I am playing on masochist level - my 3rd game at this levle - won one lost one. Phew it is hard. Scary as hell when you see dreadnoughts with 100+ defence and attack, worse when you actually take them sown and count your own dead.
What I cannot understand is how my neighbours got so great at tech, research and industry. The whole game I have been the weakest in all 3, yet when I look at...
a: their planets - all crap 1 factory 1 research tons of embassies (in general)
b: the stats - their research per turn for instance is a third of mine
I have scanned all my opponents systems and have not seen one that could build a dreadnought in a million years, but here they are. Did they buy them? What? with mostly 5bn planets? I doubt it.
I think i will win as I know how to concerntrate forces but how is th AI doing this? is it a wanky civ4 style AI cheat?
ok Sorry for the rant
I am enjoying it tho - just amazed