How do I Procede?

[Rayss523]

I'm playing a multiplayer LAN against my friend and 2 comp civs, it ended up each of us on one island with 1 computer. This is on fast speed. Small map.

Im chinese in Civ4 vanilla (Cho-Ko-Nu FTW)

Im slaughtering the japanese on my island right now, they are 10 turns away from death. I also found confu,hindu,islam, and I'm about to take over the buddi capitol from the Japs. I also Have a significant tech lead over my buddy, and just about every wonder in my capitol which is also my tech city at 156 beakers/turn.

How can I press the religion to my advantage against a human opponent?

I'm also taking on a lot of citys (good ones with 2-3 resources 3-5 pop) so my science is starting to slow should I raze them?

I'm trying to roll over his musketmen with tanks and infantry

 

[Janus0]

If this is a compeditive game, leveraging religions will be difficult. Your best hope, really, is to hope your friend left his AI neighbor alone. Then you convert the AI neighbor to your religion and double team him.

Assuming your friend did what you have done, the only real way to leverage religions is to 1) go for cultural victory, 2) use the shrines for gold to out tech him, and 3) have larger cities via happiness. Again, if this is a competitive game, he won't let you have #1. On a small map #2 is less useful because you have less cities and with hereditary rule #3 is drowned out by the use of units.

I'm not sure if there is a real way to leverage religion in that cercumstance. I think I'd write religion off as "kinda nice to have but not really that critical" and start teching for grenadiers and astronomy.

 

[Rayss523]

Lol, Im actually already researching for grenadiers.

Im using Representation right now since I got the Pyramids.

 

[xanadux]

If you have a nice tech lead, beeline to get nukes. You don't care about the negative diplomacy multipliers (since only your buddy and one AI on a distant continent). Cottage spam for maximum research (or do science specialists if your situation makes that better), and make sure you have 2 or 3 good production cities once you get nukes. Nuke him to the stone age and choose whatever victory condition you like. Easy Peasy Japanesey.

 

[xanadux]

An addendum ... with your tech lead, make sure you have some navy keeping an eye on him, and as a secondary objective to getting nukes, always keep a naval advantage over him. If you have a definite long term tech advantage, as long as you make sure he can't invade you, you will have no problem once you have nukes.

 

[rabidveggie]

If your friend is currently at war with his opponent, or trying to play catchup with you he'll have a weakened army. I recommend an amphibious sneak attack on one of your friends cities. Raze it to the ground and maintain naval supremacy. Bring a few carriers over and wipe out his tile improvements. Theirs nothing more annoying then sitting around powerlessly as Jets gut your economy and ships bomb the crap out of your cities. It may cause your opponent to do something stupid such as counter attack with inferior numbers or remove a garrison from one city to try to defend another. Nukes are useless in my oppinion since you have to waste production on a top city just to give your opponent the same advantage as you. Plus your naval advantage wouldn't be as significant if he can just launch missiles at your home land.

 

[cabert]

DOn't know much about multiplayer, but I get the feeling that you won't have a chance to enjoy the endgame.
If you're in the tech lead, just push this advantage. What do you need religions for?