Somehow barbarians have far surpassed me in tech and have kept my southern empire in a permanent state of siege

it's the Mali, but with boats. they are like shit if you play them on mainland, but play the combo coastal cities+owls of Minerva+ any trades policies and you will beat even Korea before the middle age. You dont have to be a warmonger to win a game and you even can turn a ridiculous city founded in the late game into a cash machine (harbor+ Gilded vault)

Feitoras a incredible to give your more profit and ruin the others civs installations (they cant destroy it).

the biggest default however, they are not exceptional without a coastal empire (international roads by sea only) and could be extremely defendless by the same way. Plus, the Nau isnt a magical unit who could reverse a fight.

Just keep some cities on mainland (so cities who avoid the Portugal bonus), and turn them into strongholds.

However, the zombie mode is pretty lame. Imagine your barbarians issue X1000. (and the AI could be totally overrun by them)

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