How do I hold on to my lead?

[mrjepson]

I have been playing a very agressive game on small, pangea, monarch, as the inca who are financial and aggressive. I am the points leading getting into the gunpowder era but am seemingly permanently behind the computers in tech.

There are three AI remaining one hates me, but isn't a problem to deal with when he randomly declares war (I just pillage for 5-10 turns until he wants peace). One is my "friend" in that we have open borders (though I can't reach his land) and trade a lot of resources but he likes everyone else to much to fight them with me. One hates me and has a strong military but I am able to fend him off for now. He has refused peace for over 50 turns now demanding I return some city that I took a long time ago.

I can currently sustain only about a 50% science rate due to my huge empires maintainence costs though this does allow my cheapest tech to be 3-4 turns most of the time. There are many buildings which could vasdtly improve my money situation but I can't go full tilt on building them without risking military setbacks (all of my border towns are religion founding towns I captured from the AI so I like their money).

My people are slowly getting pretty damn upset over this never ending war (7 unhappiness faces now) and I can't get near the computers cities to even pillage due to my units getting trounced by his units as soon as they enter his land.

So far my only idea is burning a few of his colonies that are far away from his empire and seeing if that subdues him. Any better ideas? Giving him the city seems poor as me having it reduces my borders to two bordertowns instead of 4.

 

[Volstag]

Keep suing for peace. If that doesn't work, try what you suggested: smash his cities until he sees the error of his ways.

 

[tigerden27]

One other hint I would give it change a few core cities from growth to commerce based. (Don't sacrifice the production it's too important at a time of war.)

When you do this you can start cranking out the cottages, instead of farms. This will give you a large hit of cash that you can then bump up the science rate, while pursuing war.

This strategy is assuming you will get to a point of peace (or total conquest)eventually. Growth with good health is easy to re-build or catch up with new cities (especially if you can afford to rebuild those farms). Why do you think people use Slavery.

Like everything with Civ it's a balancing game.

One final thought, do you have a lot of very obsolete units? If so, do one of two things. Disband them (take the production hit) or upgrade them (take the research hit). They can be expense and useless. Remember you don't want to give the enemy a "free upgrade" by attacking Infantry with Warriors.

 

[southafrica]

Dumb question, you have built courthouses in all your cities, and a forbidden palace?