I find that SMAC and SMACX are easier then Civ3 if you know what your doing... SO in terms of challenge, I don't feel challanged until Monarch+, but I think a huge difference is that SMAC is enthralling... I want to get the next tech to see how the plot goes, I want to build that secret project because most all of them a really good and the video's are great, I want to see what different tactics work where and how one faction can work one way and another a different way. SMAC pulled me in, while up until recently(when i got civ3c) civ3 was more like a chore then something fun, and to a certian extent I still have more fun with SMAC(The social engineering, the unit workshop, the plot, the voice overs, ect...), but I can't abandon Civ3c because I know it has so much potential and I want to see if the things discussed here will work for me... Right now I can conquest victory with the warmongers on each difficulty, but diplo and economic are harder on trancend difficulty, and Trancend victory on that difficulty isn't that hard to pull off, but I have to play more aggressively with the builder factions then I would like to. Again, I really feel that if you can come up with a good understanding of expansion is key, basic war tactics, unit building skills, adaptibility based on changing circumstances and social engineering skills; that the game is not as hard as Civ3, but developing those skills can take time, practice and a lot of experimenting, however SMAC makes me want to experiment where as Civ3c not as much.
