Through The Ages - Card - Great Wall

Forum for this blog is here: Forum

This is a series of blogs written about each card in Through The Ages.  To find more, simply click on "Cards" label.

Great Wall

History

Construction on the Great Wall began around 770 BC, when six Chinese states arose and warred with each other.  To defend their individual kingdoms, each began construction of thick walls along their various borders.  Eventually the state of Qin rose above the other 6 states around 300 BC to 220 BC despite the walls.  The first emperor of China ordered the Northernmost walls become joined to defend from the Mongols, while the other internal walls were dismantled.

Construction and maintenance of the Wall varied throughout the remaining dynasties.  Some dynasties maintained the wall, others expanded it, and some simply let it fall into disrepair.  In fits and starts the Wall continued to grow and shrink in length.  At one time it was nearly 6000 Km in length, but later eroded away to under 3300 Km.  However, it was up to  Ming Dynasty (1368 to 1644) to finish the Great Project.  Prior to the Ming Dynasty the Wall had a length of around 3200 Km , upon its completion the Wall was just short of 8,852 Km (5500 miles).

The Great Wall stands as a testament to human sufferings and efforts.  The wall took millions of lives to construct.  Despite failing to prevent the Mongols from invading China, the Wall did preserve Chinese culture and architecture in its design.  Today the Great Wall still stands, but it once again begins to shrink in size due to erosion, natural causes, and human use.

Game Stats

The Wall does not provide a huge culture benefit, but most people probably build it for its secondary benefit: increased Military Strength for every Infantry and Artillery unit.  The other benefit of the Great Wall is an increase in Happiness.
Strategies, Combos and Opinions
Strategies
Military Domination
The Great Wall combines easily with the Military domination strategy.  If used in this regard, the player should most likely construct Infantry and Artillery units, and supporting Tactics: Fortifications, Defensive Army, Fighting Band, Legion, and Entrenchments.
Combinations

St Peter's Basilica
St. Peter's Basilica doubles the Great Wall's happiness benefit.  Although it is rare to be able to build both, it can be done.  Out of the 40 games involving the Great Wall, this was accomplished once.  However, the player only achieved third place.

Michelangelo
Michelangeo as a leader provides an extra Culture for every happiness on the Wonder.  This doubles the Great Walls' culture benefit while Michelangelo is in play.
Opinions
I find the Great Wall a useful Wonder, although not the best Age I wonder.  If I am going for an Military Strategy I try to include it.  I find having the Great Wall in play permits me to focus my science and resource efforts more narrowly.  If I manage to get the Great Wall, I forego Cavalry technologies and aim for one of the Tactics indicated above.  This reduces science costs by removing cavalry from the equation.  Similarly, it saves population and resources which can be put to other uses in increasing the economy.

Sources
1: http://www.chinahighlights.com/greatwall/history/
2: http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/438
3: http://www.travelchinaguide.com/china_great_wall/history/
4: http://geography.about.com/od/specificplacesofinterest/a/greatwall.htm
5: http://www.nasa.gov/vision/space/workinginspace/great_wall.html