Short answer: You _have_ to have an army scary enough on paper to make them leave you alone by the time they discover you. It doesn't matter if it's tank chassis, ships, airplanes or mechs. You have to have two or three of any of those to make them think "maybe I'll just move on, find someone s...

I have to agree, somewhat, on the 'infantry doesn't suck'. This last game, I used stacks of 4 snipers/attack and two flamethrower/pheromones, covered by basic aircraft, to clear nests and kidnap queens. Queens have the nice trait of repairing/healing others in their zone. Clearing my continent wound...