[Sessile]

I've delved into some more game modes and have decided on an alternate early strategy as a game-winner. Applied research is cool, but cooler still is to bomb another civ back to the stone age, who uses a different planet type (picking Gas for your race almost ensures this) and thus being able to colonize twice as many planets for free, after they surrender. Repeat for the third type of planet, and you're almost a lock to win the game, since the AI just doesn't have a game plan, really. Frigates with 1 CSM and supply maxed allow you to do this within the first twenty turns, if a civ is within 2 systems. I'm turning into a hella bloodthirsty player, it just works better.