I do not think the research stations are the balance problem for this.
I could have done this (more slowly for sure) with caps of level 1. I did not even use the hacker station to choose what ship to use.
IMO, the problem is that I'm completely unopposed until the AIP reaches 140 or so. Waves, reinforcements and default garrison is pathetic and weak until then.
Which has sort of been touched on in other threads, and what the "lazy AI" off was supposed to help address if you can stay very low AIP to the late game, but then have a much harder "wall" if you do this as the AI won't skimp on HW defense even at low AIP with this option.
Considering that you were able to out produce the non-lazy strategic reserve with almost no knowledge and only Mk I and II fleetships and Mk. I starships, it may be that strategic reserves need a buff.
That said, I still do think that the AI's "base strength" could go up some in return for its growth over AIP going down a bit.
Something is wrong here, I did not out-produce the strategic reserves, never needed to. I beat the AI by ignoring the reserves. You can see that clearly in the last saves, just launch an assault on the world neighboring the 2nd AI. They are at 70%.
Which neinzul ship were you using?
I unlocked tigers and commandos mk1 & mk2 and with the ARS.
Looking at the saves, he had lazy off AND CSGs on. They're somewhat redundant (I'm happy to accept a non-Lazy game as valid for balance feedback even with CSGs off)
I do not agree with this. CSG leaves you no choice, you have to take useless worlds, even worlds dangerous to clean-up, worlds that cannot easily be defended. Lazy gives you so much AIP floor that you can conquer the universe with it, and take mostly the better locations.
This makes a huge difference because there is only 5 warp station. There is no way you can defend all worlds taken with the CSG on with 5 warp station, whereas you can with the Lazy option.
On the "balance" note:
I don't know if what I've done here is doable at higher diff level, given some things to neuter Exos (including, not using golems / spirecraft). What is the growth in reinforcements between diff 7 and 8 ? Twice as numerous ? The ressources needed to build stuff are really on the low side. Given a 10 or 13k limit however, it should be doable, yet I don't think the same "blocks" would happen. In my opinion, a cap of lvl 1 and 2 ships in a transport are enough to do enough damage to a core guard post so it does not regen completely before being able to repeat the operation on an unalerted homeworld, and fast enough to attack before getting caught up by the AI strategic reserves.
Spirecrafts, overall, are kind of weak. I built up some siege tower, but the devourer found them when I was otherwise occupied. About the exo waves / reinforcements, the bombers, spire starships, flagship and neinzul starship were the ones my troops were taking ages to kill. Of course, golems too.
