[Saxon]

A couple of advantages of playing other humans

1. Humans are smarter than the AI. Not all of them, but most of them
2. You can play your friends, which is more fun than the AI. Then you gossip, gloat and joke about things.
3. Humans provide a wider range of game experiences, as they use many more strategies.
4. You can bluff humans, adding a new element to the game.
5. You can also be bluffed by total BS or get hammered if you call the wrong bluff. Computer never bluffs.
6. It makes the in game politics much more interesting.
7. You can tell your wife you are not a computer geek, you are actually talking to friends.
8. This Last one is a bit intangible, but I find the game much more engaging. I spend more time thinking about one turn in PBEM (I am not on the web for various reasons) than I spend on 10 single player turns. I will pause at work, wondering how the battle is going to turn out, and really get excited when things work out. It is something that extends beyond the time at the screen. I play for fun and PBEM is far more fun, even if I lose, than single player games.