Some ideas

[Optional]

"No granery in capital"
Just to do something different from the usual: rolling starts until you get some nice surplus food and then have a granery as one of the first builds. The settler factory capital is always used as the springboard in every game, and I think it would be refreshing to get away from that for once.
Maybe the full rule should sound: "No handbuilt granery in starting capital", as the Pyramids should be allowed, and also a granery in a moved capital is not a problem. The only aim of the rule is to make way for a slightly different type of start.

 

[TheOverseer714]

Maybe to take that idea further...all random settings and play whatever comes up. Knowing alot about the world type gives a real head start on your strategy and VC, knowing about the level of barbs tells you how much to guard your workers and settlers. All those settings being random throws a monkeywrench into your planning.

 

[Spoonwood]

For perhpas an interesting variant:
selected tribe: China... no war until the industrial age at a lower level... or war whenever at a high level... *no saltpeter allowed*.