I noticed the minor nation has too much of an advantage, in that they have all the starting techs. So I mod the xml to make them them truly ignorant barbarians; they will have no starting tech and no UU. Here is the file, I challenge you to play them on monarch and higher (and win the game, of course). Let me know how you find it and what strategy you use (or will use). Good luck!

I have no problems with no traits. I don't mind having no UU. No starting techs is no biggie. But starting without a settler, that makes even me give up.

Mutax is talking about the Minor nation, which start with a settler just as any regular civ does, as opposed to playing as the Barbarians which can never build settlers.

The barbarian state which is in his mod starts without a settler. Only a single warrior.

So...barbarians start with only a single warrior? How do they found cities then?

Play minor nation, which starts with a warrior and a settler, but no UU or starting tech. Now if you want to amp up the challenge, you can just play as a single barbarian warrior, and try to take over a city.

Play minor nation, which starts with a warrior and a settler, but no UU or starting tech. Now if you want to amp up the challenge, you can just play as a single barbarian warrior, and try to take over a city.

Thats not really a challenge.

Thats a craps-shoot with the odds against you. 20:1.

10:1 if you're lucky enough to find a goodie hut with another warrior, or +5 experience in it.

2:1 if you're lucky enough to find a settler in a goodie hut.

100,000:1 if you're dumb enough to play on any Difficulty which awards the enemy AI a free Archer.