1.27 Predator
Goal: High score - a milk run if time permits, otherwise an unhurried domination.
Opening
I settled at the popular SE location on furs. And built the popular sequence warrior, granary, settler. My worker irrigated two flood plains, chopped and irrigated furs, irrigated another flood plain, then chopped and irrigated another furs. I got my granary in 2950BC and first settler in 2750BC.
Shortly after producing my first settler I was hit by disease. That was the only time disease struck in ancient times. Not the best of luck but not nearly as bad as some people had.
Exploration and Expansion
I decided to build at ring 3 and 7.
Like Smirk I built my second and third towns on plains+furs giving them a nice production boost.
By the time I built my fifth settler in 1990BC I could see iron. He went to claim the eastern iron before Rome took it.
I sent a warrior along the narrow land bridge and even used a second warrior to block the west end while the first warrior explored. Dead end. Oh well, I think it was a good shot, there might have been another Civ over there.
My QSC Status:
16 towns, population 37
10 workers
13 warriors
1 granary, 3 barracks
At 1000BC my area looked like this:
Research
Pottery first of course, for the granary build.
After that I turned off research for a few turns waiting to make some contacts. At 3000BC I'd met Japan and Rome. I traded for Alphabet, Ceremonial Burial, The Wheel, and Warrior Code. I was happy to share my knowledge of Masonry in these trades so that my neighbors could work on Pyramids.
I then started research again heading directly for Republic. I figured I'd be able to trade for Iron Working soon enough, it is a high priority for Rome. And I didn't branch off for Literature before Republic - that would be best for a maximum research pace I think, but I was more after maximum growth along with a good research pace.
I learned Writing in 2110, Code Of Laws in 1675, Philosophy in 1525, and Republic in 1075. I revolted immediately drawing a five turn anarchy. I didn't gamble on a second throw for a shorter anarchy.
Along the way I'd traded for Iron Working. In 1050BC I did a bit more trading to get up to date. Rome and Japan weren't researching very quickly. I got Map Making, Mysticism, Horseback Riding, and their maps. And at this date could see the entire homeland and that there were no horses.
Next I researched Literature and then turned off research for eight turns while I rushed a few things and built some libraries to make subsequent research cheaper.
In 710BC I was able to trade for Mathematics and I also started research again. I learned Currency, Polytheism, and then Construction in 410BC to enter the Middle Ages at that date.
War
In 1600BC Japan extorted Writing and in 1225BC Rome extorted Philosophy. I gave in both times, preferring to delay war until a time that suited me better.
I did want war of course, and if possible I wanted it before Rome connected iron. But I didn't want it until I could fight with Immortals. And I didn't want to use them too early - wanted my Golden Age after being in Republic and having a bit larger an empire.
In 730BC I had 13 Immortals and decided it was time. I gifted Republic to Rome to stop her from pop rushing, annoyed her with demands, then told her to leave my territory. She declared. I attacked immediately and began my Golden Age.
Progress was slow but steady. I recaptured one city which flipped back to Rome and pressed on. I took her capital with the coveted Pyramids in 550BC.
When I entered the Middle Ages at 410BC I was still fighting Rome. She was down to three small towns - one in her home region, one on the peninsula to the north, and one on an island.
Preparations for a Palace Jump
In 570BC I completed the Forbidden Palace in one of my original ring 3 cities. In 470BC I settled a new town in the heart of the captured Roman region to become my new Palace.
At the start of the Middle Ages in 410BC I was up to 26 Immortals and only a small number were needed to mop up the remnants of Rome. The rest were on their way to celebrate the imminent relocation of my Palace. I also had a number of workers there, ready to increase its population. I'd be moving the Palace very soon
), and half of Japan. 
) Had I just decided to use FP's+Plains for a 4-turn factory when other options were available, it would have been a different story. As it was, I felt I was more or less forced to roll the dice and I came up snake-eyes quite a few times.
