Anyone won domination on a Huge Archipelago or island map on any difficulty higher than Noble?

You really can't start a war until you get the Galleon so the Roman UU is worthless. Russia is probably your best bet with Cossacks but transporting them to 50 different islands is tough and infantry comes soon after. I don't think I've ever been able to conquer more than 25% of the world on such settings.

I've done this on Monarch level as Elizabeth, but I didn't complete the task until 2043. My research edge had finally paid off and I had modern armour and mechs whereas only my closest ally (who survived) had better than infantry. My forces were so overwhelming that progress was very fast (I went from about 30% of the world's land area to 60% in about 50 turns).

Well, for me its not about land supremecy, but naval supremecy. I can only hold the destroyer's tech advantage for about 20 turns usually.

I just relied on sheer numbers of destroyers and battleships, and so got naval supremacy that way.

Wow some people here are to good :P I can't even win on noble :P

I personally like the American Navy Seal for Islands. It is essentially a powerful marine that can heal while moving. Works great for island hopping.

My favorite map is the archipelago - snaky islands map and I can usually win on emperor, but with a bad start it can also be a quick way to get crushed.

On this map you must get a navy and control the seas. The AI isn't good at defending a civ that is too spread out over various islands.

You also must sink the AI's invation fleets before they are able to offload their troops.

I haven't played the archipelago at the huge map level, but I have won via domination on a monarch large map. I might never make another navy seal again, it was so brutal.

The key is to kill the AI invasion fleet while it is still in port. Use spies and subs to locate the city and make sure it is taken in the first turn of the attack.

GW and his Navy SEAL is way more effective than Catherine and her Cossacks.

Marines or SEALs supported by artillery can take any city no matter what is defending.

yup I quite agree, artillery + marines rule totally.

In my game on monarch/archipelago, as kubilaï khan, I was laggind 5 or 6 techs behinf asoka and mansa.
Once I got industrialism, I built a naval force + arty + marines and systematically burnt to the ground all their coastal cities, without setting foot on the land. No casualities for ground units, as long as U keep pumping out boats to fight off their navy. I guess they will not build that damn space ship before I conquer the rest of the world now ... Muahahahahaha