How To Achieve Yokes on the Mongols

The Yokes on the Mongols requires you win the Into The Renaissance scenario as Russia on Emperor or higher.

In this scenario you exploit the significant buff to naval unit movement and embarkation.
You will also take advantage of Russia's +1 bonus movement to land units.

• Pick the historical map
  
• Choose Emperor difficulty. (I do not recommend anything higher for this strategy! It is tough)
  
• (And don't forget to pick Russia!)

Unlock Honor and Warrior Code for a free Great General and a boost to building melee units.

On Emperor difficulty you will be given a starting settler. Move it south along with your swordsman and Great General.

Improve resources with your builder.

Build another Swordsman.

Tech Civil Service.

Move your settler and army south and embark into the Black Sea in present day Rostov and over water move clockwise along the coast until you reach Byzantium's borders. Disembark and forward settle Constantinople like so:

Declare war on Theodora and use the Great General to place a citadel in her territory.

Build/buy two catapults from St. Petersberg. Then Swordsman until you have captured Constantinople.

You may need to buy a trireme to finish off.

Then make peace with Theodora. Exchange embassies and open borders.

Meanwhile in Moscow build National College (and any infrastructure).

Beeline Chivalry.

Next Moscow must prepare for the Mongol invasion: first build a scout and send it SE to explore.

Then build horsemen.
Place them on hills SE of Moscow.

Raid any unescorted settlers.

Have you played Civ VI?

Seen this guy?
Then you know to avoid a barbarian invasion you have to kill the scout before he returns to camp.
Same trick: You must kill any Mongolian scouts approaching your cities.

As long as Genghis doesn't know where your cities are he cannot attack you.

Don't exchange embassies, as this will give Mongolia visibility of Moscow.

It is essential two things happen in the first act of the game:

• Moscow has horses.
  
• You are able to capture Constantinople.

If neither of these things happen by around turn 40 when the Mongols spawn then re-roll. (The map resources are randomised so you may well get a different outcome).

In the second act it is vital you thwart the Mongol invasion or game over.

Build 2-3 settlers from St. Petersberg and settle strategic resources (away from the Mongols) on the Black and Aegean seas.

First build a Krepost. Then buy tiles with resources. Avoid spending gold on unnecessary tiles. (Only unless there is a strategic or luxury resource in the 4th ring of city).

Build Heroic Epic in Moscow.

After Chivalry tech Education then Navigation.

Build a fleet.

Originally posted by Dictionary:

Yoke - A wooden crosspiece that is fastened over the necks of two animals and attached to the plough or cart that they are to pull

Mid-late game there may come a time when Genghis surrenders.

If he is friendly then trade and try to bribe him to war on neighbours:

At this point let the Mongols do your dirty work of keeping your enemies in check, while you can crusade on a holy war!