Yes, I've won a succession game on emperor level where we used the restrictions of always in despotism and no attack units allowed (ground units with a higher offense than defense). That was the game where I finally fell in love with artillery.
Hmmm . . . well, it is a different situation if everyone is a despot.
I fell in love with artillery again while testing out some of the concepts we've been discussing on a Monarch level game.
-- First, if I hadn't gotten to Democracy, the two powers with better strategic continental positions (Ottomans, Scandinavians) would have overwhelmed me.
-- Second, it is possible to fight a major war as a Democracy without UnSuff -- though it is a nuisance.
-- Third, in PTW the Civ people are continuing their historically ridiculous fascination with overhyped special units and cavalry. Thus, a crew of Viking Berserkers with battleaxes or Sipahi cavalry armed with sabers and wheelock pistols have 1/3 more offensive power than a WWII infantry division. Right.
-- Artillery is the best medicine for ludicrously overpowered cav units, softening them up for quick, low casualty cav and infantry strikes so your offensive can keep moving.
-- All the travails of war-weariness are worth it if you can arrange to produce 2 to 3 times as many tanks as the next guy. I always take care to make those arrangements.