With Babylon, at first glance I didn't like them at all but the more I play online the more I'm warming up to them.

Babylon allows you to cut every forest in the area without worry, they start with a 4.5 str archer against melee, they have an absolute beautiful trait combo, the trait combo is one thing I always liked about them but now I'm starting to warm up to the whole package.

In single player no one uses archers, but the more I play online and the more I start moving into teamer games the more I notice people using them, they have saved my butt more then once, the fact there archers are so powerful and can be built without a resource is really starting to gain favor with me.

They start with the Wheel and Agriculture which is a pretty good set, the one problem I have is that they don't start with hunting but because I like the Wheel and Agriculture so much it really hasn't bothered me much.

Shaka is still my favorite but I'm bored with playing him all the time ;)

It's definitely an interesting civ and leader. I will try him out one day but whenever I play aggressive (and I don't play aggressive often, only Alex) I feel like I must go to war. Do you agree?

I always feel like I have to goto war :( I really wish Boudica had a useful UU/UB hehe

I'm playing as Babylon right now and yes you do feel like you need to go to war. For builders like myself, Babylon's not that good.

In single player no one uses archers?

I find myself using archers/longbowmen quite often to defend .... :o

In single player no one uses archers?

I find myself using archers/longbowmen quite often to defend .... :o

In SP they're generally disdained because they're better at defending than attacking. And in SP you usually have enough time to get horses, copper, or even iron hooked up before you're threatened by barbs or other players so you can have some good early attacking units.

I haven't tried MP yet, but from what I've heard about it, I'd probably bee-line to Archery first thing.

In SP diplomacy and a show of strength can save you from being attacked. In MP you will be attacked. Period. So cheap, powerful city defenders, including archer UUs (incl. Mansa) are much more desirable.

the one problem I have is that they don't start with hunting

Why would you prefer hunting? From what I've heard, if you don't start with hunting and you're unlucky enough to get found early you'll be obliterated!

Hunting leads to archery :p you have to research two techs to get to there UU instead of just one.