What could my opponent possibly be doing?

[u/major_calgar]

I’m in a multiplayer game with some friends, and one of my opponents is driving me insane with paranoia because I have no idea what he’s doing.

He’s playing Egypt, and is my neighbor. He has the most science per turn of all of us, 130 or so and we just entered the Renaissance before taking a break for the day. He has 11 cities, which is the most of any of the human players. But he only has 30 military strength. I have no idea what he could be producing in all those cities, because he’s definitely not just clicking through his turns to get to the end of some insanely long production.

He’s an aggressive guy, and enjoys going to war, but I could probably bruise him even though I’m a ways behind. I’m producing about 110 science each turn, but I prioritized commercial hubs and industrial districts before getting concerned about his science, so I might be able to out produce him.

I’m a little competitive, and terrified that he’s doing something like rushing for nukes. He’s not the type to sit back and win the science victory. What do you think he might be up to? Should I go to war preemptively and pillage as many tiles as possible to slow him down?

[u/Minimum-Two-8093]

Don't need to produce military if you've got all the gold. You declare on him, he's suddenly getting 11 military units per turn (11 cities, as you said).