In which uncleamos will disagree with most of this post

The thing about Civ is, even though it takes 12 hours to play, it doesn't feel like it. There's always something to do - figuring out how to move your units around so they don't starve, building cities, trading stuff, killing guys off with Epidmic and saying Yarrr! when Piracy finally hits the table, etc. And, as this evening (and hopefully tomorrow) will prove, playing with 6 is just as good. Babylon has a ton of territory, but otherwise things are good. I don't feel cramped as Africa - I have maybe a bit more territory than normal (Corsica, Sardinia, and Sicily), two blood cities (SW corner of the board, E of Cyrene), but it's not bad. I didn't quite start right, starved a few guys, but I'm in good shape. Next turn I hit the 5 color, 9 city barrier, but I've got the 9 and all I need is Literacy to get the colors. I had one or two bad trade rounds (one where I was dealt three calamities and the other where I nearly ended up with the death combo of CDO followed by Ic & Her), but last turn I traded in all the dye and all the bronze. w00t.

Oh, and I may be more excited for hockey season than football season.