[Krsqk]

No, it doesn't even work well against the AI--at least not past the very short term.

I decided to try this strategy. Small quadrant, 11 AI, 3 neutral, 5 good planet start. My DUC escorts, and later destroyers, were the scourge of the three neighboring systems. I even got myself down to 2 warp points--1 bordering on a black hole system.

And then, 3 AI attacked. I wasn't too bothered by their PPB's--I hadn't even been able to research shields yet. Most of my capital had been tied up in those three systems, and I hadn't been able to develop much research. What research I did have had to go into astrophysics/stellar harnessing. Speed 3 escorts run out of supplies awfully quickly under ordinary circumstances, let alone when used as main warships. By the time I could develop light cruisers, I had been driven back into my original two systems, and was loosing mines faster than I could put them out. Survival time: about 50 game turns.

Bottom line--This strategy only works for very short term--and not well even then if the Rage or another TDM race are nearby. Your ships will be out of supplies three systems away and you'll have to spend major resources to rescue them.