[Ribannah]

[u]The Factory Blueprint</u>

A 4-turn Settler factory can be created in Beijing already at size 4/5. This is what we need: to irrigate the cattle and the wheat, to mine the bonus grassland, and then either two normal tiles (irrigated plains/mined grasslands) or - faster but riskier - irrigate a floodplain and use that and a forest. And, of course, a Granary in place. This is how it works.

[u]Version A</u>
Size 4 (10 food) = 6 shields (cattle, wheat, bonus grassland, plains)
Size 4 (15 food) = 8 shields (same plus forest for growing)
Size 5 (10 food) = 7 shields (same plus another plains)
Size 5 (15 food) = 9 shields (as above plus a forest for growing)

[u]Version B</u>
Size 4 (10 food) = 7 shields (cattle, wheat, bonus grassland, forest)
Size 4 (14 food) = 7 shields (floodplain, but forest for growing)
Size 5 (10 food) = 7 shields (with floodplain and forest)
Size 5 (15 food) = 9 shields (same with a second forest for growing)

Of the 3 options to get there, building the Granary first is the straightforward one. It's possible to complete the Granary in 3000 BC and have the Settler Factory producing its first in 2850 BC (by cutting one forest).

Starting with a Settler (skipping the initial Warrior) would be worse if not for the cattle tile in the north. Of course there is no way of knowing that as it isn't visible yet. A sequence could be: Settler in 3350BC, founding Canton 2 tiles north in 3300BC, to complete a Settler in 2590BC (after a Warrior), a Granary in the capital in 2670BC to make the first Settler there in 2470BC. You end up with the same assets as with building a Granary first, but Canton is behind in development. However, there are alternative uses for that early new city: you could also build a Barracks and start cranking out veteran units. You have one city less but some military instead.

My preference, and what I did in the game, is to start with an extra Worker. You might think you don't need an extra Worker because the Han are industrial, but if you have one the profit is double as good. Playing your strong points is often a good idea.

What happens is that you basically start a number of turns later on the rest of your production in the capital. But because you are improving the land at double speed, you are much more productive. By the time you start making those Settlers, the Workers are ready to improve the new city sites and by the time the new cities can build Settlers themselves (if that is the plan, there may be something better to do, too!) you will have caught up - and still have that extra Worker, and more land improved.

[u]The Science</u>
We need Terra Cotta (Pottery) to build our Granary. However, this is a deity game with lots of civs, and someone is bound to come visit and have it for sale long before we can have it researched ourselves.
Even if we already had it, it would still be a good idea to have some petty cash, so we can do some tech brokering early on. After the early trades we will know what the best research opportunies are.

3900 BC
[u]Treasury</u>: $10
[u]Science</u>: 0% (Terra Cotta)

3850 BC
[u]Treasury</u>: $15
[u]Science</u>: 0% (Terra Cotta)

3800 BC
[u]Treasury</u>: $20
[u]Science</u>: 0% (Terra Cotta)
[u]Workers</u>: 1»s»w 2»e

At Beijing, we can irrigate the cattle just in time to have it count, when the food box is filled at 12. Meanwhile at Shanghai, we have connected the Spices! Now there's need for food.

After this turn, a large company of 7 Khazar Warriors shows up near Beijing! We'd better make friends ...

3750 BC
[u]Treasury</u>: $25
[u]Science</u>: 20% (Mathematics in 40)
[u]Workers</u>: 1=irrigate, 2=irrigate
[u]Diplomacy</u>: Alphabet (Khazar) for Masonry + Martial Arts

The Khazar (1 city) have 3 techs (Alphabet, The Wheel, Burial Rituals) and no gold, so we're not the first they meet.

Alphabet opens up a lot of possibilities. We can try to be the first to get Calligraphy (Writing), but there is an alternative.
It is important to realize that the game has just provided us with an opportunity here. We can play the Mathematics gambit and gather some money during 40 turns of minimum research. By that time the AI will no doubt have Calligraphy available, and more.
Even at Deity, the odds are that we'll be the first to get Mathematics, because it's not a research priority for the AI and we start early. But even if someone beats us to it, all is not lost. The money we save will go a long way to keep us at par, or better.