Start at modern

[phlucas]

Normally I'm starting at the ancient era to get the most of the game, but I figured that I might as well start in the modern era for a change. Problem is, the usual starting strategies don't work there, of course. So... Has anyone experience with a modern start?

Pentagon and Broadway are only possible for an Ind civilisation; on the other hand, Ind (one of my favorites, with Spi and Fin) is of not much use at all, for there are so few wonders to be built. Agg is useless.

Should one switch to Organized Religion as soon as the religions pop up and try to spread it to the neighbours, or forsake this alltogether and start with free religion to get the vital science bonus?

[Blake]

I um... errr... have to try this. With raging barbs on. Marathon speed.

Agg DOES help mech inf, which are good quality units with their March ability and no resource requirement.

Spi would be the obvious choice of trait, philo good too.

[Blake]

Okay:

Philo and Spi are indeed awesome traits. There's lots of civics to switch between. Great People generate quickly.

Great Engineers are very easy to generate since cities get free forges and you can build factories. Great Engineers are what build wonders.

The civics:
Representation, as always, is awesome and the only choice when starting out.
Bureaucracy is daresay an obvious choice. However Free Speech could be okay for the intial border push in your first 3 cities, after that, switch. Vassalage is good once you're ready for things to die.
Serfdom is the obvious choice of Labor. There is so much work for the workers to work on. Emancipation is nessecary once the unhappiness penalty gets too hot to handle.
In Economy, either Merchantalism or State Property depending on river count. A free engineer in every city, or really sweet watermills. One or the other will be suitable.
In the religion category, opening with Pacifism is an excellent idea. After that Organized Religion is good to power-spread religion, by then you'll be done building workers/settlers/garrisons too and be onto the infrastructure. Later on, Theocracy or Free Religion would both be viable (for Free Religion, make sure to missionary spread 3+ religions under org.rel)

Basic game strategy:
Pump out lots o' workers. Go watermill/farm/mine. Build Pentagon, prehaps with help of Great Engineers (I turned mine into specialists). Once Pentagon is up and cities established, switch to Vassalage+Theocracy and pump out a horde of City Raider 3 tanks.
Win.

[phlucas]

I also played at Marathon, to get the most of the short era. It makes up for a quite different game. Were any great prophets created in your game?

I recommend this to everyone who wants a quick change from reasoning about settler chopping and civil service beelining.