Ran into an interesting problem with Culture Victory

[SRVclctr]

I was playing Prince, as Eleanor of Aquitaine (France), and I was making sure not to eliminate any other civs because I know that basically makes a culture victory impossible. I even made a point of not getting into any wars during the game. However, I was sharing my continent with Philip II, Robert the Bruce and Mansa Musa, and my culture had gotten so dominant over them that each of their cities succumbed to a rebellion chain reaction. Once, one started, all the others piled on. I was able to keep Robert the Bruce alive by forming a Cultural Alliance, but the other two were goners. So even though, at the end of the game, I was pumping out over 1,500 tourism and 875 culture compared to Mapuche (679 tourism/521 culture) and Sweden (52 tourism and 72 culture), I wasn't culturally dominant over either of them and lost to Mapuche's science victory. It also didn't help that Mapuche eliminated Saladin.

How can I have a culture that is dominant enough to overcome other civs without having my neighbors go into rebellion and join me?

 

[InsidiousMage]

How can I have a culture that is dominant enough to overcome other civs without having my neighbors go into rebellion and join me?

Don't play as Eleanor. Her ability causes any city within 9 tiles of one of her cities to lose 1 loyalty per turn per great work in that city. Its so strong an effect its the only way to loyalty flip city-states. You can try and keep all of your great works in cities that border any other civs but that's only going to do so much.

 

[Noble Zarkon]

I was making sure not to eliminate any other civs because I know that basically makes a culture victory impossible

Not impossible, some players recommend letting others live but the traditional Civ tactic of conquering everyone on your own continent then transitioning into your chosen victory type works fir Culture as well as anything else.

 

[Naeshar]

Eleanor pushes you naturally towards great works, which generate both loyalty pressure and tourism. There are other ways to achieve culture victory: wonders, culture improvements (radio) and ski parks/seaside resorts, national parks and rock bands to finish it off, to mention the main ones. You should basically play badly and avoid great works if possible. I have no idea how will that work on higher difficulties.

 

[SRVclctr]

OK, thanks for the input. I suspected that Eleanor was probably not going to work for me with a culture victory, so good to know I have some confirmation on that.

 

[Kwami]

I just checked my hall of fame and my only win with Eleanor was a cultural victory. So, it's definitely possible. I don't remember doing anything special to win. I definitely flipped some foreign cities, but not enough to eliminate players from the game. Were you playing on a lower difficulty level where the AI couldn't keep up?

 

[SRVclctr]

@Kwami I was playing Prince, so maybe that was why?