[douglas]

Neo-standard isn't so much a mod as a set of extra pictures that many shipsets have that aren't used in the stock game. Some mods use them for new ship or unit sizes introduced in the mod, but each size that uses a neo-standard image has a stock image as a backup option.

Mods generally cannot be combined. The order of applying the patch and any mods you use doesn't matter, provided that you install the mods properly and don't overwrite the stock data files. Each mod should go in its own subdirectory of your Space Empires directory. You can then use either manual editing of path.txt or the Mod Launcher that comes on the CD but isn't installed automatically to play them.