[BTS] Emperor Game with Sitting Bull: How am I doing? I want to get better!

[CGQ]

Just got back into playing CIV IV after a couple months off, I started this game and it's pretty interesting. I think it's going fairly well but I'm sure there are things I can improve. I attached my current save at Turn 150. I'd love for some of the experts here to look at my save, especially lymond, gumbolt, and krikav, ya'll always have the best advice on these forums!

Spoiler Turn 150 :

State of the empire:


This is my second attempt at this map. First one I over-expanded and had 8 cities by 800 BC. Problem is I didn't have writting till 500 BC lol...

2nd time I made sure to have pottery to build cottages much earlier. Now I'm planning on teching to Nationalism and then libbing Military Tradition and take out Sury with cuirs along with the rest of that continent. The thing I struggle with is worker management after the 2nd-3rd city and speed teching. I heard on here that a good Cuir rush date is 800 AD and I seen people get lib before 500 AD.

Problem is it's taking me forever to research Nationalism in this game, and this is often my problem. I did double bulb education earlier but I'm not sure what I'm doing wrong. I know I probably should've taken out that barb city earlier but didn't want to build more military since it would only slow me down more and cost more.
How do some players on here manage to a cuir rush so early consistently? Since I have ivory would a "cata'phant" (or whatever they call it haha) rush have worked better? Or macemen? I wanted to use dog solders but khmer is pretty far from my capital. Either way if someone here can take a look at my save and tell me what I can improve on it'll help a lot. I'm gonna do a shadow game here again one of these days.
I also attached the 4000 BC one if anyone wants to have a crack at it, I'd love to see a different better approach for this map. Yes I know I have huts and events enabled unfortunately
(Though I only got some gold in this game through the huts)

 

[lymond]

Well, I'll caveat this by saying there is indeed much to improve. Seems you pop up now and then for advice but don't really take it far. Anyway, I haven't played a turn but made some adjustments and don't see much of a problem other than the fact that you haven't settled your horses yet and you've been in caste system for gawd knows how long with a great artist playing beer pong in your cap. Save attached.

I'd play more normal maps if you want to learn and no huts/events. Big and Small is interesting but you don't know how to play the map.