I have played an increased number of BTS games lately. I lurk the forums diligenty and find that I am constantly improving.

The problem? I seem to abandom my games just around the time liberalism comes into play.

Actually, I was able to finish only one game in the last 3 months (cultural victory with no wars on my side whatsoever). :sad:

I am desperate to complete my current game, since it seems it is going in the right direction ATM.

Here goes the challenge:

Difficulty: Immortal
Leader: Elisabeth
Map: Fractal
Gamespeed: Epic

http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d120/vputkata/civ%204/Civ4ScreenShot0000.jpg

http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d120/vputkata/civ%204/Civ4ScreenShot0001.jpg

http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d120/vputkata/civ%204/Civ4ScreenShot0002.jpg

http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d120/vputkata/civ%204/Civ4ScreenShot0003.jpg

http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d120/vputkata/civ%204/Civ4ScreenShot0004.jpg

I think the game is very winnable by a competent player. Unfortunately I am not one :lol:

Actually I have no experience in the game's industrial and modern ages. So here goes my question for all:

What should be my course of action? Which victory should I pursue? Diplomacy is manageable, but I am reluctant to go for cultural with two religions only. Space could be viable but I don't even know the basic mechanics of SS construction :sad:. And hammer production is below par ATM (will probably get better with the planned production of workshops soon). Domination is probabaly also an option, but I doubt my tactical skills. :lol:

All in all - how would you play out this game?

The save is BTS 3.19 + BAT 2.1

Edit: photobucket seems to automatically resize my screenshots to 800x640 which is a bit small-ish. Should I just attach the pics in the forum?

BtS 1.19 should be 3.19 I take it? ;)

Why exactly are you building synagoges and the hermitage? Surely there are more important things to build? I think it is about time you eye a target who's brains you will bash in. SB seems an obvious target. His attention is directed elsewhere, he is small, he is not popular, and he is close.

For that end, get engineering and pre-build a lot of trebs. Get astronomy and a lot of galleons. Go rifling next and draft a sizeable army of rifles and go renaissance on his behind. :) Getting a good army should also help if the Persians or the Maya's get any funny ideas since they will sometimes try to go culture and you will need a strong enough army to stop them.

I would personally grab your own continent, much less micro/maintenance/navy required. Pericle is your friend, but that doesn't mean you can't attack him :) unless he's far more powerfull than you of course, but he's not close to rifles yet. And Redcoats own of course.

Yup, 3.19 it is. :)

I am still losing the cultural battle to Pericles, and two gold mines might be worth the synagogue and hermitage (especially if I decide going cultural).

Sitting Bull is in some deep trouble at the moment. If I have the idea of going after him I should probably bail him out of the current war. Otherwise it will not be long before he becomes someone's vassal.

I could probably win a war against Pericles (at least I have enough espionage points on him). What do I do next, then? I will be behind in tech and with no one to trade. :confused: