Originally posted by Adofl Lundgren
Persia definately tops the list
China is second (dunno why...I seem to always fair well with them)
My third tier consists of Carthage, Rome, Greece, Iriquois, Germany, Ottomans.
Then, of course, the "cream of the crap"
England, France, Zulu, America, Mongols, Spain
Zulus are working great for me in my current game, probably just because of the map. I'm on a huge continent with 4 other civs. I expected an early war, but because of jungle, everybody was able to build 8-10 cities without walking all over each other. I managed to get TGL right before the end of ancient age and was saving cash and building a small army (10-15 swords, horses). I started a war with Germany hoping to catch 3-4 of their cities. The turn before I declared war, the Iroquois declared on Germany also. I moved a Impi down, he got attacked and won, and my Golden Age started at a PERFECT time. I was already in Republic (thanks to Great Library) and was building Forbidden Palace, Sun Tzu, Leonardo. I just missed Sistine, but used the shields to build Adam Smith. Then I got Copernicus, and I'm currently working on JS Bach and Magellan. Got a Great Leader to rush Leonardo (first time in a LONG while I've rushed a wonder with my first leader. Usually go with an army, but the war was about over, so...)..
I got my 4 cities, ended the war, and got 3 wonders built while the war was going on. One of my better starts! Virtually every core city has univ/bank and all other improvements, and it's only 1100AD!
Of course, it's impossible to say how much part the Zulu's played. I didn't get many goodie huts(2 techs and some maps), and didn't get a single settler. But I was able to see that I had lots of room to expand without war early. And with the Impi, I could start my Golden Age just about whenever I wanted by offering one up to be attacked in a good defensive location.
Can't wait to get back to this game tonight! Time to build muskets and horses, get Military Tradition, and kick some more German behind

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