Lots of things. First, it's easier to play this in teams ^^
The agression against Justinian went extremely well and I wouldn't have maneuvered that way if I hadn't made a post about unit roles, earlier. (Defend with axes behind walls, kill him with about 15 HAs.)
I instantly jumped above Justinian's power rating after I cleared his invasion and am now standing on top.
With mounted warfare, cutting through an AI's territory brings brings absurd benefits : they will send settler parties out with half of a city's garrison, effectively doing work for us.
^ Constantinople is captured : a) we get road network, b) he sends archer, spear, axe out of Nicaea to accompany a settler, c) you know he loses that city.
The 2 axes above came from "Russia" : Justinian attacked against my walls, sending 10 or so units against 5+ shock axemen, then he tried to retreat but we roaded, man, we roaded ! Devoted 4 or so workers to road behind his back to destroy his retreat.
^ See. This was the garrison. Now we can clear up some units. The others want to fleee : we road. Surplus axemen go down south help against Nicaea.
So this worked well.
Status.
Let's go with : Lay of the land, it will help cover some stuff.
So, I captured the Pyramids, revolted into Representation and got Currency. With Currency in, I want another offshore city. This one, it's great !
Trouble is, it's not connected to my trade network, durp !
And I'll neet a ship to do it, because I don't think my exploring axeman can do it. Sad thing, Justinian killed my Trireme. So, fresh ship :
You can see the Inca in the first screen : they're offshore and don't even have open borders with all the other AIs. They sent 2 galleys my way with axe and 3 spears like... a long time ago.
Seems they're trapped behind a peak on this landmass. Didn't scout, not sure what they have, not much.
South : Justinian had a lot of navy. That may be an argument for killing him. He's got 1 last city. Walled but on flatland.
Difficulty : I'm down to 9 horse archers. It's not like I lack the production but... well, I'll see.
9 HAs is on the low side of things, the sort of number that leaves you on the defence. Priority is likely to hit America. HAs have a limited timeframe, now.
I've got a settler on a galley, a workboat on the way : going to settle the second city on this island and get my 2nd offshore trade route.
Nongoma is the most likely candidate to produce a Great Person : it's far, isolated.
You can notice from previous screens that I'm doing -50gpt (not building wealth). Ouch ! So, I can build wealth and stabilize. But I really want the Golden Age, now. With... with 18 cities. Because, like a jerk, I've not only captured but also settled.
The army costs are actually quite affordable (about 20gpt) but the city upkeep is above 120gpt.
And this is why I need Code of Laws. All of the AIs have it, I'll be last to it.
"Code of Laws, lulz, are you gonna build Courthouses, now ? Worst building in the game, I swear."
So, ok, here's the thing :
Buddhism is not shrined (but we can get spread, now) and... the maintenance for Constantinople will be 15gpt ! Do I want to build a Forbidden Palace ? Heck, it's possible I do.
I don't have a good spread for Buddhism, yet, and I doubt I can afford missionaries but if I do or when I can, please remind me to tech Monotheism to cut on the infrastructure costs.
'Cause, with infrastructure : this whole land area is a good grab. Without infra, it's a drain.
So I can't, say, research Construction or Machinery. I'd rather get Calendar, but I only have access to a couple of resources. The wine tiles in this screenshot have attracted my attention. Barb city nearby. Easy gold ?
Can also see Antioch, the last of the Byzantines. It's possible going down south is the best invasion route, against America : Instead of going head on from Seville, follow the shore and capture secondary cities that
will be size 12 but not protected. (Mental note : rebuild HAs.)
Because Seville, and Madrid, still serve as a fixation point and attract the attacks of : Spain (sent Longbow, archer, chariot, chariot, woot !), China, Rome and America.
My defence is well in place, there, so there's no need to move the frontline :
See the jungle around Seville ? No ? Because as soon as I captured it, I used 4 workers to clear it (and I even roaded the bananas, which is useless). It's important to do that. Otherwise they're gonna camp on the jungle and wait and reinforce and you're gonna have to reinforce and then you'll go broke and unhappy an awful lot sooner.
Anyway, I'm gonna settle 3W2S of Madrid because I can.
Since I'm currently broke, I'm building infra (need to think about that). Maybe that scouting Impi will change the way I think.
Isabella has capitulated to Roosevelt and that's fine. The fact that they have Longbows isn't but the fact that she's a vassal is cool.
Longbows... The tech will spread. Not sure how I feel about it.
Caesar has Machinery and I think that's worse.
So.... Constantinople has a Scotland Yard. Maybe we magically get to Civil Service, revolt into Bureaucracy, build a Palace in Constantinople and run the Espionnage slider, MUHAHAHA ! Or maybe that won't work too well. What could have a better chance to work is to try and pop a Great Spy in Constantinople (Great Wall + Scotland Yard + Courthouse + Forbidden Palace in option). That would be a 300gpp Spy. Not sure when this can come in : not soon. But it's a real option to equalize the game with 18 cities.
So, the other bad thing (Feud, Machinery) is that they now all have access to Construction. I haven't seen Catapults, yet, but I will, soon.
I haven't tried to cut the forest NE of Madrid but I should. Please, remind me of that.
Here, it's all nice and cosy, now. All first 5 cities have their Forge, so I can finally grow and work tiles.
There are still a sword and an axe that Justinian hid, south of kwaDukluza, which prevents cottaging (not really, I should just escort the workers).
Ulundi has settled the 4th GG (3rd Medic, 2nd Madrid) and might build a Stable. I'm considering it. But I definitely want a market, first : +9gpt.
Nobamba is another candidate for a market : city produces nothing and has a few chops at hand.
You know, this land is very green. So you might think : "Okay, settling another city between Madrid and kwaK will just ruin you" but I think the reality of things is that the commerce base that can be developped, here, over the next 40 turns (long time) is tremendous.
And 40 turns sure is a long time, but this is where triggering a Golden Age bridges the gap.
Another reason to kill Justinian (apart from getting rid of his navy) is that it would avoid that all of his former cities become like Madrid : 3 unhappies from We Yearn To Join Our Motherland at size 6.
So, we've got a plan, right ?
Few more screens :
18 workers. I can terraform. Which is why I've stacked my workers to road and/or chop and/or do stuff. Even though I try not to lose too many turns.
70 archers killed... Better those than Longbows.
Ikhandas need be spammed.
Could use 30 more of those cottages. Unlocking new sources of happiness would be good.
Ok, so not 1st in army now but I've been. Still close. Overall... I think it's fine. My GNP is lower than it looks to be here but I have the production.
America has the most land, I reckon.
And America has 2 shrines, including the dominant Hindu shrine, and they have the Mausoleum of Mausoles.
So, killing America secures the game with a 2nd golden age : that's the theory.
No comment, just showing.
That will improve : 82 tiles over 18 cities, 3 of which are still in revolt, courthouses and markets on their way, that will improve.
The only question is whether I'll get killed by siege and X-bows before I get there.
This is a thing with Combat 3, Shock Axemen : they're not too good against Medieval units in superior numbers. But hey ! Who cares ? We got the Moral Victory Screen anyway !
. I think AGG maces with potentially +3 promotions (feud, 2 settled GGs) are great (especially against phants + praets). 
