Technologies
There are two tech paths up for debate. Neil has written up a
a good analysis, that I will add to and then disagree with.
1) Math > Calendar > Machinery (bulb)> Optics > Start CoL > Bulb Astro before finishing CoL > Phil (bulb)
2) Machinery > Optics > Math > Calendar > Start CoL > Bulb Astro before finishing CoL > Phil (bulb)
I disagree with the assumption of no Parthenon. I am STRONGLY in favor of building this. It will take ~14 turns to build in production. And will be useful for quite a while since I can't at the moment see any rush to get to Sci Meth. Granted we'll get there quickly, but I think the Parthenon is worth it. Also, we don't need to build any more settlers (EDIT: not true -- 2 fish). So the only things Production could be building instead are a harbor, chariots, or workers (which can be whipped into the Parthenon).
Also, the Parthenon will have nice synergy with the MoM which I am also STRONGLY in favor of building, which is why I will be voting for Maths and Calendar first. Calendar gives us happiness almost right away and the ability to build the MoM and I think we can get it given the pretty slow wonder pace so far.
The main thing we're giving up here is meeting the other AI sooner, which I think is not as valuable as the happiness (and therefore larger cities sooner) and the longer Golden Ages.
Conclusion: Maths -> Calender
Dealing with AIs
I want to talk about war with Ramesses more!
1) I think you guys are being pretty optimistic about Ramesses fate. I know AIs suck generally, but it's looking like Brennus is going in for the kill.
2) There's way too much land down there for us to just allow Brennus to have, unless we want to have him as a long term (AKA never kill) ally.
3) The double holy city of Memphis is too good for us not to take.
4) The diplo for shared war is good.
5) We can unlock the Heroic Epic.
6) We can complete an objective.
The reasons I've heard not to, and my rebuttals:
1) We can bribe Brennus not to declare --> Way too expensive. He wants everything we have!
2) We want to trade with Ramesses / He'll build us wonders / He'll shrine the holy cities --> These arguments all rely on him being still alive, which I disagree with.
3) Brennus will then focus EP on us --> We're not going to be stealing stuff in the near future since I think Neil has shown it to be less efficient, so we don't need the EP advantage.
I don't think this will happen in this turnset, but, before I forget, we have to make sure NOT to get trade happy when we start meeting AIs. We want to keep the possibility of a UN victory open and I've had the "you've traded with our worst enemy" thing bite me in the butt too many times.
Accept pretty much all Brennus demands? Reject all Ramesses demands?
City Builds and Placements and Micro
Paris: We need some cottages for the citizens to work. Working a non-financial, non-Colossus coastal tile is very
. I agree with temple -> harbor. Although note that the benefits of the harbor won't really kick in until Astro.
GP Farm: Agree with whip forge into National Epic. NOT the Parthenon. I'd prefer as few artist points as possible. We will, at some point, need some more happy. So a Buddhist temple might not be a terrible idea, but I think Forge and NE both take precedent.
Production: I say finish settler by WHIPPING THIS TURN for 2 pop and 26
overflow into the Parthenon. After that maybe some galleys we can upgrade to galleons? Is this a good use of our gold?
Commerce: The market is fine, especially given all the binary we've got going one. And then the monastery, for the same reason.
Clams: I don't think we should whip the forge. I say let the city grow onto the cottage (and then hopefully another cottage, get some worker turns down there).
Barb City: Agree with whip forge into fishing boats. A harbor can come later.
East Fish: I disagree with this as Moai city. We've already invested in cottages. I vote that we let this city work 4 riverside cottages and the two hills and the fish and get some super trade routes.
Zhou: I prefer Moai here. This city is a more obvious candidate for production in my mind. It's got great specials that both come with hammers. And it's got a ton of coast! All coast except for one tile, compared to east city which has three ocean tiles.
Sugar Clams: This is a confusing name, since this city also has both iron and clams,
. But I agree with granary -> forge. I think the library should come before the harbor, though, I think? This city will be able to build a pretty quick University and I like to put libraries there. Overall, I'm not sure that harbors > libraries, although am willing to be convinced otherwise. Speaking of which, is forge that early good? I kind of blindly do this in my offline late game cities. Anybody (revent, neil, cough cough) care to check?
Iron Clams: Granary first for sure. As for forge next, see above.
Iron Wheat: Granary. What are the long term plans for this city? I think its first improvement should be a farm 1SW of where the chariot is, followed by wheat farm, followed by iron mine. But after that, are we mass farming or cottaging all that green?
Workers: Trystero's current PPP looks good I think. Make sure we have workers ready to get to Iron wheat. We want that city getting good ASAP as I think it can be a real monster. All that riverside!
Also, I want some serious discussion about:
1) Settling the copper island city (internet, statue of liberty, great trading).
2) Settling the former Egypt.
3) Having settlers ready to get on galleons for the off chance of getting a foothold city on the other continent(s). This can make late game warfare SOO much easier I've learned. And I think (hope) we'll be getting to Astro early enough that this is a reasonable goal.
I will need to study it. 
. I think that definitely makes the case for building them early on.
