If I remember correctly the Dread Lords will never use carriers because they not only don't have the blueprints to build them, but the carrier tech isn't in their tech tree.

I have a game going that has taken quite a turn as well.  It is turn 130 and six factions have declared war on me because I was my usual lazy self about military.  Only this time, they were not going to let me get away with it.  I have three factions wandering around in my territory blowing up ships and starbases, and two factions have taken a couple border planets.  It started with a couple early participants, but a couple of turns later, I had the "Troublemaker" achievement.  I wanted to reject the achievement on the grounds that it wasn't my fault, but I realize that being this weak is a prosecutable crime in GalCiv.  But I was researching a few military techs, so I am working on a comeback.  They may yet regret their combined arrogance.  We'll see.

I had been playing with the galaxy and opponent settings to find something that let me expand, but would limit being able to out-expand and thereby dominate the AI on the genius setting.  I was looking for some challenge.  I guess, between settings and AI improvements, I need to be wary of getting exactly what I wished for.  Also, one faction has some precursor artifact thing they got just before declaring war on me, and we will have to see what that does.

I also lost the UP election for the first time.    

As a usually peaceful player when I can get away with it, on turn 130 I have seen more battles than all my other games put together, especially considering the massive amount of civilian casualties.  While building my military, I was still sending out constructors and colonizers to keep some expansion going.  It was like some brutal space version of running an embargo.  Then, for a short while, the only ships of theirs I could kill were scouts and survey ships.  Civilian lives became dreadfully cheap there for a while. 

And one faction has definitely adapted to my weapons choice.   

This is the kind of progress I became a founder to see.   It is becoming the wild ride I both expected and hoped for.

I have to add a detail.  One of the random factions is actually me.  I have a custom faction I created for my style of play.  I polished it up a bit and posted it on the workshop.  I kept the old copy to tinker with traits a bit.   The workshop version showed up as an opponent.   I had forgotten that it was also in my files and could come up as a choice.  It is interesting to see how well it is doing in the standings.  It is third out of seven overall, with second in economy and fourth in military.  I am first, first, and sixth, respectively.  I don't know whether to root for them or not.  They are part of the many at war with me and have taken two planets so far.

 I'm going to have to take a break for work and other things, but this game will be waiting for me when I get back!