while i think barbs being on does do a good job of getting people to not run a skeleton defence early on, i've never liked civ 4's animals just randomly being spawning on tiles to eat scouts. it is probably an incentive to build scouts early, but there's no reason to do that when worker (occasionally workboat) first is the only way to go without falling super far behind. civ 6 has its own problems with the obnoxious turn 6 barb horseman camps, but it at least lets you keep your scouts alive with careful maneuvering
