Go to the menu and one of the choices under options is you can select sprites or counters. Being a purist, I always use counters.
I usually check for updates everytime I play.
Semper Fi really updated the AI. It also adds arcade mode. Arcade mode streamlines the supply modelling and as long as you have surplus, it is available to units. None of this going halfway around the world makes it impossible to supply your units BS. I usually end up building infrastructure and ports (for my overseas conquests) like mad.