Races

• The Alkaris – an avian race of superior pilots.

  The Alkari are descended from large birds and are still capable of limited flight. From an early age Alkari learn to master the subtleties of flight and three dimensional motion. As a result, Alkari make superior pilots: their ships are very difficult to hit and, given equivalent designs, their ships will move before any others except the Mrrshan. Alkari pilots add three levels of defense to any spacecraft they pilot in combat and add +3 to their ship initiatives.

  To take full advantage of the Alkari’s combat bonus, Alkari players should build small and medium ships. The defensive bonus tremendously reduces the amount of damage taken.

• The Bulrathis – a large bearlike race with superior ground troops.

  The Bulrathi are a fierce bear-like race that possesses incredible strength and constitution. No other race can match the Bulrathi in personal combat, giving them a +25 bonus in all ground attacks.

  Bulrathi players should always attempt to take colonies with ground forces even if outnumbered.

• The Darlok – shape-changing spies.

  The Darlok are a ruthless race of shapeshifters capable of taking on the form of nearly any living being. This unusual ability to change forms makes them superior spies and allows them a bonus to all sabotage, espionage, and security functions. Darlok spy networks cost only half as much as other races’ spies. The Darlok add +30 to their Spy Fate rolls and add +20 to their security. Of course, no one trusts a Darlok.

  Darlok players should concentrate on one or two areas of technology for a technological advantage and steal the rest.

• The Humans – outstanding diplomats and traders.

  While man may be physically weaker than many of the other races, his talent for trading and generally amiable nature has made him one of the best diplomats in the universe. Humans receive an additional 25% profit when trading, double the effect of good diplomatic actions, and add +5 diplomatic levels when offering treaties and trade agreements, and in the High Council.

  Since the Humans’ advantage is gained from interaction, human players should immediately begin making deals with other races.

• The Klackons – productive insect workers.

  The Klackons are a large ant-like race with an extremely ordered society. Each individual is born to serve a single purpose, and does so without question. As a result, the Klackons are mobilized into an industrious society where each unit of population produces double the output of other races. The Klackon’s bonus is cumulative with planetology bonuses. Klackons excel in quickly making productive new colonies.

• The Meklars – cybernetic masters of automated production.

  For centuries the Meklars have developed and worn powered exoskeletons to compensate for their physical weakness. As a result, the Meklars are the acknowledged masters of cybernetic interfaces and are able to control two additional factories per population above and beyond their normal technological limit. Also, Meklars also do not need to pay to refit factories for Robotic Control.

  Since Meklars can create powerful industries, Meklar players do not need to expand as quickly as the other races.

• The Mrrshan – a catlike race with accurate gunners.

  The Mrrshans are descendants of very large hunting cats, and although they have in general been able to curb their aggressive impulses, the Mrrshans still retain a keen hunter nature. Their sheer ferocity and natural instincts make Mrrshans the best gunners in the universe. Mrrshan ships move first in most situations and add four levels to their attack rolls. Mrrshan ships equipped with multiple fire weapons can be particularly nasty.

  Like the Alkari, Mrrshan players should begin the game in an offensive posture and should attack their enemies almost immediately.

• The Psilons – brilliant researchers.

  The Psilons are a brilliant, unemotional race devoted solely to hard logic and the quest for knowledge. Their superior minds and research techniques allow them to gain a +50% bonus to all their research efforts. They can also select from a greater number of devices to research than other races.

  Psilon players should invest heavily in research, then guard their discoveries with high internal security. Technological advantages should be used as quickly as possible against more primitive races.

• The Sakkra – prolific lizards.

  The Sakkra are a race of cold-blooded reptiles which are hatched from eggs like their dinosaur ancestors. Sakkras reproduce at twice the normal rate, and also get that reproduction bonus in addition to the benefits from Fertile or Gaia planets. They even receive the bonus when cloning.

  Sakkra players should never allow their planets to fill up. Their advantage is in their growth rate and they should constantly expand and create new colonies.

• The Silicoids – crystalline beings immune to hostile environments.

  The Silicoids are a race of rock-beings. They are immune to the effects of waste and can land on star systems with any type of environment. Silicoids do not benefit from fertile or gaia environments. Due to their crystalline nature, Silicoid populations grow at only half the rate of other races.

  Even though the Silicoids already possess many of the planetology tech advantages, Silicoid players cannot ignore planetology altogether. Planetology is necessary to expand the size of planets, and the additional production bonus is always important.

Up to six of them, including the race chosen by the player, can be present during a game.