[Atrocities]

This is why we need progressive ship building capabilities. You can't even build a ship yard until your population reaches X amount. Then the yard is only X amout useful until population increases are met or expansion yards are built.

I like to limit my colony ships to 1 million population and require more engines for the ships. I have thought about making colony ships huge costly ships but that would just slow the AI down and make it a lot harder for players.

There is a give and take from game play vs reality. You just got to go with the flow and ignor the obvious at times.