First some comments right?
My own game: I usually don't go for the fastest second or third settler because I know that when the fouth, fifth and sixth city are being build, then the maintenance costs will start to increase to such levels that you need some development in your cities. You don't want a stalled economy which stops you from any further expansion. And cottages don't instantly produce good commerce levels, that takes time. You have to start building them as early as possible. That's why in my game, there are only 3 cities and not 4 but the 3 cities are being developed by 3 workers to improve my national economy.
That's why I chose to develop Bombay and why I chose to build 2 hamlets. I chose to research Iron working to further develop jungle cities like Bombay and the jungle city that is going to be build near the horses. Without Iron working and jungle chopping such cities won't develop well. And I thought that the gold city was a priority to help create and sustain a good economy.
I'm researching at a net rate of 23 (29 with 6 upkeep costs). I chose to build 2 barracks to defend our cities better, a granary in the capital to help regrowth after pop rushing and 2 monuments for border expansion.
The copper site is claimed by Brennus, but I could still steal it by building a city next to it. It is not really needed as I have iron and the horse site looks like a priority.
The main weak point in my game (according to me) would be the level of defence. A few extra archers or axemen could be useful. Madras, the gold city looks more threatened than it really is because the barbarians are stopped by the German city to the north (Munich) and Berlin. But something bad could theoretically stil happen. Sometimes you need to gamble a bit, but an archer or axeman should be moved there sooner rather than later.
Pigswil: You seem to have a different expansion philosophy than I have. You've quickly grabbed 4 settler spots, but only have 1 worker to improve them. You chose to leave Bombay as dead weight without developing it (it built one of the settlers). It does seem like you're switching into development mode now as you're building 2 workers. It will take some time to better develop some of those cities.
You haven't developed pottery and thus can't build cottages, you also can't chop jungles so it will be hard to revive your economy which is researching at a net rate of 6. Your cities seem defended rather well. You haven't constructed buildings in your cities, because you went for fast expansion. You've explored well and have copper and horses.
So a good expansion but the economy is stalled.
Öjevind Lång: We have a difference in opinion about terrain improvements. I value them extremely highly and you value other things more. At least, in this savegame and the previous one, you chose not to build many workers or terrain improvements. You do seem to want to develop your terrain now as you're building 2 workers at the moment.
The monument in Bombay and the one being build in Madras are good ways to expand the borders. You've explored well and have a very large experienced defence force in Delhi (partly due to the barracks I guess) and have copper. The other 2 cities are defended well too. Your net research rate is at 10, which is about the average of the various savegames. Building a few cottages would improve it. You haven't researched iron working and thus can't improve Bombay well.
fbelintani: Your approach seems a bit more similar to mine in the sense that you like to develop your cities while expanding. Your capital has a barracks and granary and Bombay a monument and your capital has a cottage. Only, I don't see why Madras isn't building a monument to get the copper in the fat cross.
The major weakness would be the lack of decent defenders. If an axeman appears around one of your cities, then you're in major trouble. The warriors can't do a lot against those monsters. An archer is also not really fun.
I also think that the area to the north of your capital could use some exploring units. It might be easier to plan cities there then.
The horse spot is taken which is a bit of bad news but you do have copper.
Why didn't you use one of the workers to improve Bombay?
You are researching Iron working which will help improve Bombay further (with jungle chopping).
You're researching at a net rate of 13, which is quite good since you didn't settle the gold site.
shyuhe: Ah someone that went for Iron working quickly like me. It is a valuable technology because of all of the jungles. At least it is in my opinion. Especially since Bombay is already in the jungle and a city close to the horses will be. A pity that in your game the horses site is already taken. But we do have the luck that iron is near Bombay.
You didn't research pottery which I think is a crucial technology for sustained expansion because of the cottages. You could use a bit of exploration and a fog buster in the north, but you seem to have been hit by barbarians a lot limiting your options.
Your defences are more than adequate, only I don't see why you chose to build a spearman.
You do seem to like pop-rushing a lot. It is a powerful element of the game. However, it really shines when you add a granary to the city that does the pop-rushing.
You've also build 3 workers like me, we both seem to like fast improvements. The worker in Bombay seems a rather recent addition as the city doesn't have a lot of improvements yet. But at least the city now can become better with a worker that can chop jungles.
You're researching at a net rate of 10, which is ok.
Mice: You went for fast expansion and thus you have 4 cities where one has copper and the other gold. That's very good. Of course if you build more settlers, then you build less of something else. In your case Bombay has suffered a bit as it is still rather undeveloped and you have only 2 workers for 4 cities. You're working on that a bit as you're building another worker, but also another settler and 3 workers for 5 cities is also not that great. It seems like you're planning to build a city near the horses, however you don't have the technology to chop jungles so it might be hard to develop it.
You didn't build any cottages while you do have the technology. They are important to sustain the expansion rate (in my opinion). The gold mine will of course help.
I don't like the position of Madras. Yes, it does have cow and copper in its fat cross and on itself is a good city. But it is very hard to place decent cities in the area north of Delhi and Madras. They will either have a large overlap with Madras and Delhi or a significant amount of tiles will remain unused. And I don't like to leave tiles unused. It's a rather personal opinion of course. Maybe this position is also chosen because you haven't explored the region north of Madras.
You're researching at a net rate of 10 and it will go up after building the gold mine, so that's good.
Your defences are extremely light. Especially Madras looks vulnerable as without cities to the north or south, barbarians (axemen, archers) could easily slaughter the single warrior defending the city.
This is one of the better savegames in my opinion and that's why you get some more nitpicking.
Cabert: I like workers and terrain improvements and I would have liked to see more of them. You have developed Bombay a bit with buildings, however it could use a worker to improve the terrain: cottages, mines, irrigation, chopping. You are also one of the few who has build a granary in Delhi, improving the pop-rushing power of the city.
Like many, you have copper and you have already connected it. However, your defences are very light at the moment. Especially Madras would be in big trouble if an axeman appeared from the north.
Why exactly have you fortified a warrior east of Delhi?
You're researching at a net rate of 10 which is ok. With the massive jungles that we're experiencing, I would have preferred iron working over alphabet. Especially if you want to settle the horse site.
Cam_H: Bangalore is undefended, wow. The risk is probably limited because there might not be a lot of fog of war to the south-west. It depends on the positioning of the cities from Brennus and the shape of the island. It is largely unknown how much fog of war there is in the south. The mountains do make it safer.
You are among the few who have expanded quickly to get four cities which is positive. Of course if you build more settlers, then you build less of something else. Bombay is rather undeveloped and the defences are pretty light. Madras is also vulnerable to attacks out of the fog of war.
You've only build 2 workers for 4 cities and are already planning a fifth city. I do value terrain improvements rather highly, so I would have liked to see more workers.
Cologne might culture flip, but even a single culture producing improvement (or its state religion) will stop any chance of a culture flip in the near future once the borders expand once. OF course, if Bismarck doesn't build such a building, then you might succeed in a culture flip.
You did build a granary in Delhi to improve its poprushing power, which is very nice.
I don't like the position of Madras. Yes, it does have cow and copper in its fat cross and on itself is a good city. But it is very hard to place decent cities in the area north of Delhi and Madras. They will either have a large overlap with Madras and Delhi or a significant amount of tiles will remain unused. And I don't like to leave tiles unused. It's a rather personal opinion of course. Maybe this position is also chosen because you haven't explored the region north of Madras.
You're researching at a net rate of 12, which is above average. However, I do think you need cottages if you want to keep expanding. And you do need iron working to improve the terrain around the two jungle cities.
You have bad relations with the AI's.
Again, this is one of the better savegames in my opinion and that's why you get some more nitpicking.
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I hope the last two saves get some RNG luck in their favor!
tiles for growth. Bombay switched to a Fast Worker with the view to chopping out a Settler. Persisted with Hunting with a view to Archery and Animal Husbandry (discount).
Definitely some potential there. However no access to strategic resources is a little risky. Bombay is a junk city in your save - maybe pop rush a monument there? I just noticed that Bangalore isn't in a very good location - it is food poor. You have a floodplain and a cow, which doesn't leave a lot of excess food to work those gold mines that you've grabbed. Nobody has alphabet in your game either.
Access to the horse city is nice but research is grinding to a halt from city maintenance. Brennus is also very close to us, which I don't like. We should be able to get copper online soon though - leaving the opportunity to grab those barb cities. You also lack workers (and missing out on a 2/2/2 tile!)
