I did not do any namedropping, but when you mention it
But I've seen much much worse Geo, I truly have.
And lets call it a minor flame. I can live with it
I agree most KOTH games can be defined as "early game", but even the largest games goes through an "early game" phase. Unless you get into diplomatic trouble, getting ahead of the pack can be quite rewarding.
Allthough I seldom use fighter in mid/late game due to the micromanagement, I still believe they are effective. In fact I'm plan to rely quite heavily on them in a largish game right now where my available space is not quite at the level I want/need. I'll keep you posted on the results
(To those in games with me: Remember, I might be bluffing

)
Fyron:
You seems to know a whole lot about the best strategies for these small games without playing in them yourself. Maybe it's time for you to put your money where your mouth is
