The AI in this game is something else entirely.  In all of Amplitudes other games I usually remove one AI just so every maps not a clusterfuck and everyone has a bit more to expand outward.  Do not do this in this game.  I did this on a large and since the AI seeding is constant, you will always lose because on the other continent will only be 2 players vs you vs 2. . Which ever AI controls that continents, will usually be the pink faction, it always is in my case, will reach the final era by round 100.  My last game when I hit era 3, the pink faction hit era 6, and by turn 125 had already launched a satellite to mars.  The AI in this game is bat shit insane.

Not sure about that one. My 2nd game I picked a 6 player map, 4 AIs plus myself makes 5. There were 3 continents. My continent had only one neighbor. The continent to the west of me had 3 AIs. The Continent to the East of mine, had zero AIs. Naturally, 2 AIs and myself colonized this New World. I would say I got the easy part of the stick with only one neighbor. The Western landmass had several wars going on and they slowed themselves down in a way.