Well, on larger maps I can see that it would be a problem. But on smaller maps that event isn't too harsh.

Just like the spy event. On Immense all/abundant, that event is a game-breaker if you held any ground at all. However, on a Medium map that is far more manageable.

The ability score plague event is a nasty one to get mid-war. Makes you pull back all your ships/troops until you got your ability scores back.

The Jagged Knife are bad to get, but then again, if you had a store of troop ships, you can reclaim your worlds as well as ones once held by your opponents w/o going to war with them.

The Dread Lords are irritating to get when you are nowhere near them to knock them out really quickly. If given time to get moving, they are a force to be reckoned with.

So, without going down the entire list of events, I guess I could just say that there is always a way for some mega event to have a bright side to it...as long as you happen to be prepaired/on the right map size.

I would have added weeks of playing time, but I wussed out and started a new game. I don't mind fighting through the Jagged Knife or Dread Lords, but being slow sucks.