Keep getting whupped on the Highliands: Any hints & tips?

[Kolyana]

Okay, I'm playing on Noble and typically I can do okay on continent like maps. For a change I decided to play on smaller islands - got whupped - and switched the Highlands: one huge landmass, lots of hills, forest and mountains. I've played 3 or 4 times now and everytime I get absolutely WHUPPED ... this last time the computer won in 1989 (space race), everyone had a bigger empire, everyone was more advanced, everyone had larger cities.

Obviously you don't know what I'm doing wrong, but are there any broad tips for not being left behind like this?

 

[meowsqueak]

I would imagine in these large landmass maps that you share a border with nearly every other civ? In that case, you'll need to make sure you grow your civ early enough to compete with the others - a land grab strategy might work well here. This has to be balanced against the cost of a large nation, but you don't want to get stuck in a shrinking gap...

 

[Speciou5]

There are two main differences between continents and a large land mass map. First is that the land you get isn't randomly determined by your starting island, so land grab like mad!! Next, it is much more easy to wage war on a large land mass (no pesky navy to worry about or having to refill your army when you land on the enemy continent), so be sure to consider war an option (especially if you are behind).

EDIT: Also culture has a more profound effect as your borders will often be rubbing shoulders with other nations. So watch that culture!