This is one of my recent saves as Ramesses. I am constantly at war with the neighboring Japanese and Iroquois nations, and am starting to have real challenges teching. If I expand, then that city will probably be almost inst-taken by the Japanese. My culture is doing okay, but I could also use some tips on improving that. I have also discovered that Washington, with his enormous empire, is plotting against me, and chances of surviving against him are minimal. Tips?
Maybe you can post an early save, before turn 90, otherwise it's pretty hard to guess what went wrong, although I'll try anyway. Seems like you've done some things right, however at this point it doesn't look good, tbh. Your science rate is very low and being 17 turns away from Archeology on 302 is more than extreme. I assume you entered into Industrial just recently? If you're playing for culture, your ultimate goal should be opening and finishing Freedom asap. What did you spend Oxford on?
When you play OCC or even with 2 cities, science it's all the game is about. Keeping up with small empire is hard, thus you need to beeline Education and obtain (better buy but if you have high production you can build and save the money) universities. Just as you assigned artists, you need to assign scientists asap and plant an academy or two once GS are born. This way you won't lag behind research-wise. Also it's common tactics to use Oxford on Archeology for early Freedom.
Settling that second city so close to Hiawatha provoked him. At least you could have settled on hill for better defense. And when you start next to Oda, you know he'll DoW 100% of the time. Would it be fair to assume in early game you went a little heavy on wonders and religion side and light on military side? In these circumstances it should be the opposite. First make sure you can defend your cities and wonders, then build them. And frankly, this is just not a good starting location. Jungles are nice for third/fourth city or puppets, but not for main powerhouse. Low food, low production. All the wonders and buildings with such limited city potential require too much effort. As a result your capital didn't grow properly, don't generate enough beakers nor can work enough high food/production tiles without sacrificing landmarks.
So what should I do? The cirumstance is pretty tough, I might be able to challenge oda as I found a second city and set science as a priority, but would be a good plan?
Found another city? Where? There are a bunch of spots where you could fit a city (based on 4-tile separation), but none are compelling -- on the dyes south of your capital (next to the mountain), on the horses north of your capital (or on the two tiles NE of that tile), on the forested hill further NE (next to the cows near Yerevan and Vatican City), on the edge of the desert to your east, in the wilderness to the east (between Satsuma and Pasargadae) or down in the wilderness near Brussels (e.g., on top of the iron). All have their problems.
But, more importantly, why? At turn 302, no second city is going to help you before this game is long over, and you would have to divert resources to defend the city. Not a good plan.
I think you are stuck in an OCC scenario, unless you can drum up enough of a military to liberate Memphis, which seems pointless, since upon liberation it will have a population of 3 and most of its buildings destroyed and you would have to go to war with your best friend, Hiawatha. Yes, he's currently being chewed on by Washington, but you need all the friends you can find. Taking Tokyo seems equally pointless, since it is tiny and essentially undefendable, and in Hiawatha's hands. To salvage this game, you need to make nice with your neighbors and slam through the science and culture as best you can.
On science, just filling your university scientist slots will net you an additional 11 beakers (from 84 to 95 bpt), which doesn't seem like a lot, but is a 13% boost. Public school comes on line in 6 turns--work that slot as well, for another approx. 12 beakers (3 science base + specialist with NC and university multipliers). After Archaeology, you should beeline Radio, for broadcast tower (33%) culture boost, Eiffel tower and NIA.
However, working all those specialists will kill your growth until you can steal Fertilizer and take Civil Society (which should be your first policy after opening Freedom). Freedom is nominally about 11 turns away, but Yerevan will be a friend in 2 turns, and that may shave 1 turn off, and you are about to pop another Great Artist. Although you desperately need more landmarks (you should buy one with faith and plant it ASAP), you might consider bulbing a GA for a Golden Age to get you into Freedom that much more quickly. The Freedom opener will get you another Great Artist generation boost, which you also need.
I played this forward 30 turns and attached a save file, so only read the following if you are curious:
Spoiler:
Burned the GA for a Golden Age, bought another with faith and planted it, spies stole Industrialization and Fertilizer, got the Freedom opener and Civil Society, lost Louvre to America, but bought a museum in your capital, renewed an RA with Washington (although an RA with the tech leader isn't the best of ideas), working all science and culture specialists (146 bpt and 316 cpt, with next policy in 6 turns), did some lux-for-lux trades to satisfy CS quests and to trigger a We Love the King Day, so running a 19 food surplus, just finished a Factory and working on a Stock Exchange, with Hydro Plant and Police Station teed up next. 20 turns away from Radio, and you have coal you can sell, with more on the way. Still way behind, but feeling not entirely depressed about your prospects.
Yes, I saw. However, Hiawatha declared on you too, didn't he? And again, when Oda Nabunaga is your neighbor, he will DoW. It's not a matter of 'if' but a matter of 'when'.
So what should I do? The cirumstance is pretty tough, I might be able to challenge oda as I found a second city and set science as a priority, but would be a good plan?
Having sufficient army to defend your cities should have been the priority to begin with. There is no point in settling new cities, if you can't keep them. 4 archers are usually enough on prince to repel any sort of attack, even on two fronts. Upgrade them to composite bowmen later and you're good for ages. Settling on hills should be considered as well, especially when spawned near aggressive neighbors like in this case. After securing your lands, yes, you need to prioritize science. It means NC asap, followed by Education, university with both slots filled, Acoustics and fast forward to Archaeology. Running lots of specialists requires high population. Thus you need to focus on food and growth starting from turn 0. Early wonders are much less important and don't justify switching to production focus. That being said, if your cities grow fast enough and big enough, soon you won't even need production focus. Because large cities naturally have high production. And that on top of high science which allows to reach all key techs earlier than your opponents and spare the danger to lose wonders in the first place.
As for current situation, Browd's plan is solid. I don't know when AI wins on prince, but since you're only 6% behind tech leader, probably it's not over yet.
Yes, I saw. However, Hiawatha declared on you too, didn't he? And again, when Oda He had another city. Memphis. It belongs to Iroquois now. Japan captured it at ~90 and then lost to Hiawatha.
Saw that, but maybe I misunderstood -- I took his question to be whether he should expand now. Was he asking whether he should have expanded in the first place?
Don't know. I was speaking about what went wrong at the beginning, so I took it this way. As for now, I definitely agree with you. Expansion at turn 302 makes no sense whatsoever.
Btw, if you lose a city, SP costs are not reduced back, are they?
Nope. Social policy costs operate as a sort of ratchet or high-water mark, where policy costs are based on the largest number of cities you have at any point. I believe if you found a new city after losing one your costs do not go up.
I won! Cultural Victory on turn 409. Wahington DOWed me, but I was able to defend myself well enough to hand over my entire treasury to avoid an atomic bomb.
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I was speaking about what went wrong at the beginning, so I took it this way. As for now, I definitely agree with you. Expansion at turn 302 makes no sense whatsoever. 
