Outside the insanity 1

[Malkiel]

well, the HBC4 was probably 100K of that, considering I sat it 16K off a sentry eye for metal farming... though in the end I replaced that command center with a military 3 (9K strength attack, the warhead made it in time) during the final HW assault.. I didn't want defense distractions.
also, 60 posts in one system... you, sir, are a glutton for punishment.

[Malkiel]

Post game thoughts:
the waves where disappointing. normal waves never reached a point where they could be considered an even pseudo-viable threat
CPAs are nastier than I remembered, but it had been a few months.
Shark plot B on both AIs was excessive as it was basically a sudden wave equal to 1/2 cpa strength the moment something went wrong.. per AI using the plot.
HW attacks aren't as bad as I recall, though I have never so heavily used warheads before
Golems really are rediculous.Their energy costs are way too low on high. should probably be 5 times where they sit.
Forts are oddly competant defensively compared to my less than favorable memory of their performance.
younglings are OP, I don't know why I bother making mercenaries when I used a total of 15 merc etherjets for combat during the whole game despite my well documented stockpile of mercs.
The decolonize option is something I will have to keep in mind for future games, ditching ground I no longer needed didn't hinder me at all.
Chivalric made me a sad panda, defense was too easy. It also meant I didn't have to bother hacking half the things I normally would have because taking them normally would be just as certain to have them forever. never choosing that again.
Human colony rebellions was turned on, I swear it.. apparently, their engineers built better cloaks this run. yay for minor faction failing to impact the game whatsoever.

[Pumpkin]

Congratulations!

I agree: Shark plots are nasty. I think they are just like "I bet I won't do any mistake in this game". That's why I removed them from my next AAR's plans. If they would have been part of a larger, more interesting plot/faction/campaign, and self-balanced, Shark would have been interesting, but as they are now, they're really harsh.

Golem, eh? I think they make games too easy, even on hard. I know Homeworlds' assaults may seem daunting at first, but I feel golems are like Assault Transports: they're so powerful and so effective at dealing with heavily defended planets they make all other subtle strategies useless. Maybe try a low-difficulty game with no superweapon and do a homeworld assault with a regular fleet (and starships and nukes and stuff, of course!)

On the topic of the Human Colony Rebellion, I think there is many fun Minor Factions that are just crushed by superweapons. IMO, AI War has experienced a power creep that culminated with the Exodian Blade campaign. (See this episode of Extra Credits.) I mean, I love them, but I'm sad there is so few lore-juicy campaigns that doesn't end in an insane powerfight. Anyway, I'm digressing. Sorry. I'll talk about that in one of my next mod drafts.

Well, congratulations again! I hope to see you in your next... Wait, what?

Thoughts for next game: (...)