England game for UHV 1.18 with new civics very nice. You don't have time to relax (Monarch/Epic), you need bubble a lot of Renaissance Tech, or you lose this UHV. Even with slow Europe - where a lot of competitors on map for 8 Renaissance Tech - Japan (they now very very good with Tech), Mughal, Arabia, Korea and so on.
Small Core is problem. Even with one London, as core city, it's hard to not OE (
AI will fail, for sure). Big map - more cites - more OE. Good new - Monarchy, UP and Colonialism - almost no maintance for cites, as in 1.17
Getting 25 level 3 naval units is pain, as usual (with Colonialism and Dry Dock you can build level 3 units), i lost a lot of lev3 Frigate in wars, so i was short with needet fleet. Build, build Steamships, as they most chip. Also you can use GG if have some lev1-2 units to promote to lev3.
Conquering Africa now fun. I had strong Arabia in Egypt (they had a bit bigger army, then my, and in one place), but got luck with event and got 9 Tanks (I lost all of them). But England production very good, and you have big fleet - so you can build and bring reinforcement from any point of your Empire). Can be good idea - take Athen before Turkey (it don't flip now) - so you can build some army for Middle East in ME and take Jerusalem (in first run i did so) and Maybe Egypt then (depend of Arabia, Turks, Mongols, Ottomans and so on). UPD. Before war, with OB i pre-build railroad in Arabian's Egypt
Since i vassalized Mughals (if not - i probably could lost India, with much more cites Mughals had bigger army) i was short cites in Asia (Jerusalem also count as Asia btw) - so i took one independent city in Indochina and take one in China (as they was weak). At first my plan was take Bugan Kindom (all in historical area) - but they was too strong for my Colonial corps (the main forces were preparing for war with Arabia)
Also, coz of many wars and OE i got rebellion in Mexico and lost some cites there, and look like Canada also will be lost (will born)
Summary - very interesting game now with England. I wonder how to do all this, when fast research fill be fixed.
UPD. About civics. Before 1 UHV I used Monarchy, Theocracy, Colonialism, Manorialism, and Regulated trade (just didn't have time to switch, and they fine). Then switched to Individualism and Free Enterprise until victory.
UPD2. America started as Secular, but now running Syncretism and Slavery (probable coz i build some slave mines and plantation), so theu now Confederate state of America))). And also look like United Mexican states will beat them (they at War). The War of the North and the South in a new reading