If you are looking for a challenge but just love using tactical combat, try playing as a
Pirate under
P&N V1.5
It's not exactly the most compatible mod around, you need to "add existing", and edit all races you play against.
Essentially any AI you play against has to have the totally new racial trait of "Normal" otherwise they can't expand at all. Once the setup is complete, your game is perfectly normal, but really hard when you choose only "Pirate".
Taking more than one of Pirates/Nomads/Normals, will make your game really easy.
[This message has been edited by suicide_junkie (edited 28 April 2001).]