Autoresolve is just as subject to manipulation as real tactical battles, and it has the advantage of almost never killing your general. Oh, and autoresolving isn't much fun.

I still think migration games are a decent challenge through the first 80-100 turns. Make yourself Portugal and do an overland migration to Sarkel or Baghdad. You'll arrive just in time to see the Mongols enter the map.

My thing, however, is that I want to challenge myself, not handicap myself. I hate the idea of not doing something as essential and fun as fighting battles just because it makes the game easy.