I'm playing a game now on Regent level, huge map all random, with 7 random opponents.
I am at the bottom of a large continent that runs north and south the whole length of the map; I'm the Babylonians. The Zulus are up top, and the Persians are sandwiched between us. I had my science as high as it would go, trying to make a beeline for Literature. When I finally met the Persians, they had already met the Zulus and traded techs. So they had like 4 or 5 techs I didnt have, and I had nothing to trade them. So that sticks me being the backward hick of the world, while the Zulus and Persians are up there trading away. Anyways, I got Literature first, and was working on the Great Library when my old pal Xerxes says give me Literature or else. Well damn, its either give 'em Literature and hope you can build the Library before they do, or bend over and take 99999 Immortals up the rear. I gave 'em Literature.
And of course they beat me to the Library. 
So I'm a technological redneck civilization, thats my first problem. The other problem is I totally got shafted on resources. On the map, me, the Zulus, and the Persians look about the same size. (F11 says I am #1 in land area. Probably my high culture borders. Anyway...) I got 1 horse in land area..... Thats ALL. The Zulus and Persians each got an iron, and the Persians have like 4 dyes and 4 ivory, and the Zulus have like 5 incense. WTH is that all about? I was looking at the map and saying, "How fair is this?" Heh. Anyways, the odds are 0 that I can get any of those sources of iron. Which means no swordsmen or pikemen. Should I just restart this game? Its like 400 AD and I still dont have map making so I can go explore for more land.
Here's a graphical representation of what would happen if I even tried to take some ivoryby military force from the Persians.
The one on the left is me. 
Maybe I should start playing on standard or small maps, not meeting anyone for a long time kills me technologically.
I am at the bottom of a large continent that runs north and south the whole length of the map; I'm the Babylonians. The Zulus are up top, and the Persians are sandwiched between us. I had my science as high as it would go, trying to make a beeline for Literature. When I finally met the Persians, they had already met the Zulus and traded techs. So they had like 4 or 5 techs I didnt have, and I had nothing to trade them. So that sticks me being the backward hick of the world, while the Zulus and Persians are up there trading away. Anyways, I got Literature first, and was working on the Great Library when my old pal Xerxes says give me Literature or else. Well damn, its either give 'em Literature and hope you can build the Library before they do, or bend over and take 99999 Immortals up the rear. I gave 'em Literature.
And of course they beat me to the Library. So I'm a technological redneck civilization, thats my first problem. The other problem is I totally got shafted on resources. On the map, me, the Zulus, and the Persians look about the same size. (F11 says I am #1 in land area. Probably my high culture borders. Anyway...) I got 1 horse in land area..... Thats ALL. The Zulus and Persians each got an iron, and the Persians have like 4 dyes and 4 ivory, and the Zulus have like 5 incense. WTH is that all about? I was looking at the map and saying, "How fair is this?" Heh. Anyways, the odds are 0 that I can get any of those sources of iron. Which means no swordsmen or pikemen. Should I just restart this game? Its like 400 AD and I still dont have map making so I can go explore for more land.
Here's a graphical representation of what would happen if I even tried to take some ivoryby military force from the Persians.
The one on the left is me. Maybe I should start playing on standard or small maps, not meeting anyone for a long time kills me technologically.
