[Lerchey]

Possum,

MOST people don't explore with fleets. I've been known to do so in multi-player games (no, it wasn't me, I'm not IN any multi-player games right now!) because the other players are people too. By sending out fleets instead of individual scouts, you have a much better chance of a) not getting your scout slagged, and b) being able to take advantage of situations if you stumble into them, like bumbling into another players lightly defended colony or home system.

It happens. Sorry to hear you were on the receiving end of it.

Lt. Col. John