I started a new Emporer game, on an Island that would have been big enough for three players, with one other computer opponent (The Chinese) Since I had decided to forgoe my custom Civilization (Exp/Fin Myt/Min) I decided to try out the Incans since Financial and Mystism (for early religion and funds) were crucial to my strategy.

Since I had excellent food resources (Wheat, Cows and Forested Grasslands) next to my starting town, I decided to let it grow whilst building the Incans special unit which replaces their Warrior. I soon discoved I was alone aside from the Chinese, who were quite some distance away. Normally, I am very passive at the start, but I decided to try for an early rush once I got all three of my initial UUs into position. It worked amazingly, he (the computer) had recently built an expansion, so he had only 2 archers defending his capital. I was able to take his capital at the cost of only 1 unit! This strategy seems really too good to pass up, but it seems as though it would really only work against the Incans.

So the question is... is an early rush necessary to win on Emporer level or higher, assuming you do not start on a continent by yourself.

Without rushing on emporer you give the computer too much time and space to catch up to them purely via building, sure it can be done but it is that much harder. Let them build you cities and then take em :D.

Ideally 10-15 cities on standard map should be good enough to win the game via most types of victory condition so if you have that many cities no need to go ransacking and capturing unless you are going for domination.

Without rushing on emporer you give the computer too much time and space to catch up to them purely via building, sure it can be done but it is that much harder. Let them build you cities and then take em :D.In my current Emperor game, I have tech parity with Mansa, and I only have 4 cities. I never went to war, and war also never came to me, probably because I spread my religion early so I have a lot of friends.

You don't need 10-15 cities for space race (I have 4 and will probably win this one), but you do need them for UN.