Hi guys in my opinion Austria should be lower on the list. But I guess I am just playing them wrong. Please advice!
First of all I usually play with the following set up:
1. Normal speed (epic speed just lets you exploit war against AI too much.)
2. Continents
3. Huge maps (12 players/24 city states)
4. Everything else standard
I do this because AI is so bad at war and I don't want to exploit that too much on higher difficulties. That's why I have more players, larger distances and a few isolated players.
Still it is possible but hard to win domination victory, but science victory and depending on your civ diplomatic victory are most likely. Tourism victory can be hard or easy depending how easy it is to reach the culture leaders.
Now to Austria:
UB
I understand the UB is great just late available but still great.
UU
The unique unit I like as well, but it is a non ranged cavalry, which are not the most needed units in the game. And tanks are kind of out of the way in the tech tree. Especially for Austria where you often go for tourism victory. So why build a lot of them if you don't plan to upgrade them soon anyway.
UA
Now my real problem. Please help!
While cheaply buying a city state with all those units and workers is immensely useful in the short run.
It sucks in the long run because I am usually only getting a mediocre or worse city location. And usually a lot of city states have the same luxury so I might also run into a happiness problem for a not so useful city.
It is also often hard to defend annexed city states in far off locations.
If I instead settle most of my cities myself (And Austria prefers to go tall anyway), I get a much more productive/scientific empire.)
And while all those free units are nice I often get the wrong mix (no cannons/artillery).
Additionally it is kind oh hard to win diplomatically if you annex the guys that give you your votes
I would love to hear from you!