Most efficient way to expand?

[Phantom11392]

I feel like my strategies are pretty well set I just need some help with early game expansion. I use the greeks and this is my normal strategy. Usauly what I do is try to get 100 gold asap and get that free settler to build a city. Then I then I focuse my tech so I can get republic. Then I build 2 or 3 more cities depending on how much room is left.
My problem is it takes a while to do all that and I fall behind in the tech race. Also buy the time I get republic and start building settlers the computer as usaly already exapanded giving me little room to work with. Is it more efficent to just build settlers and take the hit to your popultion? Do you have any other suggestions on early game expansion?

[ShadowXOR]

I generally just use my free Settler for my second city then take over other cities to expand. I don't want to spend my own Population and I don't like being a Republic. I prefer the Democratic, Fundamentalist, and Communist benefits.

[TehTil0r]

try to put all AI civs to war with you asap.
this cuts down their research and econ as they will pump out useless troops. especially with the greeks you can survive this easy with your hoplites right at the start.
i normally declare war to any ai civ i encounter and never go to peace (mostly i play the game with monarchy/republic/communism) with them. democracy is a nice econ and research boost, but this forced peace dosnt fit in my personal tactic
normally i stay on top in tech and econ while getting great persons with spies to ensure my culture and again cut this down to the ai

[xbman22x]

the most "efficient" way to expand is to let the AI expand and then take the fruits of thier labor

[Gremxul]

try to put all AI civs to war with you asap.
this cuts down their research and econ as they will pump out useless troops. especially with the greeks you can survive this easy with your hoplites right at the start.
i normally declare war to any ai civ i encounter and never go to peace (mostly i play the game with monarchy/republic/communism) with them. democracy is a nice econ and research boost, but this forced peace dosnt fit in my personal tactic
normally i stay on top in tech and econ while getting great persons with spies to ensure my culture and again cut this down to the ai

I completely agree, making war with the AI from the beginning of the game is a great tactic, because it keeps them focused on troops rather than anything else. One i thing i like to do though, is declare war on everyone and then switch to democracy, pump out a couple armies with the best defensive troop of the time, and sit back and let the money and/or tech roll in. I tend to use the Japanese with this tactic because they seem to work best for me.