Yeah, just search for "The ai suxx0rs" "The ai is crap" "this AI is terrible" etc, and you get a lot of cheesy tactics like rushing and other things that the AI (Or human player for that matter) can't handle. At least the AI won't disconnect if your tactic succeeds

But if you ask me, the key to victory is soldiering techs. With them, you can't be invaded, and that includes by the DL. Then the yellow techs are good, so you can be snobby towards the other races and buy tech cheap, which will mean you don't have to research for piddly improvement techs. Trade is the most important, the AI pays through the nose for this. Then get some good ships, medium hulls, 6 attack, and 3 speed are good for beggining game, so they won't attack you. Focus on logistics and miniturisation, and when you get attacked, focus on weapons, and use those new techs to create fleets that wipe the floor with the AI.

I find a big help to my early game (only playing on tough) is to get into military early even if its only 1 attack 0 defense 1 move per week deals...

I start by researching Impulse drive. I put my sliders on 80% research, 20% social until I have it, then I start building fast (5 pc) colony ships. I never build any ships other than colony ships or contructors until all the planets are settled and all the resources I can find have been mined. Then I start building defenders while I research medium sized hulls. I buy at least a few colony ships in order to maximize my chances of claiming planets. I also buy a factory on the first few planets I colonize in order to get things started. I have at times turned my budget to zero in order to generate enough dollars to buy constuctors in order to get mines started and battle stations added to them. I hunt anomalies ruthlessly in hopes of getting those extra $2500 ones, each one of which can buy another couple colony ships which means I own another couple planets.

I play on Painful or higher on the latest beta build.

Some good posts here! I love reading this kinda stuff.

Population management is definitely a big issue in 1.1, so keeping those troopers happy pays dividends. At least some racial morale bonus really helps me the way I play, I'm always short of cash so I tend to go for +economy politically (Federalists ? My memory is awful!), and I always figure extra social/military prod/research is good. And throw in some luck and pop growth for good measure

Rushing is a must-have for me. I won't always rush a factory out on my base-planet (unless there's a prod bonus), as the capital provides a lot of output. As long as there's other decent (PQ 10+) planets nearby I tend to save my cash for developing those instead. I do, however, rush a modded (with engine upgrade) colony ship out for the first few turns. Depending on map size and layout i may rush-build a scout early on too.

Research-wise, I prioritise on engines up to the first +1 speed level, and whack research right up til I get there. After that, research drops to maybe 40% or so and I go (in no particular order) for Planetary Improvements (+10/10/10 is awesome), Sensors 1 (helps exploring, I tend to play on large or bigger map size), the first military one for the +10 mil production, and by that stage, Universal Translaters so I can start trading techs. Xeno labs, diplomacy and trade are also priorities.

Colonizing - anything 14+ PQ I grab as soon as I see it. Otherwise, I try to expand as far as my range will let me, colonize on the edges on 10+ (8 or 9 if I really have to), and keep pushing out. I then in-fill later. The aim here is to hem in the other races, and provide myself with as wide a range as possible in which to find anomalies and resources.

Economy - always tricky. Anomalies can be life savers, I'll build a second surveyor with a cargo hull and as much engine power and range as I can get, and set it to auto-survey along with my flagship. I try to build a few monster-economy planets, and then put one or two economy buildings on other planets. Farms on the bigger ones, and don't understimate tourism income either.

Military - My military tends to be non-existant for longer than the AI, but I keep a close eye on relations and if people start getting to wary and have some military tech, then I will build up fast and also try to start trading with them asap - trade is an amazing war-detterrent. If all else fails I'll bribe my way into their good books until I'm good and ready to crush them in my own time

Usually you can tell when another civ thinks you are an easy mark because they will start making demands of you. If I haven't already started building military at that point, I do start soon. I seem to quickly always take the lead in military anyway because I always have more economic and production capacity than the AIs do.