Early game wars are indeed extremely decisive. Think of playing a OPM in EU.
Once you have expanded a bit, though, you actually have a chance to rebuild your forces and come back form a defeat. When empires reach a size of 10+ planets wars can actually become a back-and-forth struggle.
Once you have expanded a bit, though, you actually have a chance to rebuild your forces and come back form a defeat. When empires reach a size of 10+ planets wars can actually become a back-and-forth struggle.