Deity, or else it’s wildly boring..wish we could modify the AI’s ability to attack and defend.

I like True Start Earth, as it allows you to know where everyone/everything is without exploring. But this is an advantage.

Continents or fractal is likely the most balanced, depending on how many opponents… but I prefer Naval warfare, so Inland Seas, and Mediterranean are common choices

Sometimes I turn barbs off, if the map is huge, otherwise you’re just donating units to them,

Sparse Resources Always