1) This is a disputed question. Many people think that strategies they test in the simulator don't work the same in actual combat. Supposedly the 'strategic' combat routiens are the same as the 'automatic' in the tactical mode but again without access to the code we can't be sure.
2) In the unmodded game, no. You can alter mines to be visible with higher level sensors, though.
3) Yeah, the colony ship requires that almost all of its space be taken by the colony module. With a warship hull you can build a faster colonizer, or even an ARMED colonizer than can clear out the inconvenient aliens on the planet before colonizing.
4) Yes, this has been done for many data files. Look in the mods forum and you might find a spreadsheet or text file. Or maybe someone will provide a pointer to a thread in this forum.
5) If they aren't it's a bug. So far as I know shields are reduced and combat sensors degraded in nebulas just like they are supposed to be.
6) Now that apparently doesn't work. I guess it can't work since each storm is unique. How does it decide which storm attributes to use when you select a storm in the simulator?
7) I don't think there is any 'central' bug list but you'll definitely learn of all the bugs by reading here.
8) Some sort of algorithm is used to spread the damage around in pseudo-randomized fashion. We don't have the code so we can't say exactly what it is.
9) Every experienced player that I know of hates all the AI ministers and does everything personally. This is the biggest complaint about the game... the AI sucks!
10) They are supposed to. Some problems have been reported where the AI forgets to uncloak. If you are using your ships in 'manual' mode they do NOT automatically uncloak. You must stop and uncloak before hitting a mine field, or let them run uncloacked in order to be effective.
11) Well, that's 'automatic' when you click and the data is there.
12) Yep. Your standard maintenance costs are considered to pay for repairs, I guess.
13) There seems to be a difference in how the AI percieves them. When in a hostile mood it is more likely to accept a tribute than a gift.
14) We have only been able to verify that conditions affect reproduction rate. The other effects are probably unimplemented.
15) No. They used to, but it was a problem and they were removd from ground combat.
16) Yes, mounts multiply the effect of tractor or repulsor beams by the same proportion as other weapons.
17) Yes, a one-ship fleet gets fleet experience. Granted, it sounds illogical since a ship alon can't be any more effective just by being designated a fleet, but wouldn't it be considered a bug if fleet experience
didn't work when you had only one ship?