Quick summary: I found myself on an isolated peninsula of a large landmass, with pearls, fish, and atolls nearby as well as a couple of plantation resources. I wouldn't call it great or bad dirt, but it is somewhat strange dirt. I got no huts due to my odd capital placement. The initial isolation won't last long but barbs aren't a problem and Assyria and Siam have been at war, so I have a very skimpy military for now. We are also worker light, with so many sea resources and the need to get the pearls monopoly going ASAP. I wound up only getting them a couple of turns before founding, but it made the difference between 2nd found after India and being 4th/5th.
Capital Build Order: Monument, Shrine, Granary, Worker, work boat, work boat, settler, well, archer, settler, settler, work boat, settler, Great Lighthouse, cargo ship, market, council.
Satellites: mostly monument first, after that granaries, shrines, or lighthouses depending on terrain. Starting on councils/wells where possible now.
Policies: Progress Opener, Tradition Opener, Sovereignty, Organization, Expertise. I'm trying to get the policies that help with culture first to partially make up the cost of this approach. On turn 101 I'm at 326/1135 for the next policy, and ~50cpt between normal culture and instant yields from making buildings.
Tech Path: Pottery, Fishing, Animal Husbandry, Mining, Bronze Working, Trapping, Trade, Sailing, The Wheel, Calendar, Mil. Theory, Iron Working, Construction.
Religion: I was tempted by having four wheat between near the first two cities, but still went with God of the Sea, which I think was a stronger choice. I think the Tradition dips were helpful here due to +3 faith and a stronger capital for fast settler building. Took Holy Law and Cooperation. I'm hoping to get some good yields by spreading Orthodoxy early and wide enough in my own cities for Cooperation to pay off, and probably reform before enhancing. Not sure what reformation I want in this situation.
Evaluation: Compared with pure progress, I think I'm ahead in religion but way behind in science. I have more raw culture but am likely to be a policy behind normal in the medieval trees anyway. Production is going fine but I'm not sure that has much to do with these policy choices. All may turn out okay. It will be close. However, I'm not too impressed by this build, even with Russia.
Plan: I have three things to do: Build more cities, build a military, and try to grab Fraternity and the Fealty Opener soon to start rocking beakers.