Marathon speed is quite nice. I find research a little too quick, but after many restart with snail speed, I got enough and wanted to change, and see again if marathon was nice. And it's really a nice speed.
As newbie too, I can say I restarted the game x4 or x5, replaying prehistoric so. Because it took me a lot of time to find the good settings. It's like say JosEPh : just play, then read informations here or ask questions, then return to play. restart the game when you feel you missed too many things. Then you end to feel your are playing good, learning some new features, step by step.
I readed all guide made by Thunderbrd. And also read threads about size matter, and criminality.
But what come after prehistoric is even more difficult to understand.
As I choosed the setting "start as minor faction", start of the game was epic, many action, and not a good time for hunters. I understand now why someone said on forum he didnt use hunter. I first cleared many areas before to train some. And I used hunter more during ancient age than prehistoric this time.
I razed many citys, but sometimes defense was too strong. IA conquered 2 of my citys, but I reconquest these quick after that.
I start to play good. Actualy, the game is becoming too easy at monarch difficulty (+1 rank because the flexible difficulty).
I use many of the dirty weapons availables : no-nationality units destroying others country while I'm in peace with.
Recently, I used many mercenary, and make conquests of citys. Citys become then barbarian. Then I send an official national unit, and just take the city (or raze it).
Now, I understood how to work spy too. I stole a lot of technology. While I'm rushing next eras, I don't choose some early technology, but I get these because I stole it to others civ later.
Damn, I not declared one single war, and I destroyed 2 others civ, and actualy one other (as this civ was destroyed by another civ too).
I reached 2/3 of classical age, maybe time is early, -1500 BC.
