With a tech advantage in space, it's hard to lose. Every so often you encounter an odd veteran enemy, but it's by your chance rather than their design. The lack of a decent AI is a bit of a spoiler for this game. The AI compunds this feeling by often makes suicide attacks, and repeating its previous mistakes. Unfortunately Star General doesn't have the wide variety of interesting ingredients that are required to make it a classic, and as such while the game system is OK it does get dull quicker than it ought to.
Little gripes are present too.
Like you can't see the cost of a repair or replacement before you take it, nor is there any way to see the battle objective once a scenario is started. Star General does let you carry troops from one planet to the next as you conquer the galaxy, but the problem then is that they get too good, and can beat inexperienced defenders too easily. Star General was a game I had looked forward to immensely, but my overall feeling is one of disappointment. The final result is a game which is only average rather than addictive, and SSI are left holding what is for them a rare thing, a mediocre strategy game. Space conquest wannabes could still do far worse than buy Star General , but might be better advised to wait for it to hit the bargain bins.