Oh. With a few posts in here, I hoped for actual updates.
Just got to 1AD myself, and it's been fun. Thought about going to war early-ish to take advantage of the special maces, but haven't yet. Instead of HA-ing them or something, I sat back and teched instead. Pretty many commerce resources all around, so the tech pace has been fast. Not been able to do much good trading, but Isabella already considers me too advanced anyhow (must have a low limit).
Built GLH when I had 3 cities (iirc), which of course is of great help on a map like this. Oh, and I settled in place, which felt like the obvious choice. Due to GLH the first great person was almost a 50/50 chance (slightly higher GS chance). Got a GM. He could bulb CS, so he did that. Another GP will be out next turn, which with 2 scientists + GLH is a 75% GS chance. Hope for a GS so I can build an Academy, but it's ofc not a sure thing. Another GM would kind of blow, not much useful to bulb, so probably best to ship him across to Artemis in Holland.
Isabella has been plotting for ages already, and has a fair few swords and a bunch of galleys and triremes. Cautious with everybody, so hard to know who it might be. Hopefully not me, though I doubt she'd do much damage, outside of the undefended island city closest to her.
Isabella kind of did something humanlike with the Oracle actually. Went for religions like the nutter she is, and had founded 4, including Christianity. Oracled Divine Right and founded Islam too, for 5 holy cities. Even more beakers than the human desire of Oracling CS. DR isn't as useful of course, but still a nice move I thought.
Confucianism got founded somewhere entirely elsewhere, so there is clearly something fishy about this map. Knew that early on, because the power bar of AI axes and such were tiny, and the power bar of my own warriors and scout was barely visible. I'm guessing there must be at least MGs elsewhere, in a pre-settled barb city or something like that, in the glorious land called Lilliput (which I'm yet to find, need Optics, but it must be in the black void in the NE somewhere).
No Academy yet, but do have CS and Buro, so the research is still pretty good. 245
at 1AD, with 9 cities (3 offshore). And I do hope for a GS next turn so I can turn research back on with Academy in hand. Have ~1500
(nothing from failgold as I'm yet to hook up marble). That should last for ~15 turns. Think I'll go for Edu then. Willem is pretty advanced despite only 4 cities, and with his favourite civic through Lib, he can definitely be a risk. Since that other land could found Confu, I suppose it might be a threat for Lib too, depending on what kind of creature is over there. Minor Civ perhaps?
Not sure what win to go for yet, and it's a little frustrating with the lack of options. Don't like AP, so can't be bothered with that (although I did found Taoism earlier). Conquest will be way too late compared to the war-mongers going for that from the start. So that only leaves Space and proper Diplo. With the first I need warfare, with the latter not really. Perhaps leaning towards space, but not sure I can be bothered with such a longterm game. Will see. Hopefully I can finish the game at least, with over 3 weeks left.
to write things down. I believe I enjoyed this one. Soon it's time for another 
Botm...
