Technology Tree Overwhelming

[Kin-Chan]

Wow, after all that playing, I have finally finished a game. Unfortunately, it was finished by the Eee as their heavily shielding dreadnaughts crushed me to goo.

Is there any easy way to deal with the shields? I couldn't find any shield piercing weapons, and I could never do enough damage (even with my entire fleet amassed at my homeworld) to stop their dreadnaughts, or even to kill one.

Most of the ships I use were outfitted with that living armor thing.. I forget the name, and some seeker parasite thing, as well as some acid attack.