Difficulty: Moderately Easy
Step1
Play on a small map. This means fewer enemies to contend with. If you’ve got lots of islands around you, this will make it even easier.
Step2
Build enough military units to defend your cities. Depending on how relations with the other races go, this may be just a single unit or quite a few. If relations are good, just garrison a single unit in each of your cities. If relations are strained, station a few units in each city.
Step3
Research, research, research. Most of your energy should be concentrated on city improvements (markets, walls, temples and the like) and technology research. Both of these contribute to your overall score.
Step4
Keep your people happy. Take note of which improvements and technologies increase citizen happiness and concentrate on those. The happier your people are, the more productive they are. If you see an unhappy citizen in your city, find out what their problem is and fix it. If your people continually celebrate “We Love the Leader” day, you’re on the right track.
Step5
Follow the recommendations. The game will recommend technologies and improvements to build based on what is best for you militarily, economically or otherwise (growth, religion.) Heed these recommendations. If you don’t take them right off the bat, at least look at them and see if they fit into your grand scheme.
Step6
Avoid conflict. War is an enormous drain on resources that you cannot afford. Try to make treaties with the other civilizations as opposed to fighting them. Be advised that they will almost invariably ask something of you without offering anything in return. You can refuse them once or twice but, depending on the leader, they may consider that an insult and declare war on you. If a leader demands you cancel treaties with their enemy, do so. You can always propose the treaties again later.
