I am officially requesting a religion based strategy where you make maximum use of state religion / holy city / great persons (particularly prophets). There are some suggestions:

1. No cultural wins only based strats. I would like a strat that's flexible enough to win through war or space race.

2. Great persons must be part of your strategy, and details on how you cultivate and use GP is extremely appreciated.

3. Strategy must deal with how you choose your state religion and how you deal with AI animosity.

4. Preferably the strategy is tested on Monarch difficulty or higher, and is viable on at least normal and epic speeds.

5. Strategy should not be dependent on a specific map setting.

PS - This is for you Memphus. Let the ideas fly!

I am short on time now, and I want to do this right since I promised, but by tonight it will be right here :)

Edit:

Alright let's see what we can do at 11:30 :lol:

Since I am being weird let's do it backwards:

5. the following strategy which I use, therefore it is probably not one of the best and I do tend to rely on it a little bit too much, works on the following makes (by works means I have won at Emperor)

-lakes
-Pangaea
-continents
-archipelago (spelling i hate that word) (this is the hardest)
-plains
-maze (this is fun)
-world

-I am sure it works on other maps, I however have never explicitly won a game there.

4. It works on normal epic and marathon, though I have never actually played a quick game


3. How I choose my state religion:
Ans: The first one I discover, and I will revolt and change to it that turn (usually I am desperate for the happiness) , unless one of my cities has an important building coming out in the next couple of turns.
What If I don’t get a state religion, this has never happened, So I don’t know, I would probably adopt the one that was in the most of my cities, or whichever neighbor had a holy city near by. (the goal being to kill him fast)

AI Animosity: open borders, take their suggestions for trades, being a military force, know the AI (i.e. Isabella go to war right away it just isn’t worth trying to please her, make friends with Washington he will always be your puppet)
The leader experience comes from multiple games, reading the boards on here and messing around with the world builder. But as a general rule of thumb upon meeting all the AI choose your friends and foes, and don’t swap mid game.
I.E. if everyone hates Montezuma don’t become friends with him. If you are friendly with GW don’t declare war unless you have a really good reason.

Finally: TRADE, TRADE, TRADE,

2. A lot of people on these forums tend to have only one GP city, and it makes sense in the later game after you have built the national epic in your ‘dubbed’ GP farm.

But in the early game I may have 2 or 3 cities which will produce one GP each, with each GP tailored to what was required down the line.
-Details on how to cultivate the GP,

A)-Build Stonehenge, unless there are no trees (this has never happened but I am sure there will be a start like that one day in the GOTM) you can get it.
-50 turns later you have a great phrophet.
What do you do with him? Most would say save for a shrine.
If you have a holy city yes do that, if not use him in your production city.
5gpt and 2 hammers a turn is huge in the early game. (if you KNOW you can get another one, Once I had to force priest in a city to raise this chance (60% wasn’t good enough for me)
-Remember when Stonehenge goes obsolete it stops making GP points so no late game Great Prophets.
B)-Build the oracle, now if you can do it in the same city as Stonehenge, cool, if not no biggie (this is where 2 or 3 cities producing GP’s come in)

C)-the same goes for any wonder you think you can get.
Remember losing a wonder race isn’t bad $$$ is good too at all points in the game, sometimes some of us plan to lose a wonder race :P

D) Caste System, if you don’t use it start, fiddle around a bit and if you still don’t get it there are some good threads on it, or just ask and I’ll try my best (12:00 can’t search too tired)

E)Every GP has a use at every point in the game. If you can’t think of one immediately, stop think some more.
Scientistearly game academy, but do the math if he gives X beakers for a tech, or Y beakers as a superspecialist, or Z beakers with an academy make the right choice (the academy formula is hard because of future libraries, unis, etc)
ArtistCulture bomb, if you go to war in the game, (you prolly will) plant him, normally before I get my first artist I have already finished a war and have some starving cities: Remember a city that is in disorder (after capture) gets out of it instantaneously with a GA (I had a city which was to revolt for 10 turns, become productive that turn with a culture bomb, this is VERY powerful)
EngineerSave for wonder, or do the math with equivalent Hammers (prolly want to save for specific wonder on higher difficulties)
Prophetsee above
MerchantTrade mission is cool, but I tend to use him in either my GP city or more effectively in my $$$ city.

1. Finally the last one…Strategy eh…hmm I guess that would mean that I have one 
Well truth be told every game is different and that is what makes civ 4 so addicting and fun. But generally, Before you make a move ask why.
Why is my worker making a road? (should he be chopping? Or building a mine)
Why Am I reasearching Horse back riding, do I have horses?
Why am I a\going to war? (Do I have enough units?)
Why does Montezuma hate me (Because he is crazy)
Etc.


But remember the name of the game is specialize. Each city, each unit, each tile has a purpose, you just need to figure out what the best choice is.

I.E. Holy city makes money build market, bank, merchant, Wall street.

To lay out my specialized cities
1. Work horse, builds nothing but military units and military upgrades.
2. GP farm, grow grow grow, build Globe theater farm everything
3. 2-3 Science/cottage cities, cottage everything
4. Holy city, makes me $$$ and when not building one of those building MISSIONARIES. Think of it this way, I only use OR, so as soon as I have a city it has my religion if not before.
Until every city on the map has your religion this job is not done.
5. Separate Missionary City that is all it makes (besides obvious forge)

What are other cities I capture for? Chop rushing wonders

Finally Remember specialists from city or GP get some benefits at different stages of the game:
-Representation + 3 beakers for all
-Sistine Chapel, +2 Culture each
-Ankor wat +1 hammer per priest (not good necessarily)

Well I’m fried I’ll add more tomorrow if I think of anything and add some screen shots

Thanks for that. Some more questions?

1. Favourite leader?
2. Some snapshots of your holy city and GP city would be appreciated.
3. What techs do you rush?
4. Do you try to get as many religions as possible? As early religion as possible?
5. I presume you only spread state religion. True? Or you spread other religions you founded but are not state?

1. Favourite leader?
2. Some snapshots of your holy city and GP city would be appreciated.
3. What techs do you rush?
4. Do you try to get as many religions as possible? As early religion as possible?
5. I presume you only spread state religion. True? Or you spread other religions you founded but are not state?

1.None, most of the time play random. The trick is each leader has an optimal usage for maximizing thier strengths. However once the GOTM pregame is up I will pruposly play 1 or two games with that leader to form a plan of attack.

2.Um there are some in the GOTM spoilers Nottingham is my holy city, but I will get some more.

3.Depends on the situation in the game, and If I need the academy or not. Also depends on how long it would take me to reasearch that tech. Sorry that doesn't help much :crazyeye:

4. No just one, But I don't try for buddism or Hinduism, since I can rarely get them. Once I have the first one, If I can get another great but no big deal. The only reason for getting another one would be to delete the Missionary and Dampen the spread of that relgion. (Thus making AI relations easier)

5. State Religion only, Once I choose my relgion, To date I have not switched or spread any otehr relgion. Note if I was going for a cultural win I would not take this approach.