The hard part of this gauntlet was just finding the right map. My minimum requirements for continuing more than 8 turns were a popped settler and a Ceremonial Burial SGL. This is the first start where my conditions were satisfied:
Tiny Chieftain Pangaea, 60% water.
Playing as the Russians against Korea, Persia, and Ottomans.
In 3950 BC:
It’s not exactly how I would have planned my core, but when I got the SGL in 3700 BC, I continued although I didn’t have Masonry yet.
In 3450 BC, I made my first contact – the Koreans so I could trade for what remained of Alphabet.
In 3350 BC, I met the Persians who supplied Masonry so I could rush the Pyramids.
In 2390 BC, I completed Code of Laws which turned out to be the last tech that it took me more than 4 turns to research for the entire game (excluding anarchy). Four turns later, I had completed Philosophy and picked Republic drawing 4 turns of anarchy. With the discovery of Republic, I also got my second SGL who rushed the Colossus.
The AI supplied Alphabet (partially self-researched), Masonry, The Wheel, Iron Working, and Polytheism.
Huts provided Warrior Code, Mysticism, and Literature (hmm, for some reason I thought I got more than that from huts, but I looks like I did a lot of self-research). Huts also provided 3 skilled warriors and 50 gold, and one was deserted.
In 1600 BC, the Koreans declared war on me. The war happiness was nice, but unfortunately they still would not talk to me when I entered the Middle Ages, so I missed a free tech opportunity. My completely non-existent military apparently couldn’t scare even a chieftain AI, but fortunately by the time they had moved their SoD of 2 regular warriors all the way to my land, they were ready to talk peace.
1600 BC, researching the last tech of the Ancient Age:
I entered the Middle Ages in 1500 BC (about 4 turns behind Aigburth).
Gifting Persia and Ottomans up yielded Monotheism twice. I got Engineering, but no Korean free tech. The good news was that I picked up my third SGL (I’m not sure if it was for Engineering or the last tech of the Ancient Age).
I considered rushing the Forbidden Palace that hadn’t completed yet, but it looked like I would have a hard time reaching 4-turn research on the first couple Middle Age techs even with the Forbidden Palace, so I opted to rush the Mausoleum of Mausollos starting my Golden Age.
I went along the top half of the tech tree completing Theology, Education, Astronomy and Banking. When I signed peace with Korea, I gifted them up hoping for Feudalism, but they got Engineering as well.
1000 BC:
The Industrial Age was reached in 390 BC (still one turn behind Aigburth). All 3 AI got Medicine, and I got Steam Power. I couldn’t do Electricity in 4 turns yet, but by the time I completed Industrialization and The Corporation, I was able to get Electricity and Replaceable Parts in 4 turns each. I got my fourth SGL with Refining and my fifth with Flight, but I really had nothing useful to do with either of them. All Industrial Age techs were completed in 4 turns.
I entered the Modern Age in 450 AD (the same turn as Aigburth). Two of my AI got Ecology, but the third got Rocketry. I drew Fission as my free tech and selected Computers and Miniaturization with the Theory of Evolution completing the same turn. The internet came one turn later so all Modern Age techs were an easy 4 turns.
Final empire:
By virtue of 1 extra free Modern Age tech, I launched in 730 AD.
There really is an awful lot of luck in this game. I did 4-turn research on everything except Ceremonial Burial, Alphabet (purchased before completing), Writing, Code of Laws, and Mathematics (spent 6 turns total, but 4 of them were in anarchy). It’s just a matter of how many Ancient Age techs you get from huts or AI, and how the free techs at the beginning of each Age go.
I got Ecology as my free tech plus minitorisation and fission from theory of evolution, internet also completed this turn assuring 4 turn reseach for the rest of the game. The rest of the game was of course a formality, launched space rocket on the same turn the last required tech was researched in 770ad.
