Which mod should I try/use?

[GunnDawg]

I just realized you could load a mod on the fly from the main menu. Which mod do you all suggest the most and how much of the game does it actually change?

I keep reading RtW, which I am assuming is Road to War.

[Willem]

Well it's not really a mod in the way you're thinking, but I would recommend the BUG (BTS Unaltered Gameplay) mod. It hads a bunch of new information you can see on your various displays and allows you to be more organized and informed and doesn't alter anything in the game itself.

[GunnDawg]

Where can I get "BUG" and is it easy to install ?

[ColdPhoenix]

You can get it here:

http://civ4bug.sourceforge.net/BUGMod.html

I use BAT which combines the additional game information from BUG with graphical improvements (more ethnically diverse units/cities etc).

If you feel like a bit of a change from the usual Civ game then you can try Fall from Heaven 2 (completely different tech tree and units, magic, elves, orcs, heroes etc) or Rhye's and Fall of Civilization (preinstalled with game) that is similar to standard civ but has prescripted events that occur and "unique historical victories".

[Willem]

And yes, BUG is very easy to install. It comes as an auto-installer so all you have to do is double click on it.

[Jaybe]

IF you are into 1) a little unpredictability, and 2) more realistic gameplay then
Hephmod is REALLY fascinating, even though it is still in beta status. Different versions for warlords and BtS available.

Adjusted unit strengths, civs emerging from barb cities, ...
You can read the rest of it there.

[TriMiro]

For a year now I only play Rhye's and Fall of Civilization.

The mod plays on Earth map (modeling the real Earth), every nation starts in the historic location in historic time. (i.e. Babylon starts 3000BC and America start in 18 century). Every nation has unique goals, i.e. Egypt wins the game by building the Pyramids, Light House, Great Library and amasses a lot of culture very fast.

Every nation represent different challenge,
Persia and Mongolia are bound on conquest,
England and Portugal on colonization,
Rome on combination between conquest and peaceful settlement,
Egypt on wonder building,
India on Religion founding,
Khmer on spreading Buddhism,
Viking on just pillaging,
China on peacefully developing and defending a large empire,
and so on.

There is enough content to keep you busy for quite some time. An older version is included in BtS, but you should probably download the latest v1.181

[Seedle]

Originally posted by ColdPhoenix
If you feel like a bit of a change from the usual Civ game then you can try Fall from Heaven 2 (completely different tech tree and units, magic, elves, orcs, heroes etc) or Rhye's and Fall of Civilization (preinstalled with game) that is similar to standard civ but has prescripted events that occur and "unique historical victories".

Fall from Heaven 2

[LDiCesare]

Fall from Heaven 2 if you like fantasy.

[Tokyo Sexwale]

I will fourth FFH2. Sublime.

[joncnunn]

Well, a lot depends upon your tastes.

If you want to see more vicious "random" events, try the Gods of Old mod.

If you like arcade games, you might give Civ Defender a try.

If you like D&D type games, you might like that mod.

If you want to try being the Barbs there is a Barbs mod.

If you like Space exploration/conquest games and also like Archepello maps, you might enjoy Final Fronter.

If you just want more advanced units added to the end of the base game, then The Next War may be for you.

Then the more historical scenerios depend mostly in if you like that timeframe or not along with what the major players just have to do to win. (Peaceful Builders might not enjoy the G Khan scenerio)