What are your favourite alien civilisations in the official canon, and why?

Obviously, alien means "everyone EXCEPT the Terran Alliance...duh!"

from GalCiv2 Forums

Hi, I'm a long-time lurker but I seldom post at all, this is probably close to my first if not the first post on this forum, so, a big hello to everyone here.  Hi!  :D

Anyway, let's get down to the message topic.   Basically, I'm asking you guys what you think your favourite official canon civilisation is, and why.  However, there are two things of note, which I hope I've made clear in the title and subtitle -but again, I clarify for a race to be eligible for the purposes of this open poll, it:

  • Must be canon in the actual game storylike (that is, stock races only)
  • Must be a major race
  • Excludes the Terran Alliance (I am asking about the aliens, not the in-game humans).

Basically, a reply should be first telling which out of those parameters is your favourite major race; listing a second  race is optional.  Also, a least favourite race should be listed, and why.  Again, the Terran Alliance, being humans, are excluded from this poll.

Anyway, I'll start the ball rolling:

Crion87's Favourite Galciv II Aliens: Thalan Empire

Why: A species not only alien to the humans, but from another place altogether - in their case, a very distant future period in time, or perhaps a universe older than ours.  Regardless, they have teleported here like the cybernetic sphere-shaped cyborgs called the Toclafane from Doctor Who (except the Thalans do one better than the Toclafane by arriving through their own means and methods, not relying on some psychopath from an eerily humanlike elder race pretending to be a British politician to get to the main setting (sorry Russell T Davies, but it's true).  References to British TV shows aside, the Thalans get really nifty tech...but the bad news is, apart from three very powerful machines they brought with them, they have to start building their empire from scratch, thus balancing them out.  And once said machines are gone, the Thalans will wish they stayed home and watched holographic TV.  It is a pain in the rectum to set their colonies up initially (those meditation halls you can tech for early are your friend), and from personal experience they can be hard, but rewarding.

In summary: One of the most 'alien' aliens in the game.  Besides, anything surviving toward the dying times of its universe ought to be tough.

Crion87's Least Favourite Galciv II Aliens: Dominion of Korx

Why: It was a tie between these guys and the Krynn, but I'm not particularly impressed by the Korx (sort-of like a mashup between the Ferengi of Star Trek with all the business ethics practices of the Druuge from Ur-Quan Masters) is not exactly my cup of tea.  I would think they may have some Drengin-esque slave pits, no, they're just Terrans with a economic focus.  Still, I might try and play 'em sometime.  Just because I don't like a race flavour-wise doesn't mean I hate them.  Even the Krynn have allegedly better reasons for doing what they do - but the Korx come off as just money-grubbing "greedy capitalist stereotypes" - like palm oil plantation companies in Borneo and Indonesia, British Petroleum, and Electronic Arts...

In summary: Money money money...and not much else...

Anyway, that's my $0.02.  I would have given some info on the Iconian Refuge, my #2 favourites, but I just didn't feel like it.  I might make mention of them somewhere else.  I was thinking more flavour and less gameplay.  I'd imagine the Korx would be easier to play for instance, being similar to the Terrans.

Now over to you (the collective membership of this forum...)

 

EDIT: Please note that the spelling may seem inconsistent by standardised American English.  I am an Australian, and though as a culture we speak English, oftentimes with a very distinctive accent, we generally write English somewhere between UK and US norms and thus some spellings may seem like those from British English.  

14,104 views 13 replies
Reply #1 from GalCiv2 Forums Top

Hmm, almost an entire month and I'm the first to respond.  How strange.

My favorite Stock race would have to be the Yor.  I like their style of ships andthat the enemy movement within their sphere(s) of influence is reduced to a crawl. 

My least favorite is the Torians; as they breed like rodents and tend to over run the galaxy (except when I try to play as them).

I know you were probably looking for a bit more pomp and circumstance; but it's mid afternoon and my brain gets slugglish at this time of day for some reason.

SK

PS. I rarely play stock races.

Reply #2 from GalCiv2 Forums Top

IN the dread lords and the dark avatar campaign it was the Yor. In Twilight of the Arnor the Yor are useless. can you tell me how to play the Yor in Twilight of the Arnor, storywise its the yor. Aiwise the Yor have mixed feelings the fleet is really strong, but with only four planets they wont be able to keep up in a scrap. 

Gamewise why dont you guys like the krynn there the cheapest and cheesiest of all the races. Their morale is to high if you max out your morale with a populists party, even though they dont start out with market places. 

The torians are great, their tech tree is the best on the game,its like a suped up Terrans. Galactic achievements only gets you so far, especially when you cant build inprovements like market places and factories. Their super ability have a half life when your planets reach between 15 to 20 billion, but its a great ride untill then. You will have to eventually lower production like everyone, but its quadriple normal. If your not Torians, you can catch up. But its hard, especially considering the Torians will have a serious tech advantage. I would recommend keeping approval at 100% for as long as you can till all your planets have 1520 billion people.

Ai wise its either the Thalans or the Torians, because they are the strongest.

Storywise my least is the krynn. You don't have good Jihadists. Mohammed said to kill the Jews. The leader of the P.L.O. won the Nobel peace prize by saying we have to annilate all the Jews.

Playingwise the Yor. Their tech tree doesn't work economically or entertainmentally.

Aiwise its probably the Korath Clan, in the Dark Avatar game they were the 2nd most powerful guy. You would think if you were going to make some really powerful guys like the Thalans, Torians, or the Iconians you wouldn't bone everyone else. Why did they make a tactician stupid.

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Reply #3 from GalCiv2 Forums Top

  Nice little thread, my first post here as I have only had this game for a bit over a year and haven't really gotten into playing it until recently.  At first I will admit to having been tempted to play a custom race, but my Themed nature got the better of me so the only Custom race I have made was one that uses the Minor Race Tech just for a challenge.

  Now then, on to my racial likes and dislikes. 

 

(Like)  The Yor Collective

  I had played these guys back in the original GalCiv2 and was quite happy to be able to play as a race of berserker drones.  And in TA they just got better, their new techs gave a much greater insight into their them, not just as a race but as a civilization.  I personally believe they are one of the best races in the game an I am not talking about gameplay wise.

 

(Dislike)  The Drengin and Korath

  I have only one real reason for not liking these guys.  Their looks.  So I am vain that way.  The only way I managed to get myself to overlook the Korath's looks was to run with the whole "mutant Drengin" thing up to the point where they did not look like those reptilian apes.

 

  I have a very bad opinion of the folks who only play Min/Maxed Custom races, so I do not even want to hear a one word  from one of you Godmodders.

Reply #4 from GalCiv2 Forums Top

  My favourite race to meet (when I am playing Altarian as usual in DA) is the Torian.  They are always friendly and attack my enemies when another race attacks me.  Except one game where they had the mega-event which made them evil.

  Another favourite to meet:  Drath;  not afraid to start wars but always weak and losing.  I feel safe with them.

Reply #5 from GalCiv2 Forums Top

Mine would have to  be the Korath with their powerful weapons and production.

Drath are 2nd best with their soldiers/war profit  :D

 

Reply #6 from GalCiv2 Forums Top

My Favorite (Lore wise) would be the Yor, followed by the Arceans, Thalans, Iconians, and Drath/Alterians.

Gameplay wise: Yor, followed by Arceans and Thalans.

 

My favorite part of the lore is the vary early story ideas, the Stargate-early human hyperdrive stories.

 

Least favorite (lore) is, well i apreciate them all in diferent ways. But if i had to choose, the Torians just dont seem as DEEP a race or a story.

Gameplay wise: I have to admit i havnt played as everyone (i play as humans alot) but the Krynn dont seem to fit my style.

 

In AI hands i hate the Drengin (in a fun, lets have a big war, and ill win eventually kind of way). And the Torians are annoying.

Reply #7 from GalCiv2 Forums Top

I personally like Drengin the most.

I invest my points to maximize their abilities (rapair, hp, sildiering, weapons)and I choose War party.

They are supposed to be evil and it matches with my game style. I have no problem with starting wars with the ones who dare to build Influence starbases near my planets.

They have very clear tech tree and buildings.

They are powerul: Psyonic Beam is just after Lasers so researching beyond that point is just a waste of time.

like their Super Ability: I design a small chasis with 2xHarpoons for cheap and not so crappy solution for upgrading Super Dominator Corvettes.

I do not have the least favourite race - I tried to play with every one and I consider them "Not Drengin" :P

Reply #8 from GalCiv2 Forums Top


like palm oil plantation companies in Borneo and Indonesia, British Petroleum, and Electronic Arts...

Much agreed.....

On topic:

I have to say that i like the Dread Lords the most, besides the weakest economy in the game(start with 3000bc and 2 turns later -5000bc??WTF???) and an odd ability to LOSE population with 100% approval, they are beast at war and their ships are LIVING BEINGS, they also have no retarded history techs and get most of the tech in the game(can anyone tell me how to fix the economy and pop growth on this race???[Dreadlords can be made by making custom race, then edit the text file and change RaceID to 23 then go back in game and hit clear]).

The Minor Races actually are my least favorite.

anyone notice that they stall out instantly in TA? :\

Reply #9 from GalCiv2 Forums Top

Least Favorite:  Korath

As a race they exude cheese.  Spore ships that insta-take undefended worlds and turn them toxic is just a lazy man's invasion.  Playing them always felt like EZ-mode, and playing against them just means you gotta get everyone to take them out first...and talking other civ's into doing that early is no chore with the Korath's poor diplomacy.  Story-wise they are just more Drengin than Drengin.  They shouldn't even be playable, they should be a special event like the Dread Lords, Jagged Knife, I-league, etc.. Don't play with them or against them anymore.

 

Favorite:  Torian

I just love the description of when they threw off Drengin oppression for the first time.  They are described as having Bronze Age gear and stolen tech, and losing millions (billions?) in the final battle taking out a squad of Drengin Space Marines.  I can just see them being urged into battle, climbing over heaps of dead Torians, by guys who are the perfect cross of Leonidas of Sparta and Kermit the Frog.  If that doesn't put a smile on your face, I don't know what to say.

They're not a bad race to play as either.  The Super Breeder makes getting colonies going economically a breeze.  The do exceptionally well at the initial colony rush.  As a 'Good' race they can make allies easily and can typically limit the wars they get themselves into  They have very economical early buildings (back when I played with tech trading, I always loved "shopping" on Torian tech...especially for research and morale buildings and bonuses) and can get a pretty good lead.

 

Runners-up:

Playing as the Krynn- Can go good-neutral-evil and still be effective tech-tree wise.  Flipping planets more satisfying than invading.  Lots of fun messing with starbases while you are waiting to gear up for war again.

Korx as a Neutral Race- What's the point of making an Evil mercantile race that relies on trade income when the U.P. can always vote Evil races' trade route #s down?  Playing them as neutral lets their Merchant fleets fly on and provides a nice counter to the Humans abusing the trade screen.

Yor- Wish I remembered this game, but according to the Metaverse it was my most impressive not using Drengin/Korath for the conquest win.  It musta been awesome.  Plus, with the tech trading off, you really gotta know what you're doing economically with them.

 

Looks like it's time for games with the Iconians (because I'm having a hard time remembering them other than their one awesome econ building) and the Yor to jog my memory.  Great thread, glad to necro it.

Reply #10 from GalCiv2 Forums Top

I like torian even though I change alignment on em

don't like races with penalties

I like adding planet q bonus

and the races pop growth bonus and morale

I may try dominion being that production is cost

I only use espionage for defense

don't care about super spy, spore ships, super organizer, super diplomat, super manipulator, or super warrior

I wish they had a super invader race

Reply #11 from GalCiv2 Forums Top

Favorite civ: Yor. Love the ship styles, the mini bonus, and the quasi-Borg connection. I use custom ship designs in-game, and have had hours of fun designing my "Dervish-class" destroyers, my "Borg-class" cruisers, and "Terminator-class" battleships. Of course the combat transports just have to be "Cube" :grin:  The mini bonus fits with my play-style....my smalls pack as much punch as most other civs frigates, and my mediums as much as most other civs "heavies". Since I can produce my ships in much less time, any civ that tries to wage a war of attrition usually loses.

 

Least favorite civs: any of what I term the "goodie-two-shoe" civs...Torians and Altarians heading the list. Almost always the first to declare war (usually on the Drengin or Korx) and usually the first to come crying to the Yor for help if they get their butts handed to them. 

Reply #12 from GalCiv2 Forums Top

The OP said "Not Terran" so:

I like playing the Drengin for their style of ships.I also like playing the Yor and Iconian for their ability to build precursor libraries.I dont like the Drath or the krynn or the korath.I havent played the Torians for such a long time I've forgotten what their like.

Reply #13 from GalCiv2 Forums Top

Yea. Drengin all the way, nothing will go wrong if you conquer all the AI planets, and then use their population to fuel your death furnace.