I don't think I've ever seen a game that can be as varied or as different every time you play it as LotSM. It is very deep in many ways. The rule book (2nd ed.) is not nearly as bad as some say - It is just the type of game where many, many things can happen, and you cannot memorize all the special cases. So, the rule book must be referred to quite a bit.

If there is one area where some sort of streamlining could be beneficial, I think it's in the tactical combat. The card deck, with cards filled with carefully researched little tidbits of history, is large and varied. If mines & other money making opportunities come out early, the game can be a high-priced arms race & bidding war - If they don't, the game can be a knife fight to pick-up the few coins floating around. I've seen games turn into a financial "mining war"; one where Civil War erupted and the two key factions duked-it-out in a grand fashion, leaving a wasteland in their wake; and no matter what, I always seem to make a lot of money and someone burns my ranch! ..So I always try to get a 2nd going as early as possible.

It's a keeper, that's for sure.