Playing a religious game at Emperor? (Saladin)

[cleverhandle]

(Standard Continents, Vanilla 1.61 here...)

I'm getting to the point where I'm almost competitive on Emperor (a couple of wins and generally close games), so I'm trying to expand my repertoire by playing some early religious games with Saladin. But so far, I've been quite unsuccessful. Obviously one can't hope to spam early missionaries to make mad cash at Emperor like you can at lower levels, but I've been trying to see if some natural spread via trade routes coupled with one or two well-placed missionaries can create a diplomatic and economic boost offsetting the slower initial development. In several starts I've just been left in the dust by the Classical Age, especially when trade routes are hard to come by. Certainly the fact that my first settler goes out around 2300 instead of 2600 has a lot to do with it.

My last game was my most competitive - I founded Hinduism and only had space for three initial cities, but an early war with Isabella netted me two more decent ones with minimal losses. My economy took a hit for a little while, but recovered pretty quickly. Toku and Frederick both converted to Hinduism without me even sending them a missionary. Then, I was about to hit Izzy with a Cat/Axe invasion to take Madrid when Cyrus (the leader, and Buddhist) came at me from the other end of the continent with a 20+ strong mixed stack. He easily took out my entire army massed in Seville and I retired.

So is it possible to leverage an early religion at Emperor or am I wasting my time with this? If going for early religion is impossible, what would you consider the "right" way to play Saladin in a Standard Conts Emperor game?

 

[automator]

Remember that religion spreads (in order of effectiveness):

1. Naturally and randomly
2. Through trade routes
3. With missionaries

Numbers one and two can be helped along with temples, cathedrals and shrines. In a recent game, I rushed the early religions; founded hinduis, buddhism and judadism. Built temples and parthenon and encouraged Prophets and built shrines for the Hindi and Buddhist. Within 20 turns, the entire globe was either Hindi or Buddhist, and every turn, a non-missionaried city would get that religion. So either the AI was churning out missionaries for my religions, or it was spreading through trade/randomness.

 

[cleverhandle]

In a recent game, I rushed the early religions; founded hinduis, buddhism and judadism. Built temples and parthenon and encouraged Prophets and built shrines for the Hindi and Buddhist.

If this was an Emperor game, then please tell me your secrets.

 

[kniteowl]

I havn't tried this out yet but if you want a 3 headed hydra 3 religions in your capital City, this might work at the cost of losing out on good city locations to settle especially if your gonna be boxed in on emp level.

This requires a Little bit of luck.

Research Polytheism -> Masonry -> Monotheism -> Priesthood and Oracle Slightshot to Theology

& pick up the religions Hinduism, Judaism & Christianity

And there you have the 3 headed Hydra in your capital on Emp level but at the cost of good early City Locations, beware of barbs as they appear early in the game.

Have you tried the Priest Production City?

If your captial has Plenty of food and grassland Tiles farm them to assign Priest and build Angkor Wat there plus the Shrines, you can assign up to 12 Priest(2H per Priest) thats a base production value ot 24H, add the modifers or Heoric Epic and Forge and Bureaucracy, (which is +175%) towards Military Units. That's Insane Military Production.

Try to get your 2nd and 3rd City as your research Cities, Don't worry about your Maintenance because your 3 shirine should cover it.

I've tried this Strategy with Isabella on Prince and picked up only two religions in my capital though but my production was mad, with a few plainshills and floodplains, Organised Religion, Forge, Bureaucracy and a few Pre-angkor-wat Priest, I could build the 500H Angkor Wat in 10 Turns!!!

Remember the only cap is your health Cap, Happiness isn't a factor once you get Monarchy. Your Priest Production city should be up and running around the time you can build Maces (more or less) and remember to Pop Philosophy relatively early with a GS, try to get it around the time of Civil Service (Bureaucracy).

If your City is on the coast try to get early Sailing, Religion speards alot faster on coastal trade routes in my experience.

 

[VoiceOfUnreason]

Remember that religion spreads (in order of effectiveness):

1. Naturally and randomly
2. Through trade routes

Numbers one and two can be helped along with temples, cathedrals and shrines.

The last time I looked at the SDK, only shrines affect the probability of religions spreading naturally. Temples and cathedrals are irrelevent.

 

[Mutineer]

In order to spread religion early you need to have trade route as soon as posible, long befor AI actially build network of roads.

So, you options are:
Sailing and rivers.

If capital is on long river goint true many civs youi religion spread mach faster then otherewize, but the best spread tend to happend trye sailing trade routes.

So, after you get religion they to research sailing as soon as posible (Ofcouse your shrine city need to be on coast) and open borders with everyone.
If you fast enogth, you will observe your religion to spread as fire.

 

[Glouglou]

Take a look at the emperor master challenge 2 from aelf : it was religion oriented!

But it was in Walords with the Egyptians

http://forums.civfanatics.com/showthread.php?t=181798