My last game was a noble level space-race victory as the Dutch. It was my first victory at noble because I don't often see my games through. However, I found it quite easy to launch; I had no competition and was leading in every graph on the info screen. I wanted to play a couple more games before I moved up a level, and I thought I could go for a different victory type. However, I haven't gone for anything other than space before, so I'm hoping that some of you guys would have a look at my save and give me some advice on tech direction and victory goals.

Here are the way things stand: I am playing normal speed, continents, and I started on a smallish land mass with Shaka and Gandhi. I am Roosevelt, and had stone nearby, so I built Stonehenge, The Pyramids, and snagged The Oracle and took COL. Since I have heard that Shaka is a loose cannon, I used the missionary to put Confucianism in his capital, and when he converted, so did I. He is currently pleased with me, and he has almost killed off Gandhi. (Although I'm in the war with him, he's done all of the work). Pretty soon it'll just be me and him, and so I'm at a point where some long term decisions need to be made. This is where you guys come in :).

Although I have the tech lead over Shaka, he seems to have more troops, and even though he's pleased, I may not want to keep him around. I would like to achieve a victory other than space (and preferably not time) and I'm open to any suggestions. Save is attached.

tech construction , change to Police state while making use of the whip to build up a considerable force of cats, swords and axes

Tech Civil Service and Engineering and start making macemen, crossbows and trebutchets. When you have a stack of something like 10 maces and 10 trebs, attack Shaka. Peace has little chances here: Shaka will eventually come after you after he has finished Gandhi unless you can't pull him Friendly ("Pleased" means nothing to this guy..)

Well guys, I took your collective advice and sent two stacks at Shaka. They headed in a V and took some well placed cities. Using Police State was new to me, but very much a help. After taking four cities and razing one, I took peace (10 turns) for gold and a city from Shaka while I get my two stacks ready for the final push to wipe him off of the continent. I must say, having been a mostly peace player before, that was a lot of fun. He actually had a good stack himself, which was well upgraded from his fighting with Gandhi.

I think I overdid it with troops and so my tech numbers have been awful. I fear that with a big continent out there (or maybe two medium sizes ones) with 4 more civs left, that I'm going to be very far behind in research. How have you dealt with this situation before? Is it a case of no choice but attack? (*gulp* I've never dealt with an overseas invasion before). Or is it still early enough for a culture win?

Thanks in advance for any interest/comments.

Well, having never achieved a culture victory before, I couldn't advise you there. But, I do know that usually, once you take a continent over it's pretty much up to you to pick your choice of victory from that point.

1. The AI sucks at invading over the ocean. They'll do it, they just won't do it well.

2. All that land you conquered can now be turned to your advantage. Don't forget to specialize these cities also. This isn't *strict* by any means. The AI picks some weird city placements and improvements. Still, as Futurehermit says "Land is Power."

3. I'm always looking for the next victim, so I'd suggest making a bunch of galleons/transports and fighting the other continent. Maybe you can vassalize 1 or 2 of the civs and start to think about a domination victory.

Anyhow, your options are wide open, which is why you posted. I'd so go for a dom/conquest victory, but you can pretty much achieve any one you want at this point.

I suck at trans-continental attacks too, so when I own a continent I typically go space race. If an AI overseas gets too powerful I try to do proxy wars: ship units over to gift to the one fighting; gifts of certain lower-level military techs they might need, etc. Eventually the powerful overseas AI makes the mistake of invading my continent, shortly after which they're not powerful anymore.