- How many cities did you settle or capture?
Didn't count but think I was at around 15-16 cities by the end game. Cleo had 3 cities left on the continent and Peter 1 (my very own little city state)
- What did you prioritize for research and policies?
Mostly researched what was boosted but have a few I always aim for (Currency (to unlock Commerical Hub), Apprenticeship (to unlock Industrial Zone), Industrialization (Factories, Ruhr Valley), Political Philosophy (goverments), Feudalism (farm bonus), Urbanization (Neighborhoods))
- Did religion come into play in your game, please explain.
Nope, didn't found any religion.
- How much warring did you do? Was it effective in supporting your Science objective?
I planned to take out my closest neighbors and took out France within the first 100 turns. I then attacked Russia and left them with 1 city. Later Cleo took Stockholm and forwardsettled me at the same time so I warred her and left her with 1 city left (liberated Stockholm). Late game Saladin and Barbarossa declared a joint war against me, so I took out Arabia. The early Russian and France cities were some of my production power houses and I had Space Ports in Pars and Novgorod, so I would say they helped me.
- Were City-States helpful?
Yes, I was suzerin of pretty much every non-religious city state by the end. Extra production and money and exlusive luxuries, helps keeping a large empire going. Toronto has the best suzerin bonus in the game
- Any surprises you ran into, how did you deal with it?
Other than France putting up a surprisingly good fight in the beginning, not really.
- Did you enjoy the game?
Yep
I finished the game in turn 343. The fall patch came into play around turn 200.
I was wonderwhoring like crazy and built amongst others, the Hanging Gardens, Forbidden City, Big Ben, Ruhr Valley, Colosseum, Terracotta Army, Potala Palace, Broadway, Cristo Redonator, Hermitage, Colossus, Great Lighthouse. Had the Eiffel Tower, Maracana Stadium and Syndey Opera House under construction when the game was won. Captured the Egyptian capital which had Petra and the Great Library. I was afraid I would win an accidental culture victory by the end.
After the first 150 turns (described in the other thread), I was planning to play peaceful after taking out Catherine and leaving Peter with one city. But alas, that was not to be. Cleo forward settled me and took my buddy city state Stockholm, can't have that. Death to forward-settlers!
Turn 230, her capital fell
After that I concentrated on research and wonderwhoring. Late game I was the target of a joint war declaration of Saladin and Barabarossa. You know what that means...
I was able to complete the goals I had set for myself, to unlock the achievement "Flight Singulator" and "Missed That Day in History Class"