Hmm, Sounds like I've got to get a lot more expansionistic. I tend to take a couple of systems, park fleets on every jump point out and then tech.
A comment re Weapon Platforms. Imagine a high tech Vorlon or Shadow Player. Large Weapon Platforms mounting their massive guns with high rate of fire and range. Now just what are you going to escort those troop transports with - how many sacrifical ships will you deploy just so that the weapon platorms don't target your troop transports... (At which point the Ancient player changes the targetting priority to Unarmed first or some such thing
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