Deity Tips - Faith Defence + Early Expansion

[Dardis]

I'm just trying my first Deity game & wondered someone could give me some advice on the following:

1) I've founded & enhanced a religion before the AI civs have managed to found a religion. Usually on Emperor/Immortal I start buying pagodas/mosques as soon as I have enough faith. However I've been watching Madjinn's Poland video & noticed that on Deity AI's spam missionaries. Would you faith buy an inquisitor first before buying the faith buildings to safeguard the religion?

2) I've settled four cities (T72), but there is a ton of space & another four unique luxes in the local area (Venice is one of my neighbours). Would you continue expanding & how wide? I want to play peaceful for as long as possible, so I'm trying avoid penalties for over-settling.

Thanks in advance!

 

[comatosedragon]

I don't play deity [Immortal]; but I [almost] ALWAYS buy an Inquisitor before faith buildings. That, or have six units per city, in which case inquisitors are unnecessary.

 

[Magma_Dragoon]

The best defense is a good offense. Build the great mosque if it is feasible and convert every city near you with missionaries. If not, holy order is good too. That way, the passive pressure is enough to quickly fix whatever harm the AI missionaries do, unless they have that one erodes-like-a-prophet-existing-religion belief. With passive pressure in place, prophets are the only real threat, and you can capture those. And since you don't take any cities in a prophet swatting war, you get only a minor diplo penalty.

 

[Dardis]

Thanks both!

In the end my nearest neighbour (France) founded the 2nd religion 3 turns after I enhanced & venice 2 turns later. Didn't want to upset them both early by sending in a missionary, but with 8 cities closely locked together & religious texts I didn't need the inquisitor either (pressure sorted everything out). Just spammed out pagodas & mosques then grabbed JE.