Fun and Dumb Strategies?

[Nathe2000]

I just want to spice it up a little. What are your guys' favorite strategies are just fun, or just don't really make sense?

Example: like doing ANYTHING with Venice.

[Eater of Ecto]

Anything with religion can be fun especially when you have beliefs like Tithe and World Church. Religion also allows you to be super passive aggressive and you can build an army of prophets and missionaries to completely convert other civs to fund a diplomatic or cultural victory.

Pretty much look towards religion for quirky strategies

[zxcvbob]

Domination victory with Venice or India is kinda fun.

[mustachewarfare]

Byzantium Tourism victory

If you can roll decent economy and decent faith game, you can potentially get two of Pagoda, Cathedral, or Mosque
use reformation belief that gives +2 tourism for each religious building
spam cities which will give you 6 tourism each and 3 local happiness to play with as well.

Situational but absolutely hilarious if you can make it happen

[British Coffee]

Ethiopian domination. You use settlers to make city right next to future enemy's capital, Gift it, than wait till they develop it. When it's ripe for harvest, take landsknecht and plunder everything, raze the city. You don't even get warmonger penalty for taking city because the city originally belonged to you.

[photomaskscent]

Hoard faith and complete the aesthetics tree (or the piety tree with the reformation belief To The Glory Of God). Save a few great writers, win the world fair proposal, and line up a golden age in the last 10 turns. On the last turn of your combined world fair / golden age, your great writers should produce enough culture when bulbed for 2 policies each - especially if you focussed on culture. Saving up and buying your great writers for this moment can easily net a complete tree or more in one turn.

At this stage, your great writers will be worth far more than their great works ever will be. This works best later in the game and with an early culture focus.