Popgrowth doesn't give you more pop, only faster pop growth.  So you don't 'really' need more than 10%.  50% is nice, and quick to get up and running, esp if you get opped - but most of the round, its not really needed.

I prefer to max out on science, because as a pop banker, you're going to have high networth and this makes it harder to get better research.  And as a pop banker, you only really start minting the money when you have high research in both eco and welfare - only then are you laughing at all the CF bankers

Read my opinion on a pop race here -> http://www.imperialconflict.com/forum/viewtopic.php?pid=486902#p486902

The only difference I add now to that post is that Revalons 'is' an option.  Not necessarily better, but it depends on your play style.   I prefer more research, but why Revalons is viable, I find, is because at end game when you have really high research, its not that much viable adding more and you can't go higher.  So in that case 10% more income helps.  Ofcourse the Revs would have had to put more gc into the research to be the same, but its like an extension to the income level.

I still prefer custom pop though.

Will be interesting to hear since i did the same this round but it a bit wacky since i got attacked and also starved a lot.
Difference i made is pure pop from start wich is tricky but not as slow as many thinks since you start with 5k pop. The tricky part is to get food and iron to ob to 100% in HS and build lq.s in tick 18 (you max out in tick 26) and then double in each 11:th tick.

"But you have to admit 3408 is sorta far ahead of you now, even their poppers that only started building LQs under a week ago"

Doesn't really apply because of the reasons you mentioned yourself:

"its always hard to tell what is the best strategy since some are implemented better while others had more fighting etc."

Nandro's fam sacrificed Eco to eliminate a threat in another fam by raiding them early.  That stunts their growth obviously.  Don't forget they were completely owning everyones fam in Eco before that and the rest of the gal was far behind.

So yea, there's just so many factors that affect stuff for best growth - especially activity.

Oh, I never said starting pop was good.  I'd never do it.  Although I have done it in the past.

but they lacked defence didn't they Noir and got pwned in the end. and I see Nandro's pop at 35m atm and your 2 under 1m ^^^^

lovely strategy.