Early game Shonghai

[andersw]

Need to "think aloud" and get some feedback.

Pantheons:
I can see several that are nice.
God of commerce since first couple of cities will most likely not require roads, but maybe gold should come from Mandelkalu cav? (ofc depends on difficulty).
God of war, this is a warmonger civ so makes sense.
God of protection, a warmonger pantheon that provides culture.
I could maybe (and thats a big maybe) see god of purity on other more happiness stranged patches.
Missing any obvious options? like always god of wisdom if its available to matter what (I don't feel pantheons are that skeweed anymore).

First and second city expand.
I'm desperate for early horse, even more so with Songhai.
Would you settle on top of horse even if that would not river connect the city to capital?
Even if you went god of commerce?
My instincs say yes, but if there are workers available for steal then the tile is probably improvable in time.

 

[CrazyG]

I have never regretted settling on top of horses. Even if a worker is available, settling on top is much faster and it can't be pillaged.

 

[ridjack]

God of Commerce is amazing if you're going to be get all your cities connected without roads. One of the easiest religions you can get, and continues to scale into the late-game.

God of War is an obvious good choice if you're going for early wars; less so if you're holding on until later. It wouldn't be my first choice with Songhai unless I had a juicy target nearby for a Spearman/Archer/Chariot conquest, since his uniques come online too late to be helpful in founding.

Protection is a good back-up choice.

I probably wouldn't forego a river connection with Songhai unless there was a pressing specific concern, like nearby Shakatilla Kahn or, again, a juicy nearby target that you need to hit hard and early.