Better siege units (trebuchet, cannon, and especially artillery).Money production buildings, like the Bank.When it comes to science, pick techs that get you closer to: Most of the rest of the empire is money- and happiness- focused, although they might churn out disposable units if war is looking inevitable or going poorly. Have this city crank out units and only build military buildings there (ideally by rushing them, if you've got the cash). If you grow large enough, founding an additional city of this type can be useful, but if you've got around half a dozen cities or less, one is generally sufficient. My second city is almost always founded in an area with a lot of production bonuses (hills, iron, stone/marble, horses/cows/sheep, etc) and focuses completely on producing military for the entire game. Siege units, at least one in each city, probably flanked with another siege unit (or two on a border with an aggressive enemy) and some front line infantry is really the only protection. Update: I can't very well mark my own answer as correct since that would be conceited! So congratulations agent86 and to everybody who participated in this fruitful discussion.ДЄt the higher difficulties, I've found that the only way to win is to play defensively. I have tried rushing the AI but when I arrive at one of their weakest cities they immediately buy walls, a castle and a catapult to defend it making it impossible to capture with my modest-sized army. So my question is: how do you stop the AI from aggressively expanding towards you so that you can peacefully grow your cities? And also, why does the AI insist on building their cities two tiles apart from one another? Granted, it makes it more difficult to capture these cities but it also means that these cities need to share many tiles with adjacent cities, stunting their growth and greatly reducing their productive output. And if you dare buy the land near them they will KILL you! It is not uncommon, in a late game, to find that several of your cities are completely enveloped by their borders.

Given the chance, they will STEAL the land closest to you. In one game that I played, he founded a trail of 12 ( TWELVE!!!) cities, 2 tiles apart from one another, all the way to my capital and then overran me! His empire was akin to a phallus that was being driven into my capital.Д®) In a game that I was playing, Washington's empire was so vast and his army so huge that his units began spawning in unclaimed tiles in my territory because his army already occupied every tile in his own lands (I knew this because I sent a caravel there and was disgusted by what I saw)! After two mobile SAMs and a giant deathrobot had spawned in those tiles he ATTACKED ME!ДЇ) BUT THE WORST, the very worst thing about the deity AI is their greediness. After many turns he says: 'I have had enough of youвЂ¦' and DENOUNCES me! He then sends a great artist to one of my cities and STEALS my coal and iron!Д) I hate Montezuma. He is obviously upset and even after apologizing he declares war against me! And overruns me with Janissaries!Д¬) In another game, I befriended Pachacuti who emerged as the strongest player in the game (luckily for me).

Personally, I have found it to be extremely frustrating, and there are times when I screamed at my monitor because of how insane the AI is.ДЄ) On turn 11, I meet the Iroquois who greeted me with: 'Peace be with youвЂ¦' 5 turns later an Iroquois army emerges out of the bushes and surrounds my capital and KILLS me in 3 turns!Д«) I discover that Suleiman has founded a city right next to my capital! I quickly purchase a tile that contains one of my starting luxury resources. Anybody who has tried defeating the deity AI in a domination game is aware of the challenge they are undertaking.

Civ 5 deity ai bonuses