[GS] Peaceful Domination with Eleanor of Aquitaine (England)

[kreal]

This is an overview of the single player Peaceful Domination strategy with Eleanor.
Some of the information is taken from this guide.

Pre-requisites:

• Eleanor's loyalty flipping game depends on the starting location quite a bit like so many other things. So selecting the Terra mapallowed for a higher density of civs, thus making the strategy viable early on.
  • AI might fall behind in development early due to the map constraints, generating less Great Works to acquire. But at the same time, makes it for a more relaxing game, as aggression is curbed.
• Pure peaceful domination will require excluding Dido of Phoenicia from the game due to her coastal cities always being loyal.
• Game Modes make any game easier, consider these for the strategy:
  • Secret Societies: Voidsingers' unit, Cultist, is very helpful, but comes in the Industrial Era. Dark Summoning project seems inefficient, because it is expensive and unlocks late.
  • Heroes & Legends: Every relic created will add to the Great Works pool increasing loyalty pressure early on. A nice synergy with the Voidsingers' Obelisk.

Strategy:

• Aggressive forward city settling is essential, the closer you settle to opponent's cities the stronger the loyalty pressure.
  
  • City growth - Larger cities exert stronger pressure, so growing the cities is paramount. Chop rainforests and bonus resources and create domestic trade network.
  • Magnus Surplus Logistics promotion takes priority for the trade network.
• Districts
  • Holy Sites - faith is important for the Heroes and then Cultists. Also spreading religion pays off as cities following other religions lose 3 loyalty per turn.
  • Government Plaza - essential governor titles and buildings.
  • Theater Squares - Great Works storage, Amphitheaters might be enough in most of the cities.
  • Commerce Hubs / Harbors - Trade route network.
  • Entertainment Complexes - Breads and Circuses projects in addition to basic amenities.
• Espionage - it pays to build several spies
  
  • Foment Unrest
  • Neutralize Governor
• Diplomacy
  • Cultural Alliances - strategic approach, as it would need to be cancelled in time for the loyalty attack.
  • Friendships - making friends early should allow for Great Works trade
  • Joint Wars - still on the table to profit from, but not necessary to be used for city conquering.
  • Luxury resources - deprive AI of access, hoard extra copies.

 

[SemiLazyGamer]

Needs to also exclude Tokugawa.