So, after the Persian WOTM, its revenge time for the Greeks.
Interestingly enough, playing on archipelago map the Aegean Sea? Reminds me of my oncoming vacation trip.
Nice touch, but IMO the leader traits/UU are ill suited for the map type. Anyway, I feel more than comfortable at this difficult level, so that doesnt matter much to me.
Up to 500AD, it is a builders dream game. Troops produced: 3 warriors, 3 archers, 1 axeman. Also 4 ferry-boats (well, galleys). Units killed: 1 barb galley. Units lost: none. So much for an aggressive leader.
Greek empire has 6 cities: Athens (in place, 4000BC), Sparta (fish/sheep SW, 2290BC), Thermopylae (atop copper, 2 fish, SE, 985BC), Corinth (horse/fish/clams, NW, 880BC), Delphi (2 gold/2 gems/clams SW, 205BC), Pharsalos (iron, 2 fish, NE, 215AD). Maybe I got lucky as no AI tried to settle these areas. Or I just did it early enough?
Research went Agri, mining, BW, AH, Myst, Sailing, Writing, Wheel, Pottery, Alpha (595BC). I got Poly, Archery, Masonry, Med, Monotheism, IW, Math, Monarchy from trade before 100AD. Further research was MC, priesthood, CoL, CS, Construction and Paper (due 530AD). Until the cut date I popped 5 huts got Literature and Compass, 1 map, 1 warrior, some gold.
I didnt try to build too many wonders, but succeeded in the few ones I tried: SH (1690BC), Glhouse (250BC), Colossus (35AD), all in Athens. I got the navigation bonus at some point, but somehow the autolog doesnt record it in the current HoF mod version.
Great people: GP 790BC (settled in Athens), GS 310BC (Academy in the gem/gold city), GP 245AD (settled in Athens). Being philosophical, maybe I should have used more specialists, but I wanted the commerce from coast and cottages, besides the pop growth for whipping.
Contacts made: Cyrus (1090BC), Julius (895BC), Hattie (340BC), Izzy (485AD). Scorewise, I am #2, but just a few points below Hattie.
Religions: none. I cant remember the last game I actively pursued the founding of a religion. I used to value it a lot higher when I started playing, now I almost forget about this aspect of the game.
About the random metals, copper did appear near a secondary city, but only after the cut-date. I dont believe there is a pattern. Only probability is involved.
And about the wise barbarians: I didnt get as lucky as Balbes, but they did build Hanging Gardens in my game, but again after the cut-date for this spoiler.
From now on, it looks to me the game will be an easy diplo (front or back door) win. However, it wont be anywhere close to a fast finish.