Sisiutil
All Leader Challenger
All Leaders Challenge Game 15:

Pre-Game Thread
Starting Position (this post, below)
Round 1: 4000 BC to 2260 BC
Round 2: 2260 BC to 580 BC
Round 3: 580 BC to 410 AD
Round 4: 410 AD to 1280 AD
Round 5: 1280 AD to 1358 AD
Round 6: 1358 AD to 1520 AD
Round 7: 1520 AD to 1836 AD
The idea of the All Leaders Challenge is that I'm going to play a game with each of the Civ IV leaders--mostly the less popular ones--that I haven't tried before. With the help of all the posters who participate, I will attempt to make the most of the leader's unique characteristics: traits, starting techs, unit, and building. Aside from the leader, the other game settings are kept constant, at their defaults, for the sake of comparison--although I'm introducing a couple of variations starting with this game (see below). I will post the saved game files, screenshots, and status reports here as the game progresses. Everyone then has a chance to chime in with their strategy ideas, or voice their frustration (or glee) when I make a mistake.

Everyone is invited to offer opinions and advice, and to make your own attempt at playing the same game. But if you do play a "shadow game", I kindly request that you refrain from posting spoilers--i.e. any facts or even hints about the map, opponents, and so on--before I'm there myself. I'm trying to play the game as authentically as possible.
In this ALC game, I'll be playing as Mehmed II, leader of the Ottoman Empire. I'm playing the game using the Warlords expansion pack (complete with the 2.08 patch). The difficulty level is Monarch, the map is Fractal , and the speed is Epic .
I should also let you know that unlike the previous games with fractal maps, I have not had someone check this one for an isolated start. Mehmed doesn't have an early UU, so I don't see an isolated start as being an issue like it would be for Kublai Khan. It may, in fact, be very informative to have an isolated start. (Of course, now that I've said that, watch me turn up on a Pangaea map!)
Here are all of the game settings:

And here's a look at the start:

Well, in the pre-game thread, we talked about growing quickly to take advantage of both Mehmed's Expansionist trait and his happiness-granting Unique Building, the Hammam. We also considered researching Pottery very early on to get a head start on a cottage economy.
I think this start bodes well for those ideas. I have rice, which our first worker can farm immediately since Mehmed starts with Agriculture. Furthermore, we have at least 2 sugar tiles, both beside the river. They can be farmed and will yield the same amount of food as they will with a plantation (4). Riverside grassland tiles are my favourite locations for cottages. We also have 4 hills (1 plains, 3 grassland) for decent production along with several forests for chopping. All that empty plains and grassland bodes well for a hidden resource. And, of course, there's a goody hut!
I frankly don't see much point in moving. This is not a spectacular start, but it's a very good one, and I don't see a more appealing location nearby. Well, the plains hill to the northwest is mildly tempting, but I suspect there will be tiles over there that I wouldn't want in the capital's fat cross. Looks like we're north of the equator, but not by too much, going by the jungle I see in the fog to the southwest. That precludes a move in that direction--I'd just end up with jungle in the fat cross.
I think the Warrior should move 1SE onto the hill just because it will reveal more tiles. Let the first border expansion pop the goody hut.
Once I settle, I think the first build would be a Warrior for exploration, timed to complete when the city grows to 2 pop, followed by a Worker. Meanwhile, I research Animal Husbandry, then Pottery, then Mining -> Bronze Working.
How does that sound for the opening round of play?