Hey Walter, did Sid Meier ever consult you while developing the Civilization series? I recognized a lot of similarities between Civ and Classic Empire when I went back and played the older games in the series.
Also, I second the comment about using games like that in AI research. I don't have time now to explain it in detail, bit I believe it would be much more interesting/useful than playing Star Craft or any MOBAs. It has to do with the fact how short-term decisions affect long-term gameplay. Also, it would me much easier for non-gamers to understand what exactly researchers achieved.
Another game I would love to see played by AI is M.A.X. It's rules aren't any more complex than StarCraft, but the core gameplay is much deeper without diving into weir meta-gaming scenarios.
Additionally, I'm like 75% sure I remember him mentioning Empire at a GDC talk.