espionage:
more functionality:
do not only slow enemy down! make it more useful!
you put a spy on a research lab? you steal a small % of his research (like 10% of hte lab R production, at least 1), you have a % chance to steal a tech from the enemy, to sabotage huis researh (all data on his research lost, has to begin again (would hurt when it would happen at 14 of 15 turn tech)
manufacturing? give a chance to sabotage the building and/or ship being build on the planet. having a chance to add extra turns until the building is complete
eco buildings? you steal his money! simple as that!
cult influence? change his relationship slowly, damage relationship with other races, better relationship with you by small amount each turn
approval? damage morale, increase chance to rebel and join you
special? (trade goods, galachievments) not sure, well they are special, maybe getting a part of his bonus? (like XHP your ships would get +2% hp instead the full bonus, he would get nothing?)
less linearity in research, more weapon functions
now its only that weapons get smaller, stronger, cheaper (price/size and price/damage). add some extra effects, maybe like a ion cannon (has a %chance to ignore shields), Multi-Warhead Missile and Co (%chance to damage other then target enemy ship by 1), stasis field (maybe a 5% chance per weapon (not directly cumulative, 2 would be not 10 but 5+5*0.95 % chance) that enemy ship hit wont be able to fire next turn etc) and instead of being a line, branch the weapon tech more.
increase small ship bonus against big ship, like a ship having a % chance to evade enemy weapon fire like (enemy ship size-this ship size)*5%? or make it no directly cummulative (would be rolled for each weapon mounted), for instance:
tiny with 2 lasers, small with 3 mass drivers:
small attack MD1: tiny has 5% chance to evade
small attack MD2: tiny evaded last turn, has now 5*0.75% rounded=3% chance to evade; if didnt evade last turn it has 5% chacne to evade
small attack MD3: tiny evaded 2times, has 5*0.75*0.75=2% chance to evade, evaded only last time, has 3% chance, didnt evade even once, still has 5%
tiny attack small: small is bigger, no chance to evade
this could be based on ship level too, the numbers should be relatively small, to not make it too random. maybe +1% base chance per s5ship levels?
a few permanent wormholes that wont collapse when surveyd and all ships will be able to pass through like half map?
and use them as range base? for instance: wornhhole is 2parsec from nearest allied base/planet, range is 3parsec, you can still operate within 1 parsec of the other end. Only ships of player that surveyed the wormhole can use it.
can e both way or single way
better alliance:
shared range, you can use allied bases for ressuply?
new UP and random events.
a chance for central production "pool"?
planets that dont product anything right now are used as a "asteroid mine field", redirecting their prod to nearest planet, this accumulated and goest on until it reaches a planet that is building something?
for example:
3 planets
PLANET A: prod 4 social; 4 mil, no building in progres
PLANET B: prod 8/8; no building in progres
PLANET C: prod 10/10; building a Constructor, Time left: 10 turns
planet A is 4 parsec from B; 8 parsec from C; planet B is 4 Parsec from C
A redirect its production to B; only 2/2 arrive (not sure about math used for asteroids and range)
B the redirect its 10/10 to C; only 3/3 arive, planet C now has 13/13, timeleft instead is for example now 8turns