I am just the opposite.
I like a game that starts out slow, and allows you to build up. I have increased the cost of every ship class to research, and made Q-reactors very expensive to use. I like the idea of fleets needing supply ships. To me, it gives the game much more flare.
Additionally, I do start the game out with Destroyers though. I know that some don't like this, but hey, WTF
, its my game
I am toying around with adding new classes and going through the hell of adding new ship images to all the races. I am considering the following classes.
War Cruiser
Juggernought
Stike Cruiser
Scout
Cutter
Capital Ship
Gunship
(Fighters)
Runnabout
Interceptor
Bomber
I also change a few other things to improve my game. I am a little ticked that the AI maxes out its ship construction research early on, and then runs around the galaxy with Dreadnoughts and does not diversify its ship classes. My solution to this would be to make the cost of ship construction research very expensive, and mod the AI to use a more balanced fleet.
Now, if only I knew how to mod the AI to do that.