I just got done playing a 4 player FFA, and let my mindset wander a little just for fun.

Started to build up my economy and 'civic' tree pretty reasonably and far-and-away would become the top credit and crystal earner for the match. And I think I figured out the pirate system pretty well: dump a tiny bit of your money onto the heads of two others at the game's first impending raid, and like magic those two players will go on a bidding war versus the other, leaving me and one other FFA lucky sob out of the pirate's path for at least half the game, since those two players locked in that war started by me now hate each other forever.

As for the two players next to me, I worked some hidden trade deals with them to really start my economy. This way, I could lax my defences around all but one of my territories allowing me to further concentrate on economy and expansion, all the while building a diverse fleet.

Remember those two players that hate each other because of me? I notice he's taking hits from both pirates and his 'sworn enemy' simultaniously, thanks to my positioned scouts (ah, the glory of cease fires and trade sharing). I move into one of this poor guy's desert planets and steal it right from under him. I get a whisper from him asking to give him back his planet and he'll form an alliance. So I do.

Together, our empire allows for the pirate money bomb of his sworn enemy, and we quickly "om nom nom nom" that empire. And of course, my newfound full ally has made no such trade agreements with my other, less important trade-only ally, so he quickly goes in to conquer that empire while I take care of the pirates (he has no trouble with this on his own, either).

And in the end, my ally and I win the day.

I love this game.