1475 AD - (continued from right where the last section left off)
Speaking of whom, it is time to wheel and deal with the Iroquois. They've been wanting Coal for awhile now, and it looks like the time to sell it to them has come. Not only is it fairly likely that they'll capture it from Mongolia soon, but after we cancel the mutual protection pact and 42 gold per turn we're giving them for it, the price we'll get for Coal will likely be much lower. So we sell it to them now.
Excellent! Shortly after striking this deal I disover that war weariness has reduced somewhat as well, and thus altogether this turn has been a boon to the Korean economy. It should improve even more in 1480.
1477 AD -
What vile occurences! So much for peace next turn! At least I can destroy William's reputation by making peace with him.
1480 AD - The year of peace has arrived. The first order of business is canceling the mutual-protection pact. We do so, and then are surprised to find that the Iroquois still have money. So I sell them Furs for 24/7 gold. Already now I have over 100 gold per turn surplus at 60% research, whereas a few turns ago I was running 50 gold per turn defecit at the same research. But I likely can do even better.
Those peace treaties leave me wars with Spain and the Vikings that I cannot end now, but without war weariness! I'm making a huge 162 gold per turn, and happiness is up to 66%. Peace, it seems, was the magic bullet Korea needed. We finished our first factory (in Suwon, the Iron Works city) this turn, and should get a nice step up in techs without war weariness to contend with. And then we find yet another lucrative deal.
Cha-ching! Over 100 gold per turn from other civs!
But 173 gold per turn
to other civs? Such an expenditure I do not recall. So it's high time to find out what it is.
D'oh! That's for Nationalism! Fortunately it was signed exactly 20 turns ago,
so I haven't been overpaying the Ottomans 173 gold per turn. Time to make sure I don't...
It all goes well, and I get an even peace and a World Map to go with it. I'm now at 370 gold per turn profit at 60%, and 20 GPT profit at 90%! Talk about a turnaround!
1482 AD - France makes peace with the Dutch and Carthaginians. The latter surprises me, but I suppose they seek lesser war weariness, and a chance to rebuild their admittedly small army.
1485 AD - The Korean Empire discovers Steel and begins work on five-turn Refining at 100% research. Y'know what that means - time to build more libraries and universities!
1492 AD - Egypt declares war on the Iroquois in a surprising move. England follows suit shortly. Apparently the Iroquois are a popular target now that I'm not allied with them.
Pirates attack my exploration caravel.
It loses. How unfortunate. But the Dutch are just begging me to attack their brand-new pirate!
1495 AD - Time for non-war battle with the Dutch!
My first Frigate loses! The second one avenges it, and those Dutch pirates are no more.
1497 AD - Sumeria joins the "war with the Iroquois" club. I have a feeling this isn't going to save the Mongols though...that'll be explained soon.
The Dutch are really sending out a lot of privateers! Their city population sizes are beginning to fall, and I can only figure they must be hurrying production to support piracy.
1500 AD - Take a look at this map:
As can be seen, the Iroquois are well on their way to conquering Mongolia. They've secured wine and coal already, and have most of the less valuable part of Mongolia conquered. They're in Anarchy now, but have more or less secured their position as the other major power on this continent.
Demographics, meanwhile, look good. We're second place in production, which is a surprise - it's been going way up and had been first. I figure either a Golden Age or a lot of industrialization - or both - is at cause of my slip. Getting to 750 megatons industrial capacity will be my primary goal for the next century. Increasing literacy also is important, especially as it is bottlenecking my research, but the factories are already being built.
1502 AD - The Vikings declare war on the Iroquois. Guess it's just the popular thing to do.
1505 AD - Suwon completes my first Coal Plant before my second factory is completed, and begins work on stealing Universal Suffrage from under the feet of the Egyptians and Dutch, who began building it a few turns ago.
I make peace with Scandinavia this turn. As they are a small nation I don't try to exploit them - they've got a low enough chance of winning as it is.
1507 AD -
A noteworthy development. It seems intercontinental wars are the fashion du jure. The seas will be even more of a battleground than the Dutch pirates have already made them (I sunk another privateer last turn).
Even more interesting. It's an intracontinental war. And the Iroquois have a definite advantage.
1510 AD - I finish Refining and begin on 5-turn Combustion at 100%. I suppose soon it'll be time for Sanitation, but we've got to plenty to build even before Hospitals.
Another three Mongol cities have fallen to the Iroquois, including Karakorum. I decide to help France as much as I can in the new war and cancel my right of passage with the Iroquois. The Iroquois have just about every other advantage, and I don't want them conquering more than the already de facto taken Mongolia if I can prevent it without war.
1512 AD - France makes peace with Scandinavia. A smart decision considering neither has much to gain.
1515 AD - I end my last war, with Spain. We can at last sit back without fear of another war against us being begun due to those pesky AI.
1517 AD -
The Dutch pirates strike again, and sink another Frigate. There's too many of them!
France captures Malinalco, just south of Palenque, from the Iroquois. At this rate it'll be France who conquers everything! I don't fear them actually doing so, however, so I keep the right of passage, and decline the mutual protection pact that the Iroquois "generously" offer me.
1520 AD - In a cutthroat battle, my pirates defeat the Dutch pirates, and make them my pirates! Wonder how the Dutch like that for a taste of their own medicine?
1522 AD - The French and Mongols make peace, uniting against the Iroquois. Too little too late most likely, but a good idea nonetheless.
Another interesting war. Here I favor Arabia, but they didn't seem too powerful when I was fighting them, so we'll see. I may deny both rights of passage for balance of power purposes.
1527 AD -
A quick finish. So much for the Mongol-French alliance. Good for Arabia taking a city before the Iroquois.
1530 AD -
(missing screenshot)
I just noticed this AI anamoly. Where to settle cities? How about all
around the cows? Literally every square surrounding the two cows is utilized. Excellent strategy.
Upon further inspection, I find that the Arabs actually took all of the last three Mongol cities. I still think the Iroquois are stronger - they certainly have a preferable location - but this suggests that perhaps the French and Arabs together would be a worthy foe for the Iroquois. The power screen suggests the Iroquois would be slightly strong er, but also suggests something else:
The Ottomans are becoming stronger. I quickly look at the map. Sure enough, they've pushed Spain off their continent and onto Spain's base island. The growing Ottoman power is concerning. I am relieved to find Babylon is now in the Industrial Age, and doing OK with techs, but shocked to find their land still just as underdeveloped as before upon trading for their world map.
Talk about a lack of workers. Sure they've got a lot of jungle and marsh, but this is pitiful. And, as luck would have it, the only country on that continent that I can trade with it the Ottomans - the other two have embargoes against me. So I export Furs to the Ottomans for Dyes and 10 gold per turn.
1535 AD - I discover Combustion. Four-turn Mass Production is next on the list. Scientific Method must come soon, but I want to see if I can complete Theory of Evolution in the early Modern Age.
Massive "We Love the King Day" celebrations erupt thanks to the deal with the Ottomans for dyes. So much better than massive rioting!
1537 AD - I notice the Aztecs have reached the Industrial age, which rather surprises me. Good for them.
England and the Iroquois make peace. A good deal for both.
The Arabs and Iroquois sign an alliance against Sumeria. I love intercontinental wars when I'm going for a tech lead.
France and Egypt align against the Arabs, France being the new war partner. This bodes poorly for France, who already has enough on their plate with the Iroquois.
1542 AD - Malinalco falls from France to Arabia in a non-surprising development. Marseilles, the other French city south of my territory, looks doomed as well. In response, France signs the Aztecs as an ally against the Iroquois

.
There is some good news for France, however - the Iroquois have gone Communist. Knowing the AI, they won't take advantage of Communism very well. The Dutch have already reduced several cities to size 6.
1547 AD - The Arabs capture Marseilles. I'm impressed that they've captured 5 cities in a time when the Iroquois have captured none. Perhaps I wrote in the Iroquois as the dominant southern power prematurely.
1555 AD - I complete Mass Production and begin on Scientific Method in 4 turns at 80% science. The science machine is rolling!
1557 AD - The first skirmishes between France, Arabia, and the Iroquois occur.
Arabia and the Iroquois each lose one, and France loses two. France is going to have trouble holding them off.
1562 AD -
A strange thing to do. Spain already has war with the Ottomans to deal with. Oh well. Unlikely Arabia will invade them.
1565 AD - I surpass my goal of 750 megatons of industry before 1600 AD more than a third of a century early. Go industrialism!
1567 AD -
Very good news for France. They need a real ally, even a weak one. Potentially bad news for the balance of power; if the Iroquois/Arabs swallow both they'll be a legitimate challenge to my primary power position on this continent.
France is getting pwned in the field, thanks to very poor strategic placement of troops. They always let the Iroquois attack their Cavalry without attacking first

. Meanwhile the Iroquois inch closer to their borders, now a mere two turns from France proper.
1572 AD - At last France takes proper advantage of their rights of passage, attacking an Iroquois Cavalry and then retreating out of Iroquois range! But the Iroquois leading stacks are large.
1575 AD - The Scientific Method is discovered. I decide to wait to start on the Theory of Evolution until someone else does, and then to make it as quickly as possible. Meanwhile I begin researching Motorized Transportation.
To help even the war, I build an embassy in Carthage, establish rights of passage, and give them furs, horses, and iron for a pittance. I fear for the future of France given the power of the Iroquois, and aiding the Carthaginians may help.
1577 AD - The war continues to go poorly for France. They make attacks, but lose their troops when the Iroquois attack.
Meanwhile, the Carthaginian longbows become Cavalry fodder. Eight Cavalry are within range of Orleans by the end of turn. I send an Elite Archer to the outskirts of Orleans to watch the action.
1580 AD - I've accumulated quite a surplus of gold despite 4-turn research, and expend some on hurrying libraries and universities. It doesn't look like we'll be able to do Flight in 4 turns even with 100% science, so we certainly need more commerce. We've only got a 2.1 billion GNP!