Easy Starters

[Clam Spammer]

In terms of basic city setup (border pop + monument + tile improvements), Expansive saves more hammers: 30 (granary) + a few per worker vs. 30 for monument. But Creative still wins (IMO) since you get the full BFC almost straight away, and it lets you wrangle tiles away from other civs with minimal effort.

That said, for an easy start I prefer Inca over either of these traits.

 

[Jerrymander]

That said, for an easy start I prefer Inca over either of these traits.

Because of the UU?

 

[Spectrite]

Inca UB is also pretty good.

 

[Clam Spammer]

Both UU and UB. Terrace saves 30 on granary + culture, just like Creative or Expansive. Quechua does away with barb archers at minimal cost if there's too much land to spawnbust. And of course there's the rush option

 

[lasombra1984]

Inca is a Civ for complete noobs.
It has everything & lacks nothing)

 

[madscientist]

Old poll but I voted for creative. Nothing beats those early border pops although a financial coastal start with 3 commerce sea tiles can be a strong boost.

Starting techs I always prefer the food ones, agriculture and fishing because that usually lets you research commerce or military techs right away. Hunting is next as that early mobile scout can be invaluable to scoping land out and popping goody huts. Thw wheel is great for the early economy although it does limit immediate use, yet Pottery from the beginning in a floodplains start is always nice. Mining is powerful but I find food always more important. Mysticism is always a wildcard that tempts you with an early religion, nail it at even high levels and it's a BIG bonus early on.

As far as the Incans, an overpowered early civ.

 

[kwang.tx]

Play gilgamesh, is an amazing early jumper IMO.