The game runs slow, as if my modern computer isn't fast enough to play it. Very long "load times" any time the screen changes to show combat, ground combat, tech, diplomacy. Interface feels sluggish.

I downloaded the mac version to test it out at my computer at work and it runs like a dream, instant transition between screens.

Is there anything I need to do to get the game to run less sluggish on win7 ?

Assuming you mean MOO1, try increasing the CPU cycles in DOSBox. In dosboxMOO1.conf, search for the line starting cycles= and change it to something like cycles=fixed 10000. You can also decrease/increase cycles in game using Ctrl+F11/Ctrl+F12.

I still cannot understand why GOG is selling it with cycles=3000. Even on my dad's fifteen (15!!!) year old budget laptop it works with 3900 cycles. Anything over 4000 should feel fluid. Too many will stress your computer unnecessarily or, gone high enough, may make it worse.

They aren't. IIRC, it's set to auto.

Well, even I just re-installed MoO1 on this computer I cannot remember details except it RAN at 3000 cycles before I changed the settings, which certainly feels sluggish.

Yes, DOSBox set to auto picks 3000 for MoO1. Which is far too low. My point was GOG didn't decide on 3000 cycles. Though I do wish they would set it to e.g. 10000 or something.

Probably not. I have a Core i7 processor, which is pretty fast, but I can go over 100,000 cycles. And if I set core=dynamic I can exceed 500,000 cycles. Unless your laptop is really old you can probably go a lot higher than you think you can, especially with core=dynamic.

Single core >> dynamic core would not help. Stoneage, I know :-P