Well, it took me about 10 seperate attempts, after carefully picking a different leader each time, but I finally managed to found every religion before the AI got a chance to.
And now I present with my rough guide on how to follow in my strange yet benefiical footsteps. But first, The Holy Cities of India (I knew I should have waited to build my second city
)
Firstly, some general tips:
1. Choose a leader that gives you Mysticism as a starting tech, this really does help to get the lead on the AI.
2. Although obvious, you should just aim at learning the technlogies that give you the religion. Another way to get them faster is to research every other that leads to those techs, it helps to reduce the research requires at times.
3. Do not reduce the Research meter! You do not need gold in the early game!
Now, here's what I did.
Map Type: Archipeligo
Map Size: Huge
AIs: 10
Difficulty: Settler (I am still a n00b)
Sea Level: Normal
I started as India, with the leader that is Spiritual and Organsied (why do names always elude me when I need them?). I helped greatly that I started near a river and a coast. As soon as Dehli was built, I put production straight into building a Barracks (builidng Workers right at the start is usually not a good idea.) I usually wait until my town is of size 4+ before building Workers and 6+ before I found new cities.
My first research was Meditation as it only requires 7 turns of research. During this time my town has reach size 2 and was half way to 3. By the time Mysticism was complete, my town was size 3, so I research Polytheism, which takes 8 turns to complete. At about 4 turns left, I build my first Fast Worker (these guys really make a difference early game). Also, my cultural borders have expanded twice.
Once Polytheism was researched, I decided to veer of the religious track and research Pottey (Granaries really do make a difference in the amount of time cities take to grow). This only took 6 turns as my town was at size 6 and my Fast Worker had improved most of the surrounding region.
Once Pottery was done, I immediately changed the production of the city to Granary and queued a Settler. Also, I researched Masonry to help get Monotheism. During this time, I was building the Oracle . When Masonry was done, I began to research Montheism whilst the Oracle was still being built (production was slow, but growth was moderate). Since the Oracle still had I while to go, I researched Priesthood (3 turns).
Several turns later, the Oracle was complete and I choose Code of Laws as my free tech. At this time, I was researching Theology. This took some time, so by now my second town was size 3 and had a Granary. It was not long before it reached size for and a Fast Worker was production there. Also, I was building the Temples and Monasteries in my capitol.
Two turns later, the Japanese found me, and I made peace. Three turns after that, Confusianism and Buddhism spread to their closest city. Two turns after that, Buddhism was in three more of their cities as well as a Greek city below me.
After Theology was completed, I relaxed a little and built libraries in both cities after researching Literature. I began to research "easy" techs, the ones that took the least amount of time to research. I researched about three off-track techs before aiming towards Divine Right. This took some time (19), so I built Temples in my second city and Wonders in the Capitol.
After Divine Right, I aimed straight for Philosophy. This took 20 turns, so I improved on my cities some more and continued to improve their cultural aspects. Missionaries were not needed, due to the two Great Prophets I had born during the long research periods, both building Shrines in the Capitol.
Once Philosophy was complete, I aimed for the "easy" techs once more and just began to watch the relgions spread like wildfire.
I have learnt not to do this on Archipeligo, as Culture spread well over water. My next challenge is to create THE Holy City.
Enjoy the story, may the Gods be with you.
And now I present with my rough guide on how to follow in my strange yet benefiical footsteps. But first, The Holy Cities of India (I knew I should have waited to build my second city
)Firstly, some general tips:
1. Choose a leader that gives you Mysticism as a starting tech, this really does help to get the lead on the AI.
2. Although obvious, you should just aim at learning the technlogies that give you the religion. Another way to get them faster is to research every other that leads to those techs, it helps to reduce the research requires at times.
3. Do not reduce the Research meter! You do not need gold in the early game!
Now, here's what I did.
Map Type: Archipeligo
Map Size: Huge
AIs: 10
Difficulty: Settler (I am still a n00b)
Sea Level: Normal
I started as India, with the leader that is Spiritual and Organsied (why do names always elude me when I need them?). I helped greatly that I started near a river and a coast. As soon as Dehli was built, I put production straight into building a Barracks (builidng Workers right at the start is usually not a good idea.) I usually wait until my town is of size 4+ before building Workers and 6+ before I found new cities.
My first research was Meditation as it only requires 7 turns of research. During this time my town has reach size 2 and was half way to 3. By the time Mysticism was complete, my town was size 3, so I research Polytheism, which takes 8 turns to complete. At about 4 turns left, I build my first Fast Worker (these guys really make a difference early game). Also, my cultural borders have expanded twice.
Once Polytheism was researched, I decided to veer of the religious track and research Pottey (Granaries really do make a difference in the amount of time cities take to grow). This only took 6 turns as my town was at size 6 and my Fast Worker had improved most of the surrounding region.
Once Pottery was done, I immediately changed the production of the city to Granary and queued a Settler. Also, I researched Masonry to help get Monotheism. During this time, I was building the Oracle . When Masonry was done, I began to research Montheism whilst the Oracle was still being built (production was slow, but growth was moderate). Since the Oracle still had I while to go, I researched Priesthood (3 turns).
Several turns later, the Oracle was complete and I choose Code of Laws as my free tech. At this time, I was researching Theology. This took some time, so by now my second town was size 3 and had a Granary. It was not long before it reached size for and a Fast Worker was production there. Also, I was building the Temples and Monasteries in my capitol.
Two turns later, the Japanese found me, and I made peace. Three turns after that, Confusianism and Buddhism spread to their closest city. Two turns after that, Buddhism was in three more of their cities as well as a Greek city below me.
After Theology was completed, I relaxed a little and built libraries in both cities after researching Literature. I began to research "easy" techs, the ones that took the least amount of time to research. I researched about three off-track techs before aiming towards Divine Right. This took some time (19), so I built Temples in my second city and Wonders in the Capitol.
After Divine Right, I aimed straight for Philosophy. This took 20 turns, so I improved on my cities some more and continued to improve their cultural aspects. Missionaries were not needed, due to the two Great Prophets I had born during the long research periods, both building Shrines in the Capitol.
Once Philosophy was complete, I aimed for the "easy" techs once more and just began to watch the relgions spread like wildfire.
I have learnt not to do this on Archipeligo, as Culture spread well over water. My next challenge is to create THE Holy City.
Enjoy the story, may the Gods be with you.
)
I just wanted to put my two cents in, but first I have to say that my wife found that comment hilarious (and she also said it definitely served you right...lol 
