Question: New player here - whats the most common format for multiplayer?

[Doctoxic]

Hi all
Having just watched an awesome lets play by DAS24680 i bought the game and am considering trying mulitplayer but only after i have had some practice.
For anyone interested the lets play is https://www.youtube.com/playlist?lis...UXWZ8TNVFnRZUF

So, i thought i ask what type of multiplayer game is a newb likely to get e.g. which gameplay mods (CBM?) and which era so i can pick a race and learn the ropes in single player. I gather there is quite a difference between vanilla and CBM so don't want to focus on learning the wrong one.

many thanks

PS : also posting this on the desura forums