What difficulty level are you playing?

[LDiCesare]

Started on beginner, won, then subnormal, lost, then won, then normal. I quit the game after three successive crashes and I didn't want to conquer the same star a fourth time. Now playing normal with autosave very turn. I also grew from small to medium galaxy. I am not sure which size is the hardest.

[Fried-Psitalon]

Crushing the computer in a Gigantic-Normal right now. I'm certain that I could beat the next level up with my current tactics. Got 569 points for my Gigantic-Subnormal game; looking forward to seeing what I get for my Gigantic-Normal one.

[Harry Seldon]

Playing normal, small. Was doing great until I attacked the Altarians.

[Rusty Nail]

The first game after learning the mechanics is intelligent for all AI's, medium map, based on not wanting to develop bad habits that won't work at higher levels. I am now close to a cultural victory (75%) or military (60%) in 2208, am neutral, and have been surpirsed at how easy it has gone. I think the key was choosing war party for the 50 hitpoints, and beelining for battleaxes (overpowered in my opinion) which are cheap and can defend against anything until dreadnoughts. No one has dared attack me in the whole game. Then focussed on trade, keeping ahead in tech and active tech trading and building SB's. I attacked the largest civ , the evil Drengins, systematically about 50 turns ago with culture SB,s until its last system collapsed two turns ago. I am going to start a war now just to test the ground combat options. I think winning culturally is too easy, and the AI should not be so passive about being culture-bombed. In my next game I am going to allow only a military victory.