As Emperor games go, it was remarkably nonviolent, especially considering that I was playing as Xerxes. However, I got a phenomenal start. My capital was located at the apex of an A shape without the crossbar in extremely fertile territory. I was also fairly distant from my neighbors - India and Rome, and more remotely, France and Iroquois. This allowed me to expand quickly in two directions at once and fill out a substantial area largely unchallenged.

My first conflict came when India dumped a city in the open gap between four of mine. Hmm, must be something very tempting sitting there. So I attacked and destroyed it. Hiawatha immediately put another city there; what the heck are they trying to grab? Another quick skirmish to get rid of that city too, then I settle down for a while. I grab a couple of Indian cities at both ends of my A, and that's my last conflict for a looong time. By this time we have entered the Middle Ages and I am in the tech lead for once. I also have Sun Tzu and have a strong military. I get to Navigation first and discover Greece, Egypt and a very backward Babylon. Greece is a tad ahead of me on points, but I still am developing faster than anyone except Rome, and I take care to follow a different track than Caesar to make sure I can trade back and forth.

I get dragged into a worldwide attack on Greece by way of MPPs, but I never fire a single shot, remaining perfectly happy to let Egypt wipe Alex off the map while I get my second wonder - ToE - and consolidate my tech lead. I'm tops in productivity now and am first to Motorized Transportation and start loading up on tanks. Not that I intend to use them; I'm working on a diplomatic victory at this point, figuring a 4-3 vote in my favor (Cleo, Gandhi and Hiawatha voting for Cleo). Halfway to the UN, Hiawatha decides to attack; Rome and France declare war on my side. I take two cities from him; I lose one back to a culture flip almost immediately and then Joan grabs it from under my nose. My cities start rioting from war weariness; I decide to offer peace to Hiawatha; he takes it. Risky move - Rome is now annoyed at me. I butter Caesar up a bit by handing him the second Iroquois city. Then, just to be sure, one turn short of the UN I redeclare war on Hiawatha. The result - I win the vote against Cleo 4-1 with Gandhi and Hiawatha abstaining. I score 3657 (a personal best) and finish in 1794AD.

Now to save up for Civ4...

Merry Christmas, all!

P.S. to LC - GO BEARS!!!

I like your description of everything.  I always play at the Cheiftan level and I kick everyone's butt. 

I see you're a Bears fan, that's always cool, too bad they blew it though, they really got my hopes up.

Truly now a Civ General.

Congrats PR