or do Barbarians play an over-the-top role in cIV?  They come early and often and with the same technology as you!  I am NOT playing raging Barbs, either.  Generally, I have standard maps with 7-9 AI opponents.  The Barbs are beyond annoying.  I find that you cannot develop peacefully because you are basically locked in a permanent war.  There is a point in the game when they start coming and keep coming fast and are on the same technological pace as yourself (which I think is a joke).  If you don’t have a substantial military in place very early on and at key strategic locations around your territorial borders to answer quickly any threats, the Barbs waltz in and destroy improvements until you can get a unit strong enough to deal with them.  And there are a ton of them.  I’d hate to see what [i]raging Barbarians[i] are like!   Anyway, while you’re working on building this defense, it sets you back in building Culture and developing your Cities.

I hate to play without the stinking Barbarians, but I think they are too many and the constant warfare early on is frustrating in every game.  Sometimes it’s nice to play a different type of game, but the Barbs make it difficult for me to do that.

Would appreciate thoughts and ideas about how you handle this part of the game.  Thanks!

I definately know your problem concerning barbarians. However, I don't find it a huge problem, an annoyance, yes, but not a problem.

With CivIV: Warlords there is a relatively easy fix. Build the great wall. The great wall wonder prevents all barbarians from entering your cultural boundaries......and it is a cool looking wonder

With regards to the experience that you troops get from fighting barbarians, it is true that this i very useful. Just remember that fighting barbarians will not count against you next Great general/Warlord, only "real" battles do that.

Hope that helps

And, sure, they are more annoying than a problem, though I have had a couple games that the Barbs over-whelmed me for a couple reasons.  Talk about embarrasing!

I have found another solution that might work for those sick of Barbarians.  Try maxing out the number of AI in the game.  The land gets gobbled up quicker and so the vermin Barbarians don't have any place from which to magically spawn from the ground!  I'd rather fight the AI.  At least with them, you know when they're coming, from where, and with how many!

I find that when I play even with mucho AI civs, unless I get snug up against them all (i.e. no "no-mans land") pretty quickly, it's easy to let your guard down about what's happening over the hill.  Next thing you know, you've got 2-3 barbarian archers and a couple of barbarian axemen per turn making for your iron mine (that's if you're lucky to have it by that time!)

Yes, I do not like the barbarians, and think (I may be in the minority) they are out of place and not needed.  After all, what are barbarians anyway?  The Celts?  The Visigoths?  All where effectively AI civs except where the Romans where concerned.  I say take out the barbarians, if you've got the Vikings next door....you can rest assured they will come calling soon enough!

P.S. I've posted on the issue of the neccessity of barbarians before, and recieved many intelligence and reasoned responses...I'm just not convinced they are necessary and realistic to the overall point of the game.

Also, probably time to change my quote below huh?

They're simply AWFUL in Civ IV.  You have to be insanely violent and aggressive against the barbarians.  It sucks, but it's the way the game works.