Surviving as Zoroastrian Achaemenids

So I personally don't like going for UHVs, I much rather prefer to make my old civilisation survive untill modern times and then win by domination or a speed race.

But I'm having lot's of trouble with the persians.

I can manage to deal with Byzantium, which will, for no reason at all even if the roman empire is no more, take all of the mediterranean part of the empire.

Then, you can easly deal with the Arabs, which will take your best city: Babirush, thanks to your elephants, although good luck keeping Egypt.

Even though, after dealing with the arabs, soon after having dealt with Byzantium, you will now be weaker than China or India who will declare war unless you still have a strong army.

But then, out of thin air, even if China controls central asia come the Seljuks.

Dealing with them is hard, you need castles and pikemen, as well as elephants, knights help too.

Even if you win, expect some cities lost, particulary in Anatolia as you will probably have most of your army defending your persian mainland.

Well the problem with this invasion, is that it leds you so weak, I colapse soon after, and on top of that probably the mongols and mughals and then ottomans will come after me.


Can zoroastrian persia surivive till end game?

^Byzies shouldn't spawn if Rome is dead or Greece is alive. India should be conquered, and you seem to have a pretty good strategy already for Arabs and Seljuks.

All pre-Arab middle-eastern Civs are pretty difficult, you should try winning domination as Babylon.
Zoroastrianism deserves at least 2 wonders, for balance as well as gameplay reasons.

As Persia is one of my favorite civs, you can find some tips in the Domination Challenge thread. For instance, taking China and building the Great Wall is viable option from the start.