Playing against crippling AIs, I have noticed using various start bonuses that it's impossible to win or stay alive without a decent millitary (decent being ~ rating > 70). Yet, on one map, we have the altarians boxed in a corner with only 5 planets and yet for 3 years they aren't warring anybody despite they have the weakest millitary, whereas I with my average army am constantly warred upon by others.
To win, I have to set high econ bonus in combination with high morale.
Has anybody won a game on high difficulty without ever going to war once? How?