Finally, a Gauntlet submission! (OK, so I submitted a Gauntlet game last month as histographic instead, but that does not count.)
I managed a 110AD conquest victory with the Iroquois. I made no attempts to try for Scientific Great Leaders or anything else. No free settlers or towns from huts. My capitol ran as a 4-turn settler factory for about 15 settlers, then joined the rest building a 'rax and Mounted Warriors. Thanks to an interesting mix of factors (behind in culture, conquering many civs at the same time, capturing the ToA), I got a culture history curve like this:
I tried quite a few maps before finding one that let me contact all civs early on. I used wars to keep them busy, although, only a couple of cities were destroyed due to this. I stayed in Despotism the whole time. However, if I try again, I will not stop research after HBR and Writing. I will research to Engineering asap. In Despotism, gold is worthless. I also made a subtle mistake, sending too many troops to the short end of the continent. It cost me a few turns having to run all the way to the Vikings.
I really think despotism is the way to go. Does anyone else think Monarchy would help at all? I might try again, if I can get the other games I want done before August 15th. One of the huge conquest games in the HOF played so that all cities but one were disbanded in one turn at the end of the game with one opponent remaining. Was that so the capital jump could be used to send all troops to a far corner of the continent? How would this work anyway? Don't the cities have to be gifted to the other civ for it to work?
Besides better troop movement, possible Monarch government, Engineering for bridge building, and hut/SGL luck, are there any other things a top game might take advantage of?