Ditch a match or no?

Started on a smallish continent with Saladin, no other continents or islands within galley-range. Continent didn't seem large enough to share, so I diverted radically from my usual practice and knocked Saladin out early.

Problem is, that war seriously delayed my progress. I was in second place by the time I met other nations, but had basically crippled myself:
(1) Lincoln had a solid 40%-50% lead over me points-wise.
(2) I was about par with Lincoln technologically, but no more.
(3) I had little more room on my small continent to expand, and nowhere convenient to invade.

I assume now, in retrospect, that I should have leveraged Portugaul's carrack abilities to mount an invasion while everybody else still had caravels and galleys, making me immune to invasion until they develop galleons, but with only two semi-decent cities, little to no tech lead, and a bad taste in my mouth from the messy ancient-era war with Saladin, I just did my best to turtle my way to a tech lead.

Didn't happen.

Lincoln had waaaaay too many cities, and several other empires had enough cities that they soon matched me tech-wise. After beating back two invasions from Lincoln and Isabella, I just started cranking out pikemen/musketmen/riflemen with a few airships for recon, hoping to hang on. Subsequent airship recon of other cities has revealed HUGE numbers of frigates in rival cities. There is no further hope to actually win this; I'm just surprised Lincoln hasn't developed bombers and transports and just invaded to wipe me out. Boudicca and Elizabeth supposedly like me...but not enough to pull the Lincoln-tiger's tail for me, and even if they did, I'd likely gain no cities myself from it.

It's now the 1930s on a marathon game. Am I being persistent in persevering with a game I can't win, despite the absurdly low skill level, or should I just ditch the game and start a new one? Should I have restarted the minute I found myself sharing a small north-pole-touching (not exaggerating; the continent touches the northern map border) continent with nothing else within galley range?

I'm not sure of exactly when persistence crosses over into self-defeating bullheadedness. :/

Try to get nukes first, that can turn the tables!

FlorbFnarb said:

(1) Lincoln had a solid 40%-50% lead over me points-wise.

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This means nothing. When/if you move up, you will get used to hanging around at the bottom of the score board until you suddenly break out and win.

FlorbFnarb said:

(2) I was about par with Lincoln technologically, but no more.

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For an isolation game this is really good. In a tighter spot you will be far behind, then trade astro to everyone to catch up. Tech parity is strong. From there beeline the next offensive military unit and start the invasion.

FlorbFnarb said:

(3) I had little more room on my small continent to expand, and nowhere convenient to invade.

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Look closer, I'm sure there are some convenient spots.

FlorbFnarb said:

... making me immune to invasion ...

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You are always immune to invasion, the AI is absolutely horrible at intercontinental warfare.

FlorbFnarb said:

After beating back two invasions from Lincoln and Isabella, I just started cranking out pikemen/musketmen/riflemen with a few airships for recon, hoping to hang on.

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Crank out cannons/artillery and rifles instead, then attack. Or go with cavalry and use airships as support units to lighten up the top defender. You can't win the game by defensive warfare, unless you are focusing on space or culture.

FlorbFnarb said:

Subsequent airship recon of other cities has revealed HUGE numbers of frigates in rival cities.

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A huge number of frigates that will sink when you conquer the city.

FlorbFnarb said:

There is no further hope to actually win this;

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Post a save and it will be easier for us to comment on this part..

FlorbFnarb said:

Should I have restarted the minute I found myself sharing a small north-pole-touching (not exaggerating; the continent touches the northern map border) continent with nothing else within galley range?

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Not necessarily, it can be a good exercise to play in isolation. But then you also have to learn to deal with the other continents as you meet them. Which means going on the offense and pulling off a naval invasion, unless you are aiming for a peaceful victory.

Yeah, I'll have to give that a whirl. I'm still learning that I need to have a much bigger military budget. I think I still have a whole slew of habits holding over from games like Civ I and Master of Magic, where over-building military units can really bankrupt you badly.

I'll try to post a replay sometime tomorrow.

If you're under attack and need quick military during the pre industrial era and industrial eras, why not make airships by researching physics? Monasteries going obsolete from scientific method isn't even that costly when you have airships causing enough damage to local enemy stacks that somehow want to invade.

Hmmm.. When you got Astro and what techs you researched before it?
I have feeling that you delayed it too much (when isolated, its "must have" tech right after you got worker techs + Currency and Calendar... Construction for war.. maybe Monarchy for extra happiness if thats problem.. but trade routes can give more after that and open some window to victory...
/do you have picture of start?/