[Kamog]

What are some ways to avoid going MEE by hiding your true strength and artificially lowering your score?
For example, build up tons of fighters and drones which don't count towards your score, and keep as many ships mothballed as possible.

How about if you have a lot of excess resource production that you don't need, then scrap some space ports to lower your production, but be ready to rebuild them immediately when the need arises. Or bLockade some of your own pLanets to reduce production temporarily. Design an escort with no engines or weapons, build it in orbit above your pLanet, and trade it to an enemy A.I. so that your pLanet gets bLockaded by it. When you need the resource production again, attack the ship and destroy it.

Build lots of cheap and useless star bases somewhere and gift them to the A.I. until the A.I.'s score gets huge, so you aLways stay in second pLace.