Ok, digging this one back up. I am thinking about starting a game on PBW along these lines.
My variation:
Each player has a "flag" which is a planet generating just enough resources to keep their ships maintained.
Each player has a equal number of ships at game startup. At least two styles. 1. Attack ships. (QR, standard weaponry, no cloaking.) 2. Spy ship. (QR, cloaked, no weapons, sensors)
All races are ancient race and emotionless, but other than that pure vanilla. (Emotionless to eliminate fluctuations in resource production, ancient race so I can play too. I have to see the map to set this up and it wouldn't be fair if I didn't let everyone see it.
)
I can use mod files to set it up so that you cannot build facilities on your "flag". This will keep you from building a space yard and trying to expand the normal fashion. Once the game gets underway it will be stock files.
The winner is the Last player whose "flag" is not destroyed. You can destroy all your opponents ships too if you want, but once you destroy his flag his ships will start to rot for maintenance anyway.
Does this sound interesting to anyone? I am thinking 6 players. I guess it could be more or less.
Geoschmo