research Labs increase your science output.
Rocketry: Start building spaceship parts early.
Robotics/Nanotechnology/Particle Physics/Advanced Ballistics: Essential for final spaceship parts.

5. Use Research Agreements Wisely#

Research Agreements (RAs) with other civilizations speed up your progress:

Friends with Benefits: Only sign RAs with civs that aren’t your immediate rivals.
Get Extra Science: Policies like Rationalism boost the science gained from RAs. Pay attention to these bonuses and time your RAs to maximize benefit.

6. Great Scientists are Your Best Friends#

Academies: Plant them early. Just make sure they’re on tiles you can work.
Bulb Later: Use their one-time tech boost strategically in the mid/late game to rush through key technologies.

Policies that help you with science victories include:

Tradition: Faster growth and better capital resources.
Rationalism: Directly boosts science. Prioritize Free Thought and Secularism.
Order/Autocracy (late game): Both offer useful boosts and help keep your empire happy during rapid growth.

8. Manage Happiness#

Unhappy cities grow slowly, if at all. Prioritize happiness-building strategies:

Luxury Resources: Trade and secure as many as possible.
Wonders: Like the Circus Maximus and Notre Dame.
Policies: Both Tradition and Rationalism have good happiness upkeep.

9. Diplomacy and Defense#

A successful science victory requires peace, at least in your core cities:

Defensive Techs: Don’t neglect military techs to ward off invasions.
Alliances: Stay on good terms with other science-focused civs; they’re usually your best RA partners.
City-States: Ally with science city-states for boosts and resources.

10. Timing Your Spaceship Parts#

When you near the endgame:

Pre-Build: Queue up spaceship parts before the tech is unlocked using production overflow.
Move Quickly: Once you can build parts, rush them in cities with high production.
Great Engineers: Use them to rush-build key parts.

With these tips, you’ll be more than ready to lead your civilization to the stars. Keep focused, optimize your cities for science, and enjoy watching your spaceship soar!

Good luck, and happy space-racing!