Surrounded and Unable to Expand

[Penitent]

I've gotten myself into a predicament where I am surrounded by other civs and unable to gain more cities, so I thought I would see what advice you guys could come up with...

As you can see from this screenshot, I am england in the middle, egypt is around me and russia is at the bottom:

Egypt is so far my best ally and shares the same religion, russia is more powerful than me, has several cities that I can't see and will probably invade in a few turns, judging by the build up of forces around the border and her chilly attidue. I joined egypt in a war with india at the bottom right but didn't have any luck. The 3 AI civs all hate each other and keep asking me not to trade with anyone.

I don't fear culture flips from my outlying cities because I put great artists with their 2k culture boom into the 3 cities marked in blue. Currently in the rennaiscance era.

What should I do to expand?

 

[gravix]

Well, you could make it a priority to get some sea exploration done. Looks like there's a big unexplored area to the east which might hold some habitable land unless you are playing with a large number of civs. If all the land is taken, then you don't have much of a choice--you have to try to culture flip or get ready for war.

I think war is the most fun of all possibilites, but that's just me.

 

[Gargantutron]

Build culture in all your cities. Devert some taxes to culture aswell. Try to flip 'em!

Or Declare WAR!!! build good attackers in cities with BARRACKS so they get a free promotion (choose city raider ). and build siege weapons, maybe 4 catapults, bombard until city defense is below 10% before attacking.

 

[fastspawn]

i believe best thing to do is culture bomb canterbury acouple of times rather than spread it amongst london and other developed cities.

question: how did the egyptians defeat the aztecs before you did?

 

[Penitent]

According to sullas walkthrough which I just read culture flipping those cities will not likely happne since they are developed.

Eh, aztecs?

News from the front: I fortified my border with russia, catherine sent a stack right past my well defended cities for the weaker ones at the back, the AI is a bit more clever now isn't it?

I decided to declare war on her as this would eject her units back into her territory, egypt declared war too since we are friends. I'm going to let cathy smash her armies into the defences of the english and egyptian alliance until I have an invasion force

Edit: Russia demolished most of my army and took several egyptian towns, I think I shall just give up...

 

[snepp]

I fortified my border with russia, catherine sent a stack right past my well defended cities for the weaker ones at the back, the AI is a bit more clever now isn't it?

I decided to declare war on her as this would eject her units back into her territory, egypt declared war too since we are friends.

Did you declare war just to have that stack moved back? If they had decided to declare war on you the stack would have moved back anyway. I'm a bit confused.

 

[Qoric]

screw the war with russia. use whats left of you and eygpt to kill india yea yea peaceful i know but he usally wastes his time with culture instead of a army. never go for the strongest guy first even if he hates you bully the weak one then get big enough to push the big guy around. inless this little war with you and russia put india in the lead? (i think thats india not sure)

Anyway your games probally over by now but hope you did well ^.^

 

[kbmusiclover]

According to sullas walkthrough which I just read culture flipping those cities will not likely happne since they are developed.

Eh, aztecs?

They have a city to the west of your main area called Teotihuacan. That's an Aztec city.

 

[NinjaCool]

it could also have been a barbarian city.

 

[jetsfan]

Just look for sea expansion. Doesn't look as though there is alot of land left on your continent anyway. Plus your England, sea expansion is your cup o' tea.