@Megalou I thought I would have a go at this out of curiosity, using @peddroelm's typical Honor opening. I don't have time to play these days, so I doubt I'll be able to go much further, but I was interested to see what difference there might be between your start and mine.
I had the good luck to find a Culture ruin on T7, so I opened Tradition, then switched to Honor on T11. (I completed Honor on T89.) I founded three cities. I usually like to place them in a rough triangle shape for defence and support, provided the terrain allows it. I expanded in the direction of Venice, both as a likely first target and also to facilitate Trade Routes for Science leech before starting a war, which I intended to delay until reaching Crossbows. I tried to find spots with a decent amount of food. I completely ignored Religion, as I usually do. My first goal was get Libraries up asap. Typically it is the first thing I build in my third city. By that time I should have the Social Policy that gets Culture and happiness from garrisoning a unit in the city, so Monument is less important and can be built later. I was able to complete National College on T72. After that, it is a question of building Archers that will be upgraded to eventually to Crossbows. I was lucky enough to get Declarations of Friendship from a couple of Civs which meant I could sell luxes for 240 gold lump sum each, which I saved for unit upgrades.
Screenshots below.
I'm not claiming any skill or ability here -- I'm a terrible player with very poor tactical ability, so I always struggle at war, but I think the differences that stand out to me at T85 are that I have 54 Science, 1143 Gold ready for upgrades and 9 Archers, so I feel pretty safe from attack. I also have three Declarations of Friendship. Timings worked out pretty well, in that Venice declared war on India, then the other Greece asked me to declare war on Venice, I asked for ten turns so that I could get ready, and the war started on T110. By that time I've got 96 Science, which is handy, because knowing me I will struggle with the fighting and I'm likely to need better weapons.
Interesting experiment, but I don't know if I'll take it any further. I have to work today.
I had the good luck to find a Culture ruin on T7, so I opened Tradition, then switched to Honor on T11. (I completed Honor on T89.) I founded three cities. I usually like to place them in a rough triangle shape for defence and support, provided the terrain allows it. I expanded in the direction of Venice, both as a likely first target and also to facilitate Trade Routes for Science leech before starting a war, which I intended to delay until reaching Crossbows. I tried to find spots with a decent amount of food. I completely ignored Religion, as I usually do. My first goal was get Libraries up asap. Typically it is the first thing I build in my third city. By that time I should have the Social Policy that gets Culture and happiness from garrisoning a unit in the city, so Monument is less important and can be built later. I was able to complete National College on T72. After that, it is a question of building Archers that will be upgraded to eventually to Crossbows. I was lucky enough to get Declarations of Friendship from a couple of Civs which meant I could sell luxes for 240 gold lump sum each, which I saved for unit upgrades.
Screenshots below.
I'm not claiming any skill or ability here -- I'm a terrible player with very poor tactical ability, so I always struggle at war, but I think the differences that stand out to me at T85 are that I have 54 Science, 1143 Gold ready for upgrades and 9 Archers, so I feel pretty safe from attack. I also have three Declarations of Friendship. Timings worked out pretty well, in that Venice declared war on India, then the other Greece asked me to declare war on Venice, I asked for ten turns so that I could get ready, and the war started on T110. By that time I've got 96 Science, which is handy, because knowing me I will struggle with the fighting and I'm likely to need better weapons.
Interesting experiment, but I don't know if I'll take it any further. I have to work today.
boost, which was complemented by a fairly early shrine. I then disciplined myself (being a builder at heart) to the stocking-up of CBs, allowing for just the one library in Athens, and a rather obvious granary there as well. Also, I chose monuments as the starting build of the expos in order to make progress in the Honour tree and achieve some border expansion at least.
