my first HUGE MARATHON game, tips welcome (I am in midgame)

Hi, so as my final test before moving to prince, I have a HUGE MARATHON noble game...
So far I am really enjoying it:

It really has got an epic feeling I haven't felt before:
1) I feel as a tiny civilization that just struggles in its corner of the world, trying to do it´s best as a VC in itself. It feels real
2) I really feel that this is a simulation of the world now, something like Europa Universalis
3) taking just one enemy with minor score feels like major war in standard game
So I am really enjoying myself
4) notorious Shaka gave me a shock treatment when a huge stack of galleons appeared near my coastal cities guarded by remnants of iron age. I started upgrading and reinforcing and also canceled Oborders. (can they sneak attack from Oborders??)
Whether this scared him off or he was heading somewhere else I shall never know, but it really surprised me, and I don´t think I would have been so lucky on higher difficulty levels. The simple fact of real attempt at naval invasion surprised me....

The story so far tells of Geo. Washington XVI of Unification, who is on a conquest while also keeping techs in line after initial severe backwardness.
*Russians*(red) gave up as vassals, and I decided to agree, since I usually suck at
diplomacy, so it´s nice to have an ally for a change.

I decided to take over Isabella, and I haven´t decided about Aztecs (i forgot whoemever is next to issabella with judaism)

Point is, aztecs is my religious ally (other continent was united). I will be heading for free religion

Now, since this is the last among many noble games,,, I would like to win.
I am leading score wise 2400 to 1600(2nd), but so far only nil-to minor tech lead, I recovered after being backward only recently.
Since I am unsure of the timescale in marathon game (950 turns left), but by glancing at techs this would be the time to really choose a VC.
Depending on outcome of war with isabbela and techs of aztecs, I will either take
aztecs too, or start teching ang go for SR, or conquest. (but forces on other continent are many and advanced)

any tips or observations are welcome /if this is incorrect forum, pls tell me)
ss and .save included

I, too am starting my first serious marathon game. 18 civs, huge map.

One thing I noticed about marathon games is that culture seems build up a lot more. It is almost impossible to take cities without them getting flipped later, even with a couple of GA's. If you war someone, you really have to take out the whole Civilization quickly.

well, this game is concluded, it really turned up easy (after taking spain and aztecs)...... taked france and vassalled china, then someone called a un meating, where i won a diplo by few votes thanks to my few vassals

@lincoln

I didnt have this problem in any of my games. in marathon the absolute number is higher, yes, but the effect is lower.

you may be building your culture too little throughout the game.
in a single city: garrison a lot of units, build theaters and temples, synagogues, using slavery, adjust culture slider, asign artists....
but really, if you go to war, your plan should be to take them out completely or vassal them.... otherwise you shouldnt go to war. vassals cant flip you, since you have absolute advantage in big city cross over them

Nicol.Bolas said:

but really, if you go to war, your plan should be to take them out completely or vassal them.... otherwise you shouldnt go to war. vassals cant flip you, since you have absolute advantage in big city cross over them

Click to expand...

You can't always win every war you fight. And sometimes you just wan't to weaken enemy enough to make him not to win the game.