RFC Vikings Strategy

I have been trying to beat the UHV for the Vikings on version 1184. I started with RFC 600 and on viceroy. This thing has beaten me like 10 times now! I've tried a number of strategies and also the ones found here:

http://http://wikirhye.wikidot.com/rfc-viking-strategy

My main strategy was to get the 5000 gold first. I built Nidaros(starting point) Lulea and Kalmer with my original 3 settlers. Then eventually built Oslo and Bergan. I built libraries then markets in all my cities and once the markets were complete i ran 2 merchants in each city so that I would get Great Merchants (usually 2 of them). I would normally get the 5k around 1100 then switch to 100% science to bust out techs to Astronomy. Tech tree was Compass>Civil Service>Monotheism>Calendar>Guilds>Optics>Astronomy I got beat to America by England everytime!(well once it was the Dutch)

Next strategy was to burn to Astronomy and THEN build up the 5000 gold. I usually get astronomy around 1300 but then even with my 2 Great Merchants I fall short. The closest I came was 300 gold short (about 2 turns away) normally though with this strat I get to around 2500-3000 so that is FAR behind. Also with this strategy I build Abo (close to Russia, which sometimes leads me to war with Russia but normally I can avoid it or at least avoid losing the city to them) with my first settler then I build Kalmer as soon as I can get another settler out. Same tech tree as above.

Can anyone that has beaten this give me any ideas that i'm missing? This is really starting to frustrate me as i've accomplished all the UHV's on the RFC 3000 mod and I would like to complete all of the RFC 600 ones too.

Thanks!

Well, I came up with a way to eliminate the English. Here's how I did it:

The English spawn before you do, so you have time to trick them!

First, sail to England and raze Iverness in Scotland. Then, take your ship and put it in that coast square directly at the bottom-right of Ireland. It should look like this. The X is your boat.

_|
|X

In England, make sure that you create a city ON TOP of the horse resource. Bring a worker to England, also. Make that city build a chariot, and chop the forest near it to make it hurry.

Now, when the English spawn; you allow them to take your cities.

On the same turn (you should be able to declare war), take your chariot out of your boat and capture that city. It will take two turns, but it worked for me.

If you do this correctly, all of their units will disappear. They might come back later with a bunch of their units, but they will never settle or attack you (atleast they didn't to me).

Have fun!

P.S. Things to make sure of: In your boat that you are waiting with by Ireland (make sure it's out of the English spawn area first of all), make sure that there are atleast 2 units in there. It actually doesnt matter about the chariot... but just incase.

EDIT: I made some mistakes, but what you just read is the working strategy.