multiplayer social policies tactics etc.

some and my friend have been playing private matches for a few weeks now just us and either 4 or 6 AIs and every game i keep second guessing what social policy to open up with and kinda bungling up. i usually go liberty but is that a good idea in a domination only game? i need a sprawling empire with a powerful army but at the same time i need to grab wonders before him. i'm usually to busy expanding and keeping happiness up than to build a large military. i could really use some help in this aspect, heck maybe i need to go for smaller empire tactic approach i don't know

any thoughts and ideas would help a lot thnx for your time

also my opponent only plays as Rome if that affects anything i'm either Assyria or Persia.

Try tradition-> landed elite -> monarchy and focus on getting 3-5 cities up with workers, granaries, libraries, and food caravans to your capital. Build National College asap. This will let you out-tech your friend. Beat him in tech and you'll be able to get all the medieval wonders before him, because you'll start earlier and probably have more production in your central cities.

If you have rivers, try to get farms alongside them and civil service tech. This combines well with the tradition finisher of free aqueducts and +15% growth.

You don't need a big empire. You need a lot of science and production.