Here is a strategy I have used very successfully to get my first ever Augustus Caesar level win on Monarch. I felt like I should share it since it would have helped me to get this win sooner had I read about it here.
Settings:
Terra
Large
Any sea Level (I like Low because I prefer some space to move in)
Random AI's
No Barbs
All other options for a valid HOF game (not necessary but it makes me feel better)
Washington is the easiest leader for this strategy because organized and financial work to keep you solvent during the midgame when you get crushed by maintenace costs.
THe Terra Map is set up as 2 continents. the first continent is where everyone starts while the second one is completely uninhabited. Your goal therefore is to get to this one and colonize it as soon as possible.
I like to research the bare minnimum of techs to get any speacial resources in the area and keep my workers busy until I get Alphabet and Mathematics. I usually get mathematics first and try to chop the pyramids but that is up to you. During this time I expand to 4 cities if I can. I find that this seciton of the game seems to be monotonous and similar regardless of what strategy I am using so I won't go too far into it because it is not critical and has been described very well by others.
Once I get Alphabet I usually can trade Mathematics for Iron working and any other early techs I need. CUrrency is usually a very valuable trading tech and I usually use it to get Calendar and a few other techs I need. At this point I am headed straight for Optics. Optics will allow you to make 2 caravells which will allow you to circumnavigate the globe first which will be a HUGE advantage. Doing this gets your ships +1 movement for the rest of the game
Once you have optics you need to take stock of your current situation and make some decisions. If you have the techs you need to survive for the next 30 turns head for Astronomy. If not get what you need now. I often find I need one or more of the following; Philosophy (to augment my GP farm with pacifism) Feudalism (for Longbowmen) or Civil service (for Macemen). Once youy are comortable you are well defended head for Astronomy.
When you have astronomy it is time to pack your bags and head off to a brand new world. To do this you need a galleon, an explorer, a worker and a settler. Load them up and head straight for the most promising spot on the new world which you should have found by now with your caravells. THe explorer is necessary because there are goodie huts on the new world. I have gotten great techs form these. One time I even got Music from the goodie hut which is a 1000 beaker tech (maybe 900). When you find the first city on the new world be prepared to fall out of your chair with how expensive it is to maintain. This is ok. This lost money is an investment in your future.
Your new tech goal is now Communism. It is a long way off but very manageable. I usually get there by heading straight for Liberalism WHich gives a free technology. I usually take Prinitng press (I have been experimenting with researching printing press first and takign Scientific method as my freebie but I sometime miss it by a few turns this way) which leaves only scientific method and Communism.
While you are doing this you should be preparing for a massive colonization of the new world. This means another galleon, 5-8 workers and as many settlers as you feel you can afford the production for. Be careful about colonizing the new continent too quickly before gettign to Communism because I have actually seen the number of turns left to a tech go up while overcolonizing the new world. Courthouses are very helpful in managing the cost as is a forbidden palace. However, If you have timed everything well you will be hitting Communism as you are starting to think about building those and won't need them. I find that 3-4 solid well placed cities are ideal on the new world until you hit state property at which point you have a green light to build as many cities as you want. I often find that I have settlers in place ready to found cities with an extensive road network just waiting for Communism and State Property in order to found the city.
If everything has gone well you should be back in the green at about 70-80% and be capable of colonizing the enitre new world very quickly. More importantly you now have access to nearly every possible resource in the game. Between you old world empire and your new world one you should have every available resource and in abundance. This allows you to grow to max size without having to worry about health or unhappiness. Imagine having a wide open space of land with no opponents, tons of resources, and plenty of resources. I felt like a kid in the candy sotre the first time I did it. Most of the time I end up with this continent uncontested well before 1800. Once I have that I can pretty much choose how I want to win; Space, Diplomatic, or conquest/domination. This extra land and production gives such a huge production boost that the computer has no hope of keeping up if you ar ahead or even preventing you form overtaking if you are behind. In my first game I had only 4 cities and was solidly in last place utnil I took the new continent and just saw my score skyrocket until I eventually won a conquest victory.
Good luck.
Settings:
Terra
Large
Any sea Level (I like Low because I prefer some space to move in)
Random AI's
No Barbs
All other options for a valid HOF game (not necessary but it makes me feel better)
Washington is the easiest leader for this strategy because organized and financial work to keep you solvent during the midgame when you get crushed by maintenace costs.
THe Terra Map is set up as 2 continents. the first continent is where everyone starts while the second one is completely uninhabited. Your goal therefore is to get to this one and colonize it as soon as possible.
I like to research the bare minnimum of techs to get any speacial resources in the area and keep my workers busy until I get Alphabet and Mathematics. I usually get mathematics first and try to chop the pyramids but that is up to you. During this time I expand to 4 cities if I can. I find that this seciton of the game seems to be monotonous and similar regardless of what strategy I am using so I won't go too far into it because it is not critical and has been described very well by others.
Once I get Alphabet I usually can trade Mathematics for Iron working and any other early techs I need. CUrrency is usually a very valuable trading tech and I usually use it to get Calendar and a few other techs I need. At this point I am headed straight for Optics. Optics will allow you to make 2 caravells which will allow you to circumnavigate the globe first which will be a HUGE advantage. Doing this gets your ships +1 movement for the rest of the game
Once you have optics you need to take stock of your current situation and make some decisions. If you have the techs you need to survive for the next 30 turns head for Astronomy. If not get what you need now. I often find I need one or more of the following; Philosophy (to augment my GP farm with pacifism) Feudalism (for Longbowmen) or Civil service (for Macemen). Once youy are comortable you are well defended head for Astronomy.
When you have astronomy it is time to pack your bags and head off to a brand new world. To do this you need a galleon, an explorer, a worker and a settler. Load them up and head straight for the most promising spot on the new world which you should have found by now with your caravells. THe explorer is necessary because there are goodie huts on the new world. I have gotten great techs form these. One time I even got Music from the goodie hut which is a 1000 beaker tech (maybe 900). When you find the first city on the new world be prepared to fall out of your chair with how expensive it is to maintain. This is ok. This lost money is an investment in your future.
Your new tech goal is now Communism. It is a long way off but very manageable. I usually get there by heading straight for Liberalism WHich gives a free technology. I usually take Prinitng press (I have been experimenting with researching printing press first and takign Scientific method as my freebie but I sometime miss it by a few turns this way) which leaves only scientific method and Communism.
While you are doing this you should be preparing for a massive colonization of the new world. This means another galleon, 5-8 workers and as many settlers as you feel you can afford the production for. Be careful about colonizing the new continent too quickly before gettign to Communism because I have actually seen the number of turns left to a tech go up while overcolonizing the new world. Courthouses are very helpful in managing the cost as is a forbidden palace. However, If you have timed everything well you will be hitting Communism as you are starting to think about building those and won't need them. I find that 3-4 solid well placed cities are ideal on the new world until you hit state property at which point you have a green light to build as many cities as you want. I often find that I have settlers in place ready to found cities with an extensive road network just waiting for Communism and State Property in order to found the city.
If everything has gone well you should be back in the green at about 70-80% and be capable of colonizing the enitre new world very quickly. More importantly you now have access to nearly every possible resource in the game. Between you old world empire and your new world one you should have every available resource and in abundance. This allows you to grow to max size without having to worry about health or unhappiness. Imagine having a wide open space of land with no opponents, tons of resources, and plenty of resources. I felt like a kid in the candy sotre the first time I did it. Most of the time I end up with this continent uncontested well before 1800. Once I have that I can pretty much choose how I want to win; Space, Diplomatic, or conquest/domination. This extra land and production gives such a huge production boost that the computer has no hope of keeping up if you ar ahead or even preventing you form overtaking if you are behind. In my first game I had only 4 cities and was solidly in last place utnil I took the new continent and just saw my score skyrocket until I eventually won a conquest victory.
Good luck.
