Round 4: 925 BC to 305 BC (30 turns):
I started the round in a very similar fashion to the previous one, by changing my research targets based upon several recommendations here in the thread. I put Sumer on a path towards Alphabet and Spies in order to take advantage of my imminent Great Spy.
I also adjusted the builds in my three cities:
Two wonders? Pretty ambitious for Emperor level, I know, but what the heck. I figured if I fail, I get more gold to keep research running at a deficit.
This meant that Uruk, the capital, had to provide everything else this round--Settlers, military, and so on. I didn't build a Ziggurat to hurry the Great Spy because I looked at how long it would take to generate the GSpy at the current rate and compared that to how long it would take to finish researching Alphabet. I can't really leverage the GSpy before Alphabet allows me to build Spy units, so there was no sense hurrying the GSpy, especially not when I had to support some REX and defense while my two other cities worked on wonders.
Meanwhile, I gathered up my veteran Chariot units and moved them north towards one of the barb cities. I was able to snag a Worker:
And then I was able to raze the city. I only lost one Chariot; all the others either withdrew or won. Now the area was clear for the second flood plains city.
However, that wasn't the first city I founded in this round. I had sent a spare Chariot to the southwest to fog-bust the closest source of copper, then sent the first Settler over that way.
Unfortunately, most of my Workers were busy chopping wonders, so the copper was not hooked up by the end of the round. But at least I have a source of copper for Vultures now. Meanwhile, I've built a few Protective Archers to defend my cities. And coincidentally, most of my cities are on hills! Take that, AI!
In Nidaros, I chopped all three of its surrounding forests. As its borders expanded and I finished researching Fishing, I focused first on growing the city to its happiness cap (only four pop, not much); then I switched the tiles worked to hurry along the Oracle. I even took a bit of a risk, delaying its finish so I could research Pottery first.
Building it in Nidaros does create the long-term potential issue that I might generate a Great Prophet rather than a Great Scientist when I want them, but GPs have there uses too. Especially in BtS, where just one of them can be used to trigger a Golden Age. Remember that my continent still has to religions, so one might come in handy for that as well.
I wanted Pottery so that I could claim this tech:
That's right, Metal Casting. I figured I had a good shot at the Pyramids, in which case, taking Monarchy from the Oracle would be a waste, especially with no wine tiles around. Of course I was taking a risk, but that's what this game, and life in general, is all about.
Despite being Creative and going a little wonder-crazy, though, Washington is out-culturing me:
Then again, I'm not sure how to interpret culture as a representation of a civilization's overall stature in the game.
Late in the round, I founded another city, the one in preparation for which I'd razed the barb city:
Without that barb city, it meant I would have no competition for the horse tile, and no threat to my Workers while the built a pasture on it.
And on the last turn of the round...
So now I've completed an early wonder trifecta: the Great Wall, the Pyramids, and the Oracle--one in each of my three early cities. And I even managed to keep the GP points pure... so far. Cool, huh?
Mind you, I'm worried that this has left me looking like a tasty treat to Washington. So I think the next priority is to get that copper hooked up, and then beef up the military with a few Vultures.
Here's a look at the current city builds:
And a look at the Financial Advisor, since the economy is becoming more of a concern:
The long and short of this is that the current situation is unsustainable. With the Pyramids in hand, I'm tempted to go SE, but even if I do I need to bring up my income just to support what I already have. Even Ziggurats won't make me break even here.
And finally, a look at the map:
So what next? I haven't changed civics yet. Representation seems like the obvious choice, but should it be? With the dearth of early happy resources, Hereditary Rule might make a better choice--at least for a while, maybe until Calendar so I can raise the happy cap on
all my cities.
Related to that: should I go CE or SE? I have the Pyramids and early representation available to make the most of the SE. But I'd need to go after Code of Laws soon to run Caste System and merchant specialists to support the economy. But I need some cottages, and soon, anyway, as you can see by the state of Sumer's finances. And with all those flood plains, maybe I should just go CE anyway. On the other hand, a cottage economy will, as usual, take some time to get going, and I might have to focus on building a lot of Workers to lay down cottages rather than military units to keep George from attacking me prematurely. Hmmm, decisions decisions...
Speaking of George. Validator has brought up the issue, more than once, of how to deal with Washington, and I think I need to start laying the groundwork for that in the next round. He hasn't expanded into the jungle too much yet, but I think he has Iron Working--I though I saw an American Swordsman at one point. I'm already planning on stealing techs from him; I also anticipate having what may turn out to be a series of wars with him. It kind of makes sense to let him found cities while I focus on military units. It's a big continent to settle, after all. And I'd like to take that marble south of New York off his hands by the time I'm ready to build the Great Library in Nidaros.
Thoughts?
The Vikings are now part of history 
)
Tough joices.
)
, as always.
, why not build one in each city in addition to the one you're currently building in the capital?
s, while I'm just a stumbling noob 
, don't you think?
and 5
are HUGE boosts to early economies and even down the line that'll help you conitnue aggressive expansion
