Nice complex - but unfortunately also very complicated

I have now played intensively Civ4 including addons few weeks and am even now not sure how well I should find this game. I've played all Civ parts, though never particularly intense. However, I have Alpha Centauri played over many years repeatedly (hereinafter "SMAX" for short) in a big way, which is quasi yes Civilization in space. On good days, I've won the game on the hardest difficulty and second can therefore say that I was at times quite good. Because of this, I have Civ4 from the outset compared mainly with SMAX.
Civ4 does some things better in my eyes, but some worse than SMAX. If I SMAX allude again, I will miss the most right now particularly transparent and better controlled diplomacy. On the other hand I'm going to enjoy the predictable AI. Although diplomacy has been significantly expanded in Civ4, the AI ​​is acting far too often much too incomprehensible and in my eyes not "credible human" enough. First, the AI ​​puts far too strong emphasis on religious affiliation, although this plays a much smaller role in the game otherwise. Secondly, can the AI ​​too often bribe, even to start a war against civilizations, with which it is actually very good friends. These were now only two examples of what bothers me about the AI, though, I could list more. In SMAX the AI ​​opponents acted almost always very predictable, but in some ways even more credible: Miriam never liked Zak, but that had to be so, given their personalities, just that Zak would investigate always much and Miriam instead on espionage and masses would put on rather outdated troops. You just knew at the SMAX AI much more like what one is and could play more relaxed and focused.
The second major point of criticism is the Civ4 conducting wars for me. It takes forever to stomp a viable army from the ground, it's incredibly expensive to produce and maintain it and it takes too long for my taste, to occupy enemy cities - assuming you are not at the end of the game and has already tanks, while the opponent still has archers. And if you have time set up a proper army, it is usually already technologically outdated ...
Apart from that but it's a long time almost impossible to gain a significant technological advantage. That worked much better in SMAX. The AI ​​plays against oddly very long to build both a large army to build world wonders, extremely founding many cities (strangely settled AI emotionally always my place off before each wegsiedeln to room) and keep up technologically. I play on "noble" what the normal difficulty is, where neither the player nor the AI ​​preferred or discriminated against, yet I have even after weeks yet such problems, which leads me right to my biggest gripe:
The game is very difficult to learn. Especially in the beginning you will be slain by the game and will only gradually out how what works and how to behave - or not. I seem even to have understood after weeks basic game mechanics and that is has never happened to me in a game. In SMAX has played 2-3 games and then really knew about everything important decision. In Civ4 I understand even now after a failed part is not what I actually did wrong.
These criticisms and some more that I can not list now prevent Civ4 is a very good match for me. However, since it also has many strengths, it is nevertheless still a really good game. Especially due to its high complexity, it invites one to always and always start a new game (whether the previous was successful or not) to try out another of the numerous civilizations or card settings and experiment with different approaches. Despite the many frustrations moments Civ4 is a real addictive game.
Turn-based strategy friends I recommend the Civ4 complete package at a bargain price in any case. For the money you get very, very, very much delivered entertaining employment.