[rdouglass]

One word - Intel. One of my favorite strategies is intel. I research it early and get to level 4 (Puppet Political Parties). That intel operation seems to work every time. Although, sometimes they destroy the colony as soon as you get it, they don't have the resources from that colony either. And I tell you, after you have taken a few of the enemy's planets, they seem to gow down the victory scale fast.

I am currently in a war with the Eee (I hate those guys!)and they had at least a 50% better rating than I did. In fact they were the Mega Evil Empire. I intel'ed them with PPP and Crew Insurrection (as well as counter-intel) and within 25 turns, I had 'em at half of their original score. I had captured (crew ins) at least 12 of their dreadnaughts (analized 'em and gained 4 levels up to Wave Motion Gun II) and 8 of their planets. I quickly converted 2 of their planets into military installations and had decent support well within their territory. They then switched focus and started relocating their fleets toward those bases within their own territory. Cool!

That gave me plenty of time to build up a significant fleet, sent that fleet to one of those bases and I am now "ripping those Eee a new butthole".

I don't know about 3 front wars, but this would definitely weaken one of 'em.