So as it turned out, on my Russia game, China beat me to Cristo by about a dozen turns and I got disheartened. Usually China gets collapsed by Mongolia in my games, but they managed to remain a powerhouse in this one. I think they're the only civ that ever gives me competition for Cristo.
So, instead, I give you France on emperor.
Started out by taking Spain out. I kept Madrid, and razed their other 2 cities. Then I took Portugal out shortly after they spawned. I razed Oporto and kept Lisbon. Shortly after this, the Dutch declared war on me, so I took them out.
Managed to easily get conquerers for Inca and Aztec, and with the only remaining colonial power being England, I had a wide open world to settle. I got Rome from Germany in a world council, and they eventually collapsed, so I took their cities. America voluntarily vassalized to me, and I faced a few respawns, including Rome, Portugal and the Dutch. I quickly took back Rome and Portugal, but I let the Dutch live, as the Viking, German and English pressure on Amsterdam (especially after I had lost my culture work in it) made it worthless to me. Later they offered themselves as vassals, and I accepted because I thought I'd feed them S. Africa and Germany. Turns out they wanted neither and except for getting Kalmar in a world council, they were basically useless. At least I put a couple tactical nukes in Kalmar to hit Russia with.
Later Germany respawned, and I quickly took Berlin and Vienna back, but they still had German New Guinea, so they offered to capitulate (A FIFTH vassal!?). Surprisingly they were willing to take my Australian cities. I never gave them up because I was worried they'd just collapse, but they never did collapse.
I do have the most recent version of the game, so I'm not sure how I got a fifth vassal. I guess you can still get them from capitulation, but its really difficult to do.
China had beat me to Cristo again by 2 turns, but I reloaded and rushed it with gold. England beat me to the Internet by about 4 turns, and then collapsed shortly thereafter. Grrr.
Screens after the spoiler:
Nice plump cities in Australia and Africa. You could have gotten northern Alaska for another 1% and central South America (chop a jungle) for 2 more cities. I always pre-work those tiles (roads, chop) and sit a settler there just so I can found some cities right at the end.
