2x backstab and a cultural VC?

So I thought I'd try a cultural VC with Ethiopa on King. Had a hill/river start on continents plus, but only 2 luxuries present. Met Germany to my north, with large jungle separating us. Decided early to try to be a religious/cultural powerhouse with Piety. I went for Stonehenge, then infastructure and units. Capped at 3 cities. Went liberty and later piety.

2nd city was south in the desert. Built Petra there and had a powerhouse. 3rd city was to my west. Meanwhile, I met Mongolia and Ottomans.

So Germany, Mongolia and Ottomans? Crud, I think. But I have DoF with Germany and Mongolia so everything is peachy, right?

Wrong. Germany plops Hamburg 6 tiles from my cap and backstabs me around turn 70 (swords, spears and archers). He's only got 3 cities too, so UA is no effect. I am 5th in military (out of 8). His units get stuck in the jungle. I have 3 composities and a spear in my cap. Lose 1 comp, but he loses 8 units and retreats. I build 2 cats and 2 comps. Take Hamburg but lose it and the spear. Finally get peace.

Then turn 100 comes, Mongolia backstabs me. He's got 4 cities though, so I nom-nom all his units. I had added Pyramids, Great Library and Oracle. I decide to focus on units. I build 2 pikes and 3 more cats. Am 4th in military when I see Ottoman crowding my border. Then Germany DoWs again, this time with landsknechts, cats and 1 knight.

Geez! I convince Ottoman to DoW Germany by giving him a lux. Mongolia DoWs Ottoman too. I am safe but in constant war. Am I fooling myself into thinking I'll ever get peace in this game?

I think my mistakes were going Liberty with Ethiopa (should have gone tradition), and wonder-spamming. I had only planned for Stonehenge (and later Petra), but no one else was building wonders so I nabbed the others. I guess I should have gone bloodthirsty warmonger instead? Any advice?

You'll never get peace with those three. Just wait until Ottomans come knocking with Jannisaries.

Sounds like you've got it handled though. Nice thing about going cultural is you can have large areas of unworked defensible land in your borders.

I say turn those three into a puppet empire and rake in the cash.

kamikazees said:

I convince Ottoman to DoW Germany by giving him a lux.

Click to expand...

Good job, this.

kamikazees said:

Am I fooling myself into thinking I'll ever get peace in this game?

Click to expand...

No. Obliterate them and there will be plenty of peace.

Wow, you picked the short straw for a cultural victory. As others have said, there is zero chance of peace in this game. You're going to need to crush them all.

I tried to play a cultural game as Ethiopia too, and ended up in an eternal-war situation much like yours, except it was against Korea, Siam, and Iroquois.

Thank you all for the comments and advice. I guess it's a-stomping-I-will-go.

So much for cultural VC... once I own half the world I will have a LOT of temptation to own the other 1/2!

Culture victories, save them for when you are on your own island with no one to come knocking until mid game and you have enough defence. I started a game as Japan planning on a domination game but was on an island so went culture and won. I didn't even get piety until around the 9th SP. I can never build the artist wonders I want and still build a enough defense units if I am on the main land with bloodthristy civs.