Here's the latest graphics picture; it's very far from the finished look but should give a decent idea of the final graphical style:
- Click image to enlarge.

Industrial Helix wrote:It also kind of looks like the cogships are just close to us and the rest is small via perspective. I guess it all depends on where you put the lasers gun thingies... if they shoot from the bottom and get smaller it will reinforce this idea. Just a thought.
Might also be because the cogships' lines are thicker. I'll have to play with all that at some point.
But first, it would be a good idea to focus on gameplay before graphics, since an easy change in the former could mean an annoying change in the latter. Hence this poorly-labeled purely-gameplay map:
- Click image to enlarge.

The territory labels are totally provisional and ugly (and it looks like I'm going to make the planet larger to accommodate better labels) and are just there to ease discussion.
I'd like it if anyone has thoughts in the way of strategic analysis, how bonuses should work, and so forth. I'm also not entirely convinced that an army-draining connective territory is the best use for the merchant, so if anyone has a better idea I'm all ears.
Finally, I think I have enough here to qualify this as a draft rather than just an idea -- who do I talk to to get a thread moved around here?