Been playing a few 1 on 1 games on the smallest map size.

Map issue --
It frequently seems to setup unfair starting conditions. I've been on both sides of this many times: Player 1 starts off on the edge of the map, player 2 starts in the middle. Player 1 is cut off from much of the map while player 2 has immediate access to most star systems with his colony ships, without needing a starbase or any technology.

IMO, it should seek to put as much distance as possible between all players, which in a tiny map, 1v1, should result in you always starting on the opposite side of the map from your opponet.


AI issues --
The computer (set to Intelligent) was very Contructor-happy. With no means of defending its starbases, it would continually send out constructors to any unclaimed resources, always sending 1 to each, basically just leaving a bunch of defenseless starbases in the middle of the warzone.

Also, I accidentally left a class 5 planet in a far corner unclaimed. The computer spent the rest of the game trying to reach it with a colony ship, at the apparent expense of a military. The colony ships were always unescorted, so I just kept blowing them up.


The AI needs to take some consideration for defending its utility ships, especially if its enemies have greater military power, and/or don't build utility ships until it has some chance of defending them.