Where's an enemy when I need one?

[Paul1980au]

Technology wise id invest in getting some troops on all planets - but also build up youre propulsion abilities and go for supply upgrades and stellar harnessing - that way you can spread quicker deeper and find new enemies - that you can attack.

Even on the higher difficulty (hardest AIs) in a 255 game galaxy i have spread so quick (research tech and mining tech and stellar hanessing (solar collectors) that they put up no more than a token fight - also having troop transports to capture smaller frigne planets of the AI is so easy.