Poll - Average number of cities in your civilization?

[newbie2]

I usually pass on HSD as my city core is set & I'm usually worrying about other things at that point in the game, but you laid out a very nice argument / approach. I'll have to stop sleeping on HSD and give it a shot the next time the game gives me a suitable continent to target.

Same

I think I've never took it so far in 100's of hours. Even if there was an opportunity for it, the other options still seem better

 

[Taefin]

I just finished my first non-monopoly CV on Diety standard speed but with smoother difficulty, Zees eras, and random tech tree. Won on T400, a few turns after launching exoplanet. I must have had ~50 cities based on the number of trade routes. It was with Gorgo and I kept the conquest up all game, since my original continent had maybe 6 hills for Acropolis and I wanted more. Used internal, then international, trade to build harbor, build/buy lighthouse/shipyard, build Acropolis, buy museum, build broadcast. I missed the merchants that boost tourism but did get the 300% artifact. Ultimately I had 5000 tourism and won at 1300 tourists, having used ~20 rock bands. I had trade routes to every Civ minus ottomans who kept declaring on me, but I was denounced by all but Egypt.

I’m curious to hear how folks do CV faster? Does it depend on getting more advanced than the AI, or is it about getting GWAM up earlier and making sure to stack all the bonuses? I can’t stand the breakneck pace of the standard game and tech tree, and so was wondering it faster wins can be done without leveraging it. Am I just not leveraging my first 10 cities toward CV early enough, getting distracted by expansion?

 

[Naokaukodem]

I choose 6-10, because i'm not conquering much on small maps. (Deity) Just shy. (and when i try i get hurt so...)