I think the best lesson you can take about playing the higher difficulties is you must always play the map. Dont go in with a strategy and try to make it fit. You need to always be pragmatic - only do something if it suits you. Going for certain wonders is a perfectly viable strategy, but you have to realise that if you do, then you must make certain sacrifices and beeline the tech. Most wonders are not worth the effort and sacrifice to get.
The most crucial thing and your number one priority in every game is expansion. How are you going to expand; when are you going to expand. Even tall civs like venice and India need to expand, whether its naturally or through war.
On warfare - even on the highest difficulties its possible to successfully wage war in the early game. But again, you must beeline those techs to get yourself on parity or ahead. Then its simply a case of troop placement, and the AI isnt intelligent enough to do that effectively. Have a tank type of unit - a speaman, pikeman or musketman. Position them at the front and then fill out the back with ranged units. Dont attack with your tank, just fortify him, you will do all the damage with your ranged units. Also, be careful in wiping out an enemy AI as the others will hate you for it. If possible get your ally to do it instead.
Tradition is king. Its the best social policy tree and 9 times out of 10 you should use it. IMO liberty is only useful when you plan on an early war and dont want to waste time building settlers and workers.
Faith is not a game changer. Its nice if you can get a religion, but its not crucial (King its easily doable). Try going without one and opening borders with an AI that has desireable follower benefits.
Watch out for diplomacy. Its useful to have friends. Making a declaration of friendship with the same leaders means good relations. If you stab them in the back then people will hate you. You also get a bonus if you denounce the same leaders.
Watch out for some of the AI's. On higher difficulties, they will declare war on you because they will have larger armies and thus think they can win. Certain neighbours you have to be very careful of: Atilla is perhaps the most dangerous in the early game, along with Montezuma. If you are close to them you must build units to defend yourself.
The most crucial thing and your number one priority in every game is expansion. How are you going to expand; when are you going to expand. Even tall civs like venice and India need to expand, whether its naturally or through war.
On warfare - even on the highest difficulties its possible to successfully wage war in the early game. But again, you must beeline those techs to get yourself on parity or ahead. Then its simply a case of troop placement, and the AI isnt intelligent enough to do that effectively. Have a tank type of unit - a speaman, pikeman or musketman. Position them at the front and then fill out the back with ranged units. Dont attack with your tank, just fortify him, you will do all the damage with your ranged units. Also, be careful in wiping out an enemy AI as the others will hate you for it. If possible get your ally to do it instead.
Tradition is king. Its the best social policy tree and 9 times out of 10 you should use it. IMO liberty is only useful when you plan on an early war and dont want to waste time building settlers and workers.
Faith is not a game changer. Its nice if you can get a religion, but its not crucial (King its easily doable). Try going without one and opening borders with an AI that has desireable follower benefits.
Watch out for diplomacy. Its useful to have friends. Making a declaration of friendship with the same leaders means good relations. If you stab them in the back then people will hate you. You also get a bonus if you denounce the same leaders.
Watch out for some of the AI's. On higher difficulties, they will declare war on you because they will have larger armies and thus think they can win. Certain neighbours you have to be very careful of: Atilla is perhaps the most dangerous in the early game, along with Montezuma. If you are close to them you must build units to defend yourself.
