Oh since we are talking about battle tactics and galactic conquest, I suggest anyone interested to check out a game call Space Empires IV... I am playing the demo right now. It is an excellent game, first unlike other empire building games, this game is very realistic in terms of colonization and resource management. Your specie's traits will dictate what type of planets will be compatible for it to thrive (three types of basic planet, icy (hmm, like Uranus?), rocky (like Earth), gas giants (my favorite, super huge planet - Jupiter Style), and a selection of different atmosphere (none, oxygen, methane, hydrogen, etc). Even better, it is very easy to create modifications for this game. People have created Star Wars, B5, Ring Worlds, and many other settings. Check out its reviews at www.gamespot.com and www.gamesdomain.com ... just type in Space Empires IV you will see its reviews. I find its space combat similiar to LOGH's Vic