Been having a lot of fun with the new version.
Had a rough first start with 2.0, ended up abandoning that game after going into the Beta and having that shift a few things. It was already a bit messed up as I'd made a few early strategic errors due to not fully understanding the new systems. And I was using a race that is, inexplicably, bad. No idea why, they ok on paper. But neither myself nor the AI ever does well with them. No idea why. (Democratic Egalaterian/materialist/xenophile natural engineer croc people with syncretic crab people as proles. Not min/maxed sure, but no idea why they're terrible)
Anyway, started a new game with Space Dwarves. Space Dwarves are awesome. Militaristic Fanatic-Materialist Dictatorship with Mining Guilds and Functional Architecture. They are Industrious, Traditional, Enduring, Slow breeders, and Sedentary.
Started out in the middle of a cluster of nations east of Galactic Center on an Elliptical galaxy. Managed to keep all of them on at least neutral terms as I expanded around and managed to claim a few chunks of space with habitable planets. Also, conquered Earth very early on as it was going through WWII. Well...probably in the 50's or 60's by the time I actually conquered them, but whatever. So I had Dwarves and Humans (Alpine and Continental) and a whole host of suitable planets for them.
Bad news, though, both Marauder clans are very nearby. One was right near Galactic Center but on the other side of a neighbor. The other off somewhat near the western rim of the Galaxy with nothing but empty space between me and them. Fortunately, with no Rivals for the entire early game I only had to bribe them to leave me alone twice. And one of those times was with food, which the Earth makes abundant amounts of.
Looking at the hyperlane map I determined the best chokepoints I could and dedicatedly expanded out to claim my Empire. I didn't get an optimal set-up, as one of my neighbors expanded a bit quicker then I could in the West, but overall I was pleased. Knowing that I could face a great threat Mid-Game from the Khan, I set my focus on a very Dwarvenly pursuit: Fortifications. My tech went into Star Bases when available. I took the new Ascension Perk that added to the Starbase Cap. I took the two chokepoints I had settled on for my Eastern Front and I built them up to be strong enough to take on a Marauder Raiding fleet all on their own.
I kept peace with my neighbors, occasionally spending influence to boost diplomacy and exporting food all across the Galaxy (for credits mostly, as I had money issues for quite a while). The Grand Hall was strong, and our mineral wealth let us continue to build and build safe within our borders as the other empires struggled and fought around us. Eventually I created a Federation and firmed up the alliances around me. It was not until then, finally embroiled in the politics of the outside world, that we gained a Rival. An Inferior Rival, but a Rival nonetheless. They were the Western neighbors of one of my Federation Members. And these Rivals had claimed many systems from my Federation Member over the years during several wars of Conquest. I decided a war to liberate those planets was on my list of things to do.
As a footnote, I was amused to note that every single Federation Member has Purple in their colors.
Not too long after that I hit the tipping point of power, and my Empire started to rocket past all around me. I went from simply being one of the most powerful normal empires to the most powerful normal empire. Then I moved past the Marauder Clans. Only the Fallen Empires are stronger than the Dwarves. For now.
Safe and a bit bored, with only my new Habitat Construction to keep me occupied, we made a meaningless claim on the one system bordering us and the Rival and declared war. We sent two of our fleets down to punish them for their past atrocities. A third I kept in reserve should Marauders strike, due to the time it would take to pull a fleet back. We pushed through their defenses with barely any losses of our own and handily took back many, many systems that had been the rightful territory of our Federation Ally. The Dwarven Empire had been at peace for centuries, yes, but the Galaxy now knew our Might. We had not grown soft in our Halls.
So there I left it last night. The war over, justice prevailing, our lands and Federation Secure. Still solidly Mid-Game, but ready for anything the mid-game can throw at us.
It is time to prepare for the End-Game, whatever that might bring.