Btw guys if you start your game with hard or easy start remember to alter the difficulty settings from xtc config, u need to set the button from game controls -> interface first
IMO, i started the pirate start and played it with HARD settings for a while, it was too rough, as almost no ships bailed and AI had +25 or was it +50% to their hull & shield.
Now i have M6 hvy dragon with 8 CIG's (=OWNAGE) and 38 million credits + space weed & swamp plant factory set up, but i got bored because i have positive relations with teladi only everysingle 1 of the races hate me, especially borons, they keep sending m3s and shit after me, FUCK THOSE TELETUBBIES!!
So i started again as a paranid ( the Khaak invasion start, imo the other paranid start feels like a cheat, u get TL and player HQ so u can sell them for like 198m credits asap, game gets too easy that way) and im enjoying that wayyyyyy more.