(0) Inherited turn
We have a problem here. The last Persian city is on a one-tile island, and we will have no way of destroying it until we can build Marines. I will therefore declare on the French once the three cities on our landmass are destroyed.
I'd like to see France get Steam Power, so that I can steal it from them before declaring. Since the AI is hopeless at naval landings, I will not be putting a high priority on getting Nationalism.
Among other things, there is a Palace being built in Graz, and a Military Academy being built in Vienna. There is no mention of either of these buildings being a prebuild for anything, so I'm really not too sure what to make of the Palace. Universal Sufferage would be useless to us in Monarchy, and we're nowhere near getting Scientific Method. The Military Academy on the other hand would be useful, but why on earth are there THREE taxmen in Vienna??
So... Switch around the shields in Vienna, bringing the Military Academy build down to 7 turns (from 14). Bleed off some shields from the Palace in Graz by switching to a Colloseum, it is now due in a more manageable 52 turns.
Belisar has left me with lots of units to move.
So I start with a healthy army in Hamadan, and kill two defending muskets in Sidon. Two additional hussars are brought in to finish off the remaining musket and spearman, and we raze Sidon.
Hartberg is founded next to a river by a wandering settler.
I use a musket and a 2/4 hussar to capture us another five slaves.
IBT:
A Persian longbow disposes of a French MDI. And France begins Shakespeare's.
(1) 1255AD
I start by founding Dornbirn and Spital. Both are started on temples. I also want to build a city near the unclaimed iron near Steyr, but there's a volcano next to it. So I move a few tiles North, with the intention of building a second city on the marshland next to the iron.
Persia did us a favor and must've popped a worker from Samaria last turn, taking the city from size 7 to size 6. I send an army in, which kills three muskets, and I decide to keep the city, as it is well placed.
We have a number of hussars in range of Kahnawake. I attack the first musketman there with an elite and get my first Conquests Great Leader, Beaulieu. He goes to Parsagdae and forms an army. Three more hussars attack Kahnawake, defeating two muskets with one retreat. We raze the city and the Persians are expunged from our continent.
With the last remaining Persian city on a one-tile island, I go ahead and declare on the French. I kill two swordsmen and an MDI, clearing the surrendering scumbags from our continent. I noticed that the Vikings are at war with Persia. Hopefully their bezerks will finish them off.
I change many cities to settlers, so that I can get the continent covered with our cities.
IBT:
Scandinavia and Arabia sign a peace treaty. Watch out Xerxes, Viking bezerks are heading your way now!
Persia lands a cavalry next to Goigouen.
Arabia starts Shakespeare's.
(2) 1260AD
I load two veteran and two leader-producing elite hussars into the new army.
Zwettle founded.
Steam Power has come in, so I check the purchase/steal costs. We should have enough cash for a careful steal in four turns.
IBT:
France appears with a devastating attack force - one caraval guarded by five frigates. It it had been the other way round I might have had something to worry about, then I remember this is the AI we're dealing with. Their equivalent of the Normandy landing consists of one musketeer and an MDI
(3) 1265AD
Kill the French landing party.
IBT:
Three settlers complete, and more are ordered.
(4) 1270AD
IBT:
Arabia begins Universal Suffrage

The French actually do a bit better this time, landing two rifles and three MDI.
(5) 1275AD
We nail the two rifles and an MDI with one army. Two elite hussars finish off the remaining two MDI.
(6) 1280AD
Of all the weird things. We disperse a barbarian camp.
Neunkirchen founded.
IBT:
Arabia stops the wines for dyes deal. Since they want three luxuries for their wines, I decide against renewing.
We complete the Military Academy in Vienna. It switches to army production.
(7) 1285AD
Gold is at 2390, so I'm looking for a careful tech steal next turn.
IBT:
Russia starts Universal Suffrage.
(8) 1290AD
With Russia in Fascism and Arabia in Republic, it looks like the best place to steal from would be Arabia. I call in our diplomat and...
We're at war with Arabia. I never have any luck with tech steals.
We need to get some tech fast, so I buy Steam Power from Russia for 4 luxuries, 202 gold and 120 gold/turn. It's ugly, but our workers need something to do.
We have one source of coal, in former Iroquois territory.
IBT:
France starts Shakespeare's.
(9) 1295AD
The marshland is cleared and Imst is founded, claiming another iron source.
Ybbs founded.
Clobber three French cavalry with hussars. A second source of coal is revealed when a hussar moves. It's just outside the borders of Neunkirchen. A settler is immediately moved into place.
We have our first galleon floating around. For some strange reason I'm unable to upgrade our caravals and galleys. Is this intended, or is it a bug in the game?
IBT:
OMG this is pitiful. The Persians manage to land a longbow. The french do a little better with one musketeer. I'm sure I saw two of them land, but there's only one there. No sign of the Arabs yet.
(10) 1300AD
Invading units are quickly dealt with.
Aspang founded, and the second coal source is ours.
Well I left you with three wars going. Persia is a non-entity, but cannot be destroyed until we have amphibious units. France isn't landing more than a couple of units each turn, and Arabia... no sign of them yet.
We are horribly behind in tech, to the point that we may lose the TOE (Electricity has been researched, a lot quicker than I thought it would be). We should have enough shields on the palace to be safe for TOE, unless someone gets a scientific great leader.
Not much land left to fill in now...
And here is the save...