Round 6, 1100 AD - 1500 AD (40 turns):
I continued to build up towards an invasion of SB with pikes/musketmen/cannons. My cities built forges theatres and barracks before they started on units.
1150: Construction finishes and I start on Gunpowder. I also do a trade with JC. I wanted to get Nationalism from him but unfortunately he started on the Taj the same round I was ready to trade so I decided to get something for Astronomy before JC got it from elsewhere.
Zara founds a city on the southeast tip of my island effectively ending the last chance for unlocking the HE before the war.
1170: A GS is born in Argos and I hold on to him to finish Oxfords and an observatory in Athens.
1190: AP elections come up and I get to choose between Sury and Zara Yaqob. I choose Sury hoping for some diplo points to enable tech trading.
Spiral Minaret BIDL (ZY)
Taj Mahal BIDL (Sury)
Oxfords and observatory are finished so I use the GS for my first golden age.
1200: The vote is in.
Sury is bumped to cautious making him willing to trade techs. Unfortunately he now has all the techs I have.
1210: JC dows SB, dragging his vassals Vicky and Sury with him.
I meet the last civ, Monty, who is annoyed with me for trading with his worst enemies and worshipping the wrong gods (if you can call a philosophy a religion).
1220: Gunpowder -> Chemistry. GS born in Thebes, I save him for another GA.
Kremlin BIDL (Rome).
1260: I convert to no state religion at the end of the GA. Since I was unable to trade for Nationalism I decide to hold on to CS until I make the Bur->Nationhood switch since the anarchy lenght will be the same and CS helps my workshops.
1270: Chemistry -> Guilds. I make a detour of 1 turn to get +1 for the workshops.
1280: Guilds -> Steel.
1300: Versailles BIDL (Rome). I make another tech trade, this time with Sury.
1330: SOL BIDL (ZY). Jesus..
1350: Switch to Nationhood and Slavery after finishing the GT in Thebes and begin drafting muskets.
1360: JC makes peace with SB without capturing any cities. Way to help him mobilize JC!
1380: I finish research on Steel and put slider to 0% to upgrade all my trebs to cannons. I also make some trades.
I was undecided at first whether to get the cheap techs as well or not but decided it was a good time to throw caution to the wind.
1410: I DOW SB and transport my first 15 units to the hill south of Cahokia.
I check diplo and find that Monty, JC and ZY are all WHEOOHRN.
I make a trade with Monty.
1440: After spending a couple of turns bombarding the defenses and bringing more troops to the hill I'm ready to attack.
Unfortunately SB got Military Science and Grenadiers as well as Military Tradition and Cuirassiers just about the time I dowed him and the war with JC and allies meant he has spent a number of turns pumping out units. His fleet in particular has a crushing advantage. It's only the fact that my galleons can sail to Cahokia, drop off troops, and escape back to Corinth all in one turn that enables me to push the offensive.
1450: Don't worry, I've got Achilles on my team, lol.
1460: I finally capture Cahokia after lots of bloodshed. A GG was born somewhere in the midst of this and assigned as a superhealer to one of my old chariots.
A look inside.
Not bad at all, but it was all for naught.
1470: SB complete the Tao Shrine.
1490: Sb steal steel from Cahokia. I'm doing the best I can drafting and whipping but it's hard to fight grenadiers and cuirassiers with musketmen and pikes. Alot of cannons where lost taking Cahokia.
1500: Cahokia is recaptured by SB and Corinth falls to an invasion of grenadiers and cuirassiers. I resign.
This was a tough game and I ultimately didn't make it. There were several key decisions where I erred but I learned alot in playing, also from all the excellent advice.
If you played a shadow game I would be interested to have a look at the full game and review.
I'm going to go ahead and post a second deity game to make another attempt.