India was the
minor power??? That's ironic.
I was slowed down in the AA by my lack of luxury goods. I hadn't rushed to grab the Silk, so the Ottomans had sailed across and put their own town there. That became my first target: I DOWed in 290 AD, destroyed the town and replaced it with one of my own, then granted peace in 360 in exchange for Literature and 12 GP. Meanwhile, I had to pay off Cleo with another 20 GP.
England had settled a couple towns on the southern coast of my end of the continent, so that became my next target. As I was moving my forces into position, I noticed a build-up of Egyptian chariots moving towards my border. Since Egypt had jumped to an early lead in the score--and there was no profit to gain in a fighting a defensive war--this was disturbing. I had one advantage, though, I had two sources of iron while Egypt and Greece had none. Although I disliked giving it to them, in 520 I traded iron to Egypt in exchange for Spices, Furs, Monotheism, the Republic, and 7 GP. Not a bad price--and peace would be a bonus. Then I declared war against England.
And--surprise, surprise!--Egypt tears up our treaty and invades anyway!
But this gave me a surplus source of Iron again, and Greece was quite willing to take it as the price of an alliance against Egypt. All those chariots immediately turn around to find other targets.
For the next 20 turns, I let them fight it out while I build my forces and learn the tech that will let me build Keshiks. Meanwhile, having taken the two English towns on the coast, I give them peace, in exchange for one more town. That one was deep behind the lines; the Egyptians destroy it in 630, but that's still one less the English have.
In 730, having fulfilled the terms of our alliance, I negotiate with Egypt. Yes, they'll give me Engineering for a peace treaty--and for an alliance against Greece. And this time, they don't get Iron!
Capturing the first town from Greece (actually one of my own that had culture-flipped to them) starts my GA. This war continues until 930. Greece has only one town left, way out on an island, so I give them peace for Printing Press, 25 GP and 5 GPT.
This resumes the war with Egypt (do I take a reputation hit for not cancelling the alliance with them first?), which continues for the rest of the Middle Ages, as I slowly push them back. Only one great disaster, in 1290, when the civilians of Lisht revolt, somehow butchering three of my Keshik armies that were stationed there to hold the city!
My one remaining army razed the city in retaliation.
We enter the Industrial Age in 1420.
And "minor power" India? They've taken the bulk of the Sumerian territory at the southern end of the eastern continent. (The Ottomans, though, deliver the death blow for Sumeria in 1190.) India also has a massive lead in tech and culture, having built nearly every great wonder so far available. I'm #1 in area and population. Playing as a builder at lower difficulty levels, I'm usually also well ahead in tech and culture at this stage, with victory inevitable. In this game, I could still lose culturally or diplomatically or in a space race!
The rest of this game will be...interesting.
