Has anyone else ever started a game outside the Ancient era? I started on the Industrial era once and it was very fun and very different from the usual game. Although I admit I am a little biased on the fun part because the start was probably one of the sickest I've ever had. I even saved it, but then my computer crashed and I lost it.
Anyway, the first thing I noticed is that everyone pops engineers like crazy, due to the free forges.
Changing eras also affects civilization balance. Most UU's are gone, some UB's are gone, while some UB's (mint, terrace, hammadan, among others) are free.
Settlers are MUCH more expensive (1000 hammers!) but cities start with a few buildings and I believe 3 population.
Whipping becomes difficult, because Emancipation comes soon and the AIs all adopt it. This is offset somewhat by machinery and mining being available from the start, and by lumber mills and levees being very close.
Teching takes much longer at first. No mature cottages and few cities, with tech costs in the thousands, means slow research.
I don't know how it determines who gets a religion and who gets left in the cold, but if # of civs isn't to high, you have a reasonable shot at a free religion. (But you'll only get one, unless you are playing with fewer than 7 civs)
Protective gets a little better, since a higher proportion of your units are affected by it. Given the expense of Settlers, I think Imperialistic is slightly better, but the more mathematically inclined may prove me wrong.
: Industrious gets nerfed, forges are free and most wonders are obsolete/nearly obsolete/unbuildable. Financial I think is even better, the extra commerce on river cottages is huge given the tech issue.
Any one else have thoughts?

Anyway, the first thing I noticed is that everyone pops engineers like crazy, due to the free forges.
Changing eras also affects civilization balance. Most UU's are gone, some UB's are gone, while some UB's (mint, terrace, hammadan, among others) are free.
Settlers are MUCH more expensive (1000 hammers!) but cities start with a few buildings and I believe 3 population.
Whipping becomes difficult, because Emancipation comes soon and the AIs all adopt it. This is offset somewhat by machinery and mining being available from the start, and by lumber mills and levees being very close.
Teching takes much longer at first. No mature cottages and few cities, with tech costs in the thousands, means slow research.
I don't know how it determines who gets a religion and who gets left in the cold, but if # of civs isn't to high, you have a reasonable shot at a free religion. (But you'll only get one, unless you are playing with fewer than 7 civs)
Protective gets a little better, since a higher proportion of your units are affected by it. Given the expense of Settlers, I think Imperialistic is slightly better, but the more mathematically inclined may prove me wrong.

Any one else have thoughts?
Comment