How to deal with isolated starts on higher difficulties?

[Shirastro]

Lately for whatever reason i`ve have been getting many isolated starts whenever i play a fractal map.
I used to like that when i played on lower difficulties cause i didn't really need to tech trade to get the tech lead, and i felt safe not having to worry about AIs attacking me for a while.
On emperor however, i have a lot of trouble with this scenarios.
Here`s the deal. If i focus on winning the lib race i skip too many good tech to get there, and than when i switch to optics line (in order to meet all the other AIs) i lose too much precious time and by the time i starts tech trading some AI have already found lib them self and i have nothing really good to trade.

If i go for optics first, i lose lib race cause there is always at least 1 AI who is a good techer (you know your usual Mansa or Williem) and they beat me to lib.

Another BIG issue is the fact that i cant really influence what the AI is doing and by the time i meet them there is usually one AI who had a good start and is now dominating all the others on it`s continent, has 1 or 2 vassals and has a big tech lead.

So what should i do? Should i focus on meeting everyone ASAP or just stay back and play my own game on my little island?

 

[elohssa]

I am no expert but I am pretty good at isolated games (including emperor)...

1.Early monarchy, as if you are isolated you won't be surrounded by luxuries or religions (and no trade partners as well). This synargises well with the oracle.
2.Don't hook up iron/copper. The idea is to spawn bust everything and then build warriors for happiness.
3.Grow the cities. Slavery isn't as useful when isolated. Try to chop more and whip less. When you are isolated the key is to get your cities working as many (preferably cottaged) tiles as possible.
4. A SE with pyramids/representation is quite strong as a SE is strongest in the early game which is where isolated starts can screw you over. Without stone this is probably not worth it though. Plus rep has limited happy-cap benefit.
5. Drafting rifles is probably the best strategy for the first war. Mace rushes are just too difficult/inefficient from isolated starts in my view.

If you get a strong economy then winning lib while getting optics before-hand is very possible. But Mansa Musa is a nightmare, he is probably the only exception that can lead to this failing (Willem is not that bad though, in my experience).

 

[AbsoluteZero]

If you have close stone going for early mids and rep is a good strategy.

If not I'd lay down a lot of cottages and slowly expand. The biggest problem of isolated is no foreign trade routes and no trading for gold. If you have stone or marble you should build those wonders for fail gold. Get to currency and CoL ASAP since those help you expand without going broke.

The advantage to isolated starts are you don't have to rush to expand and grab sites. You can expand at your own pace, so wait until you've got a good economic base to fill your continent.

Oh ya it might help to found one religion and spread it around to get the benefit of OR.

 

[Verarde]

Check out the Lonely Hearts Club series. It's in this subforum, and should give you some helpful tips and experience for isolated starts.