[Saxon]

Grudge,

One of the key things with a water nation is that both you and the enemy have to take extra steps to move from water to land or the other way. Especially early on, this really guides what you do strategically. You have to keep an eye on everyone's magic research to try and guess when someone might be able to invade you.

You can use this diplomatically, as you know invading you is more costly than invading another option. You will also find you can get bridgheads into other players territory in the form of bays, depending on the map. This may lead to disputes about dominion spread. Think carefully about where you build temples. I am not saying don't build temples, I am just saying be thoughful about it so it fits into your plan.

Look at what other nations have in magic, as it can determine how well and how soon they can get into the water. Some nations have a harder time than others, which changes their threat level to you. Know this for your opponents, as it helps you make decisions.

Finally, most maps seem to have water in the middle of the map. That is always a tough place to be, unless wrap around is turned on. You should focus a bit more on diplomacy than normal, as you will have more neighbours than normal. Of course, the map may be different, I am generalizing.