u/Amir616

After a long hiatus from the game, I've started playing again and am enjoying Test on Time. I've been trying to win a cultural victory of Immortal and have been struggling. In my first game, I lost by a hair to the AI's science victory. The same thing almost happened to me again, but I was saved by the AI stupidly building their launch pad on a two-tile island in the ocean near my continent, so I was able to pillage it and eke out a domination victory.

What are the key things to do to win culturally? How many archeologists should I be building? Is the most important thing just declaring war on the strongest AI and knee-capping them?

I'm playing as Bavaria. I want to leave the Zollverein, but doing so crashes my economy. I assume it's because I'm landlocked and because my market immediately shrinks so dramatically. Is leaving the right move, or should I stay and try to steal it from Prussia? Is there a way to get my goods to market without conquering my way to the sea?