Been Playing emperor level in Gods and King for few weeks now. Here are some tips to stand the test of time:
I usually follow these Policies sequence and insert some policies in betwwen depending on needs. particulary on hapiness and production related.
1.) Tradition
2.) Tradition->Legalism: to provide culture buildings
I insert other policies of tradition when needed until this policy tree is max out.
3.) Liberty
4.) Liberty->Collective Rule: to provide extra settler
5.) Liberty->Citizenship: to provide extra worker
sometimes I insert aristocracy here before a my new wonder is built. Because it can boost up production.
6.) Piety
7.) Piety->Organized Religion: faith is really important in the later part of the game. as it can
buy scientists, engineers, merchants. I make sure my faith is always on positive loop. and buy inquisitors if there are other religions in my cities.
8.) Commerce
7.) Science - I start on this policy when my faith reaches to 700+ enough to buy a scientist.
be sure to max out Piety before opening Science tree.
Dont neglect your faith as it can cost in the later part in the game.
Select beliefs that can boost culture, faith, happiness. Guard your cities from prophet attacks by surrounding with units or have an inquisitor near the city to repel prophets or missionaries. or capture as last resort as it can convert the whole city's religion. When at peace, I send my extra prophet at enemies capital to convert their whole city religion even whole empire. In this way, the AI will at least to spend faith in purchasing faith related units/ buildings.
Early tech:
1.) Pottery
2.) writing as it can build the great library.
3.) mining/archery
4.) construction
Early wonders:
1.) Great library - free tech
2.) Pyramids - free workers
3.) Temple of Artemis - speeds up range units
Early game.
1.) i usually build 3 scouts and sent then in north east, north west, south east, south west directions. if some city state gives you 8 faith, which is enough to found a pantheon, then I dont need to build shrine early. I can build it later. But if I dont get a faith from CS, I build a shrine immediately after the scouts.
2.) Let your scouts explore on the hills as it can gain vantage points for more tiles can be viewed.
General tips.
1.) I usually place my cities in rivers, or in any place that has natural defensive features like forest
cover, above the hill or near a bottleneck geography
2.) I place my cities as much as possible closer to each other when the enemy civs are near and spread out when the enemy civs are far.
3.) As much as possible I settle my cities on strategic advantage like blocking other civs from expansion. This will certainly get to war always
even before the birth of Christ. But this will give an advantage as the units can gain experience + likehood to gain a Great General which can build citadels in hotspot places.
3.) build roads on possible hotspot places near borders. and build them on hills for troops mobility. If my cities are highly vulnerable to attack, i usually build roads around them for my troops to move easily. Build walls and castles for cities near the border.
4.) Hide your forces from enemies. So that it has no idea what your units are.
5.) for me it is not a matter of the number of cities but on the quality of the city which is gauged by number of resources, defensive positions, and of course food.
6.) Just like in real life, declare war or keep the pressure of war if there is an strategic purpose. like capturing cities with plenty of resources. and burning low quality cities. And in the later part of the game, in 1850's up. if the enemy civ is offering peace, it means it is on the losing position. So capture as much as possible strategic cities.
7.) Before I attack the city, I let the worker attack first by building road to that city. In this way, the foot or mounted soldier can easily reach the attacked city when its defenses are down to zero. This is also has a good result as the AI is inclined to capture my worker, so my supporting units can destroy the capturing unit, gaining precious experience.
8.) when my city is beseiged in the early part of the game, I concentrate my firepower on nearest foot soldiers in my city. as they are the ones who will capture my city.
Spies are extremely useful if properly used. as soon as I get a spy, I check the demographics to see who is the most literate. The most literate CIV is most technologically advanced CIV. If i am behind with tech, I placed my spy on the most literate. I placed my spy there until modern times enough to steal 3 to 4 techs. If i am ahead of the tech, i placed my spy at my capital.
embassies - dont accept embassy if the enemy is too close to my empire. as they will know my capitals location. accept embassies and befriend far flung civs.
I choose always China. forgive for the bias.
and the other civs are always the greatest
1.) Alexander - always befriend him unless on dire circumstances. He has only one mission to conquer the world.
2.) Bismarck - formidable tech leader
3.) Catherine - always befriend her unless on dire circumstances. she will nuke you.
4.) Darius - another tech leader
5.) Elizabeth - "By the grace of God, your days are numbered." I alway like when she declares war, I love the music. In fact i edited her music made it a ringtone to my phone. Its like a nostalgic feeling where thousand ships are sailing for invasion.
6.) Napoleon
7.) Montezuma or Washington
The most important is
"Know your enemy. If you know your enemy and know yourself, you will win even in a hundred battles. If you know yourself and you dont know your enemy, this will lead to war with no purpose. If you dont know yourself and your enemy, you will be wiped out from the face of Civ planet."
Enjoy and have fun
