How to get 4 cities by turn 60 and NC by turn 100?

I keep trying this and it is actually a lot harder than it seems. I play as the Mayans so, I'm always be lining Theology in the beginning. What I started trying is getting NC by turn 102 by the GE I can get, which helps a lot. But I am having an issue getting 4 cities out by turn 60 (which would be easy) but happiness will be down and prevent my growth for around 40 turns. I normally build scout, scout, pyramid, archer, worker, settler, steal worker, settler, worker, steal settler, and rush buy pyramids in first 2 cities and library in the third. Then I do whatever I need and use my GP GE to build the NC on turn 102. But how do you deal with the happiness issues? I'm going full tradition and trying to find coastal areas that will be able to ship food to each other.

Also, I know that the Garden and the N. Epic are important, but when should I build them? And should I build a garden in all cities? Also, If I start off with Jungle land, am I better off getting rid of it to grow faster, or keeping it and waiting for Universities/Rationalism? Also, what is the best Pantheon in general. I don't really like the culture ones because I get too much useless crap in the beginning. And what is the best religion for a 4 city science? Cer. Burial and Swords into plowshares are my usual picks, but I was thinking about getting Holy Warriors.

Thanks for the advice. I can win easily on Emperor btw but struggle with Immortal.

I also research any luxury techs as well I need. I know about that.

Much better time to NC can be had if you defer at least one of the four planned cities until after NC is complete.

In Vanilla and G&K, 2 city NC was very popular (followed by another 2 cities).
With BNW, a 3 city NC followed by the 4th city later is also popular.

In both cases, you cash rush the library in the least productive city (usually the last city). In the mean time you reserve 400 gold for it.
Also, in both cases, the next build following completion of NC is usually a settler.

This will allow you to have both NC complete and 4 cities built before turn 100.

With liberty you could pull it off... uf you connect your cities with roads you'll make enough money to buy libraries in some cities making it easier to build the NC. ..

reddishrecue said:

With liberty you could pull it off... uf you connect your cities with roads you'll make enough money to buy libraries in some cities making it easier to build the NC. ..

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And Tradition as well ...

joncnunn said:

And Tradition as well ...

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But tradition won't provide extra happiness. ..

I'm probably in the minority--but I get writing as soon as possible (and hopefully GL), and then get NC asap in my capital. After that I found my other cities. I only play on prince level, though.

And I can't see for the life of of me how folks can have four cities by turn 100 without suffering major unhappiness and being negative so far as gold.

notalent said:

But tradition won't provide extra happiness. ..

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Tradition provides more early game happiness than Liberty.

tradition has that extra gold benefit with monarchy in the capital only. Liberty has faster workers which get road connections and trade routes up a lot sooner.

reddishrecue said:

tradition has that extra gold benefit with monarchy in the capital only. Liberty has faster workers which get road connections and trade routes up a lot sooner.

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Yes, but Monarchy also removes 50% of the pop unhappiness from the capital. On gold benefits, Tradition also makes units garrisoned in cities maintenance free. Both of these grow over time.