[oleg]

Did you check EEEvil Empire from TDM ?

1. Usually I check AI with player control and full AI on. Once I am more or less satisfied, I make this race a normal AI and play against it. Time after time I revert it to human control to check its status. It is the only known to me way to check how AI plays with bonuses "on".

2. No

3. No, AFIK. It can maintain trade/research treties but I never saw AI make trade deals amaong themselves.

4. Depends on my mood. Sometimes tactical, sometimes strategic. WP are not useless in Gold. New WP mounts extend weapon range quite nicely. No longer can you close in, fire and get out without shots fired on you. If you are still unsatisfied, change range bonuses to WP even more. Actually, i think I'll do it in my games.

5. I think it is OK as long as you keep credits.
If in doubt sent e-mails to authors. I do not think anybody would object.