Renaissance

In 1290 AD (turn 189) my civilization reaches the Era of Renaissance! This happy piece of news is slightly shadowed by the fact that right after this event Montezuma declares a war on me. It was supposed to be the other way around! Montezuma immediately moves a large stack of units towards Beshbalik, but fortunately that was exactly where I had stacked my units too.

At this point I complete the Notre Dame, which adds happiness, which is good because of war weariness. A great engineer also emerges from one of my cities. I use him to start the Golden Age, which enhances the production and commerce output of my cities. I also adapt the Police State civic which reduces war weariness and speeds up the training of military units. A couple of turns only and I have destroyed Montezuma's first wave of attackers, and can begin my counter-offensive.

A great general has also emerged in one of my cities so I use him to lead my troops, which gives them more experience. In turn 206 I capture Teotihuacan from the Aztecs and loot a good amount of money from their vaults. By the turn 226 I have also conquered Tlatelolco and Tenochtitlan, which makes the continent mine and only mine. The Aztecs still have some cities in a nearby island...