[Master Belisarius]

Alneyan said:
I will admit I am not much of a gond of the balanced systems, especially because they remove all other systems (I am fine with balanced planets, however). I particularly like one map I played with Primitive, where we both had plenty of planets of our atmosphere type (Oxygen for me, None for him), though it may be too big for a quick resolution on the Hill. So, if you like Balanced Systems, I will go with it. So long as you do your best to kill me, I will be happy. (I have been hoping to be defeated for a few games, but it looks like it won't work)

Joachim: I am readying other fleets to do a bit of mayhem, but if you can get SM up and running soon, you still have a decent shot at victory, or you could do something on this turn. The other wormholes leading to my territories will be shut down soon, letting the vessels attack you as they will.

I believe you lacked two things in your end of the map: methane planets and asteroids. There was a surprisingly low number of methane planets, even outside of rocky planets, while I had a good deal of oxy planets a bit everywhere (especially away from home). Asteroids made for the bulk of my economy with remote-mining (mainly before I got my Gas colonies up and running), while you had no such opportunity, and I think that was a virtual death warrant. Even on turn 75, remote-mining still covers all my construction expenses, and I had room for more, bigger miners.

I think you lagged in colonial expansion, though there wasn't much to colonise to begin with, and in plain luck to get in the direction of those choke-point systems first (no Ancient trait means you had to fly blind, though your colony ships were faster than mine). If memory serves, you settled several planets near or in your homesystem first, while I spread out very quickly, and that could have made the difference in getting secured borders.

I understand your concerns about the balanced systems, but think your own words about the map of your game with Joaquim, support my view!
I don't want to win just because had better luck than you, with my part of the galaxy... and don't want to lose for the same reason.