Is it possible to get a religion on IMMORTAL/MARATHON without STONEHENGE?

[El Caballerion]

When playing on a TERRA map with the above settings, I have found it nearly impossible to found a religion unless you beeline STONEHENGE and rush production of shrines when playing as a civ without religious UA (i.e., the Celts), especially when religious Ruins benefits & religious CS are nowhere to be found.

I had to reload almost a hundred turns earlier because my first strategy was to build the MAUSOLEUM OF HALICARNASSUS (due to some stone close by). Once I completed that, I started STONEHENGE, but by then two other CIVS had founded religions and at that time, I founded my first Pantheon. No way was I going to get it.

Anyone else have this problem? Any other effective strategies?

 

[ToodleElNoodos]

I think so. If you want first-choice religion, ya you'll have to rush Stonehenge. The tricky part is that other coca can still beat you if try find faith ruins or faith CS. If another civ has marble or picked up Moniment to the Gods pantheon, makes the Stonehenge risk higher.

 

[Miravlix]

I can confirm my own immortal/marathon games is insanely competitive for religion now and the only real solution is building stonehenge, just to grab a pantheon.

Even after getting stonehenge, the AI that gets religions is working to spread it like mad, making purchasing anything else than missionaries a suboptimal use of faith.

 

[ahawk]

Without religious CSes or a religious UB, there's not a lot of hope of founding a religion without Stonehenge or a religious natural wonder coupled with the pantheon for +4 faith on NWs.

Even Indonesia is spotty, as the Candi is a religious UB, but is one that may appear too late depending how you tech, and it can't even be built unless you have fresh water (lake, river, oasis) next to the city.

 

[joncnunn]

If you want a religion, but don't care weather you are early to it or late; its always been extremely easy to evenually found one.

Just build a single Shrine in the capital and you'll have a Pantheon before an AI enhances their religion, thus reserving a spot for you (along with all others who just have a pantheon).
Now if all you do is that one shrine it's going to time a long time and most of the best beliefs will be gone ...

Now if you do want to be early to a religion, then the following are better choices than Stonehidge (but of course can be combined with it for even faster) :

Desert Faith / Religious Idols / Tears of the Gods / Goddess of Festivals, and any other pantheon that produces faith.

Piety start (I found this tree so effective that I had already enhanced my religion before the finisher that gave me a great prophet.)

 

[Randall_Flagg]

It is a lot harder in this version to get a religon I noticed. I have had games where the frigging Zulu's have beaten me too one. My current game is just crazy, I focused hard on religion and just barley found the 7th. Not that is going to do any good, Byzantium is going to make us all worship her god.

 

[RealHuhn]

Monument first, Liberty left side, build a few settlers, Piety opener, spam shrines and temples. It's easy to get a religion. Sometimes, it isn't worth it though.