My first steps on a path that leads to darkness ...

[Tiberius]

Unfortunately I didn't have time to play yesterday
*sigh*

The 100,000pt cultural win can only happen if the nearest competitor has less than 1/2 of that.

Oh. [embarassed]I didn't know that. [/embarassed].
So I don't have to worry about cultural defeat. At worst I must worry about a cultural win, because the culturally most developed city in the world is Beijing

Arrian, I'm fighting now the aztecs, not the germans. They both have a luxury I want. I chosed the aztecs because they have started to build military (tanks+bombers) and I couldn't let them do that. (and they didn't want to let the UN inspectors check their arsenal ) I can't attack the zulu for some years, because I have ROP with them and some luxury exchange treaty (10 more turns or so). Obviously the zulus are a good footpoint for my final invasion against babylon.
Oh, there is one more recent problem I forgot: the zulus are at war with babylon and obviously losing. Aaarrrghh! I have to do something about that, just don't know what. Violate the ROP and the trade treaty with the zulu attacking them? I think it doesn't matter anymore, does it?

You are right Master Theseus, I should have been more aggressive. (I'm not looking for excuses, but I conquered 13 german and 3 aztec cities in the '40-'91 period) The problem is that after I conquered the japanese (the best part of the game) I went to democracy and I've been staying there since then. It is not so easy to keep the people happy with all those wars! What I did was waging blitz-wars: conquering 4-5 cities, singing peace treaty, and again and again ....
Lastly, from time to time, I coudn't abstain myself and I've built improvements instead of military (I think there is still a good amount of builder left in me, but I won't let it deter me from the Dark Power! )

The premature game ending through SS race is still worrying me. I went on a different tech-path (Miniaturization - Genetics and Ecology - Synthetic Fybers) while the babs went directly for Space Flight - Superconductor, Sattelites. The Laser is not that far for both of us. I sure I could win the SS race, just don't want to. (Like Arrian said it well, "building the SS isn't really the warrior route.").

Thanks guys, ahhh..., Dark Lords, for all your teaching. The Dark Side will prevail !

PS How do you do it? I mean, the modern age wars? Slow, careful attacks with MAs, MIs, artilleries, bombers, battleships, etc, or just flooding the enemy with hundreds of MAs ??? I have a big problem: I don't like my units to die, and I attack (perhaps) too late, when all the defenders are badly damaged by my artillery fire.

[Jaybe]

Tiberius,
For conquest w/o losses and blitz w/o artillery: lots of ARMIES filled with MA, especially against MI in metros. Also, bombers and battleships, of course. Stealth bombers are also nice, especially against an active air defense.

For the Babylon SS race you can either attack them sooner and take their capital, or use espionage to destroy their parts construction. It can be expensive to locate where they are building the SS part(s) and it only forces them to start over. A nuclear surgical strike on their capital, immediately followed by ground forces to take/destroy it may also play a role. It destroys their ship.

[Arrian]

Tiberius,

You have 10 turns more to go on a trade deal with a dying civ? That's a problem, buddy. If the Babylonians cut your trade connection with the Zulu prior to the expiration of that trade deal, your reputation will take a huge hit. If you care about your rep, it may behoove you to get some units on Zulu soil and simply block the attacking Bab forces until the deal is cancelled honorably.

Otherwise, it sounds like you're doing well.

-Arrian

[Tiberius]

I've signed the treaty before the babs attacked the zulu. Actually it's quite an old treaty. They're giving me a luxury and it is quite important to keep my pop happy. I was planning to finish the aztecs by the time the zulu treaty will expire and attack the zulu after. The Babs have just ruined my plan. Moving some units there is a sound plan, though. Thanks.
Obviously my reputation is not really that important from this point on. So maybe I'll just attack the zulu.