Help with 1st Emperor game please!

[Lafortezza]

Things were going well at Monarch recently so I tried Emperor for the first time.

Fractal map, epic speed, high sea levels, standard random opponents, all victories except time enabled.

I squashed Boudica early and turtled after I found I was isolated. Teched to optics, met the AI's, won the liberalism race and saved soon after.

My island:



Romans and his vassal Portugal, and England who only recently broke free.



Huayana and Hannibal



Civics



Diplo



Tech situation



Power



So I have a reasonable tech lead, but I am way down on power. As soon as Rome and maybe Carthage get to building some boats i could be in trouble, especially when the religious friction gets going and I'm asked to cancel deals.

At the moment I'm bee lining Steam Power for dikes which should mean I can bump up in power pretty quickly. At Prince or Monarch I would tend to spam cannon and rifles from this point and go after Huayana and Hannibal first while keeping Rome happy.

This game I'm tempted to go for space, as it might be easier with a decent tech rate plus dikes for production. Keeping everyone happy so that I don't get in a long drawn out war later might be tricky.

Save attached!

 

[Diamondeye]

... Would it be impossible to go Buddhism and try for a Diplomatic Victory? Perhaps try to dogpile Huayna (heathen, and dangerous!) to distract the AIs, then shoot for MassMedia. With the AIs at pleased now, with shared religion they'd vote for you for sure (especially if Huayna is the other candidate, but it looks as Caesar could be).

If Caesar and his vassals prevent this, go for Space. You have a techlead and Dikes for awesome production... Spacerace would be no problem (especially if you have Alu). Perhaps spam Privateers for power (they do give power, right?) and to harass Caesar (and his backwards vassals), get Huayna and Hannibal to fight each other and race on to space...?

 

[slobberinbear]

I'm not sure he has enough cities for Space, but I suppose with enough of a head start, he could get it done. The big fear has to be Rome sending an invasion fleet. If Space is the goal, you better buddy up with Rome.

Is Culture an option?

 

[futurehermit]

Finish settling your island and go for space imo. Get your military city spamming units to increase power and get a navy to thwart invasions (the AI is not great at intercontinental invasions). You are financial with dikes. With proper diplo/trading shouldn't be too hard to go space imo. Just work the diplo to try to keep your main rivals (likely the financial civs) embroiled in war if at all possible.

 

[DMOC]

You look like you're in a great position. Keep building military, infrastructure, raising your city populations, and reseraching. I'm hoping the city you're building Heroic Epic is in your Moai city.

I agree with your beeling Steam Power.

 

[Skallagrimson]

Yep, dykes on coast, every city is Moai, each quickly producing ships... the AI can't invade if their fleet can't survive their cruise to your shore. Land units can be just a mop-up crew to take care of whatever the navy didn't send down to Davy Jones' Locker.