Having so much fun playing a "difficult" run.
Lately been trying a vanilla ship hulls only + ruthless sector + starfarer mode + enemies use good autofits run. And it's really hard!
\I'm constantly strapped for resources and I lose ships every fight. Here I am with lashers, enforcers and my precious XIV onslaught flagship trying to fend off enemies that are tougher and stronger, I'm having to fly around the core worlds and nab the best worlds from pirates or pathers when I can to just barely get enough eco going to support a fleet that won't just fall over, it's been cycles into the run and I only just had enough spare cash to build a research lab but I don't have enough databanks to supply it because I've been sitting here *fighting* for my *life!* And this all began when I nabbed Donn from the pirates for a first colony because I was also doing a "no commissions" at the same time and I really, really needed income.
It's really fun!
For the first time in a long time the persean league blockade came along and I couldn't fight it, not even the supply fleets since they're not exposed. I've had to let it sit there for 150 days+ now while I rush around gathering strength. I have to scope out my conquest targets carefully, constantly managing resources (I'ved dipped down to like $100k credits only even in this "late midgame" because invasions are so expensive). Pirates, with good loadouts and modded ship lists, are a serious threat, and pathers can jump me with IEDs. To say nothing of the XIV battlegroup which will just kill me.
Rolling over everything with UAF and looted boss ships felt it was missing something even when there was the occasional fight that I couldn't win. But with vanilla vs modded + no commission + no selling modded blueprint packs or keycards, goodness, it's been the early game scramble even into midgame where I'd usually be mentally checking out, and it's really quite fun!
Also there's the excitement of imagining being able to take it to the tough factions in the future, like the legio or xiv, with the honest expectation of a tough fight.
Just thought I'd recommend this to anyone reading if you're getting bored being like a giant in a sandbox.