Much improvement, although much to improve.
I hope you notice that you are at 6 cities by 550BC and your economy is fine. You already have Currency and 1 turn from CoL. Two very important techs that you were not even close to last game. So in terms of economy, your previous quote:
but i can already tell you my economy is going to be dead.
has been proven untrue.
You are set up now to do whatever you want to do here. (Actually with Carthage that close to me, he would be dead around about now..ha...but yeah, we want you to do what you are doing here...good job)
Okay, so what you can work on:
1) I'd really like to see more workers here with 6 cities, especially with all the jungle. 8 to 10 would be a good number right now. 1.5 workers per city is the rule but sometimes you need more. Chop them out or get in the habit of 2 pop whipping workers.
2) When passively whipping, whip 2 or more citizens. You can even grow into unhappiness and whip unhappy citizens (free production). Each citizen is worth 30hammers. If you whip say 2 citizens that is 60hammers. You always get that. So if you whip optimally you get a nice bit of overflow hammers. Try working on the math for the overflow as it helps you complete stuff. I can help you with that later and have written up examples. BUG really helps a lot in this case and, again, I highly recommend that you use it.
3) My guess is that you think city overlap is bad. This is actually not the case and becomes even more necessary as you move up due to the distance maintenance. Where possible look to overlap cities so that they can take advantage of improved resources while cities in general have to stay small. There's a lot of advantages to this including reduced maintenance, streamlined worker management, working high yield tiles that another city can't work currently due to whipping or running specialists, and tag teaming cottages so they continue to grow. You don't always have to overlap cities but it can be a good thing.
4) One reason I mention this is that I really don't like Nicaea's placement. Better place would have been 1S or 1S1E. Then the city can share a pig to get off to a fast start and grow onto the juicy gems faster once you get them improved. It can also share iron at times for a production boost. Overall with that overlap you can share tiles with your cap, get the city off to a faster start, and have much more flexibility.
5) Same for Adrianoble. Not bad, but ask yourself if maybe 2 cities could have gone down there. The clams have been rendered useless.
6) Nicomedia is not wise. You might get away with it on lower levels, but you should avoid settling in the AIs face unless you already are in war mode with them as the target. You also did not settle with food in the first ring....thus, slow start for that city. Better spot may have been settling on the horses north of Nicaea for the fish and ivory. More compact empire without pissing off the AIs.
7) Thess is okay and a nice second city. Grabbed horses with excellent food. This is what you want in a second city, something that is highly productive immediately. However, note that it is battling culture with Carthage. If you settle that close to an AI be prepared, especially if they are a not so friendly leader like Hannibal. By the way, he is in WHEOOHRN mode and will be attacking you soon. Again, something that you can identify easily with BUG mod.
8) Please tell me you got Fishing and Hunting from Huts and that AH was actually your first tech. (actually I recommend playing without huts and events for now)
9) It is great that you get Currency fast, but I would go straight to Alpha first on this level. It will allow you to see where the AIs are in tech, maybe backfill a few techs with friends, like Iron Working and the religious crap. You can also bribe AIs. Tech trading that early will really boost your game. On this level, once you backfill a few techs then you will just start blowing the AIs away and really want have to trade much with them. Maybe gift them old techs to get diplo depending on what VC you are going for.
10) Note that Babylon has the great wall. This means Nicodemia is in danger from barbs swampage, but is defended poorly. Just keep that in mind.
Overall, taking these 93 turns as an exercise, you have done far better than your last game. I hope you see that. Now take it a step further by trying some of the things that I mentioned above. As for this game, you are in a winning position. 6 cities, good economy, and you can go stomp Carthage before they do the same to you. Horse Archers!
As for shadow game, start a new game for that one. Post a save and get advice before playing each 20 to 25 turn set, post report and save, repeat. You can get very focused and detailed advice at each step. Things will start to click.
edit: Also note that those foreign trade routes are help you as well. Good job getting connected early. The sooner the better. Trade routes should never be underestimated.
edit2: Try get 2 scientists running asap in you cap to get that first GS for an academy. It will curb growth anyway at a point the happy cap is low and the cap can usually be fairly productive running 2 scientist while working 3 to 4 improve tiles (depending on happy cap). If you have wiggle room in another city with good food, try to get another couple of scientists running there, which should give you another GS a bit later at a good time. Often that 2nd GS will be used for a good bulb. Of course, always look for a good GP farm site.
...just kidding. Seriously though, do at least one shadow game here and you won't regret it. Just need to be patient and play short turn sets...as well as accepting of advice and criticism...and railage.
