How do you typically open the game?

Having a scout is fantastic when it pays off but underwhelming when it doesn't. So great getting one from a goody hut (as long as you haven't put production into your own one)

 

If you start builder first you will get the eureka before you get half way through craftsmanship unless Rome. You have time for a unit or two before hand. Whether that be slinger slinger, scout slinger for just scout or slinger, you choose and your risk to reward is based on that... I tend to use terrain to judge choice.
using a builder first gives better production faster but at higher risk and as said looting risk is higher

 

Aye. Even with Rome there's no value in getting craftsmanship super early if you are building a settler next anyway and don't need Agoge before Foreign whatsit, assuming EE isn't really delayed

 

With Rome you should be getting the second city out very quickly. Opening builder/settler you can usually have Craftsmanship done before you can improve three tiles which means you can use one of those builder charges to chop a forest and use overflow with Agoge to get a unit and a faster settler.

 

I do get my first settler out quite quickly, though I never chop that early so clearly not as fast as I could be. I am really torn with chopping especially around my cap as I tend to save forests for the spaceport as that invariably takes me 20 plus turns and I never get to the relevant GEs. Still I reckon my major bottleneck is too few cities which means I'm too slow to get Kwolek and Sagan so I've not been able to get SV quicker than 221 on Emperor with Rome.

 

I'm usually willing to burn one early just for that settler. Having them done and settled at or near T20 is such a difference maker.

 

Agree! I used to construct builder first until I had a few games end really early on deity. 'No likey' any more.

 

I don't get it either If I go builder early on, and get hit by barbs at the start.

 

Scout > 3x slinger > builder > warrior / early military units > first district (mostly science) or walls if barbs are annoying.

But of course it depends on the situation, you need to adapt. On smaller / more sea coast maps, scouts are less criticals, on a pangeae map you can even consider building two scouts
If you met other civs quicklier, focus on early conquest. If you have lots of open space, focus on defend against barbarians and early settling
Build builders when you have ilkam (but I should maybe always build one builder earlier, then wait for ilkum to develop your country after the vital start is done).
If you go for religious victory -> immediately research astrology. Build slinger -> holy district / stonehenge (and maybe buy a builder).
If starting situation is bad, focus on settling/early conquest.
If you have a civ that focuses on early age military units, build those right away too (use advantage of your situation / civ as much as possible)
I probably tend to ignore / procrastinate monuments too much.

 

Best thing about Rome is those free monuments. I can't bring myself to build scouts atm, hope to pop one from village. But I play pangea and for quickish SV only atm.

 

I always underestimate culture and notice that i'm always behind on culture, so i probably need to prioritize that more.

 

Yeah monuments are important, definitely worth it in almost all cases

 

It's not really about improving tiles, its about getting a level2 government by T50. To do this you really do need that early eureka. So they can pillage the tiles but not before you have all 3 down.

 

Exactly. Fast PP is essential.
It is also about maximising the returns from every turn of production you have. The better you do this, the better your prospects. The builder settler route definitely maximises potential returns: you produce your first army at a discount. You hit critical eureka's. Your second city helps with culture (monument), maybe more eurekas (e.g. trader, for quick and cheap CDs) and science.
Hitting PP earlier allows you to build a large (e.g. second army of chariots) while not going bankrupt and later having gold for upgrades. It sets the foundations that will effortlessly yield 2-3 extra settlers. It can double your early envoy placement
Similarly with an early scout (which is see as an investment into at least 1-2 stolen settlers, eureka for PP and strategic knowledge of the map that will allow you to plan and execute your wars efficiently).

Ditching the 3x slinger opening is what put me personally into superfast victories range.
In general, people underestimate how big a barb invasion you can handle with just a strategically fortified (and later dancing) warrior. In my most recent game, I got hit by 4 barb warriors and 2 slingers. While having just one warrior (at turn 20 or so). Its doable. Its also exciting (Then i got hit by horse-barbs, fun).
But the point is in the rapid growth you get later.