Strategy?

[Sophanthro]

So whats the best strategy. The only thing I've discovered thus far is that you should build lots and lots of cities. But Im still getting the tar beat out of me, by easy AIs. So what the best strategy?

[Thue]

If you can get ironclads and cruiser first you have practically won. They are very powerfull. I don't know if they are more so than in civ 2. (Anybody point out that there is a difference and it will be corrected)
Using diplomats to buy cities is also effective (but boring). There is a server variable to limit their effectiveness.
Oh, and building your cities one square apart is the most efficient, though not very satisfying.

[paulz]

Which strategy you use really depends on the server settings. Of course you have already found the one constant that you need to use.
1. Build more cities. 2. When you think you have enough cities, build more. 3. When you have a rediculous amount of cities, see #1. The map generator you use will dictate a lot about how you should play. Gen 1 (I think is the most fun) is the most unfair. You may be jammed between two AI's that will expand right over you. If you can, use cheap units to follow the AI settlers around. They wont settle a city, and if they do, you can just walk right over it the same turn. In Gen 2 you will definitely want to take Thue's advice and get Ironclads, if you can dominate the sea in a Gen 2, you will win.