How do I make the game hard?

[Will]

The way to make the AI hard is to do some/all of the following:

Get a modpack with tweaked AIs, better AIs, but don't expect intelligent AIs (I think you got that part).

Put Team Mode on. Then you don't have to worry about the wierdness of SEIV politics, all the AIs will hate your vile self immediately, no matter what you do (read: they declare war the turn after they meet you).

Give them a High bonus. Everyone seems to say this gives the AI an astronomical production bonus... I haven't noticed, probably because I like sabatoging their economies, blockading major production centers, and all around being the personification of MEE.

Make lots of them. Don't make any neutrals (too easy to get them to surrender).

Place handicaps on yourself in setup. Give the AI 5000 racial points, and give yourself something lower. If you feel really brave, try setting all the values in your empire setup to the minimum values.

Place handicaps on yourself in game. Things such as, no colony ship designs, or no mine sweeper/layer designs, etc., or have all your ships armed with something increadibly weak, such as a low level DUC, or even, don't use any weapon mounts...

Can't really think of much else... someone else might be able to though.