Excerpts from the Archive of History, Library of the Galactic Center

Eridani Empire

Epsilon Eridani, the capital system of the Empire in its heyday, was a sight yet unrivalled: whole moons some records claim even planets were shaped to celebrate the might and wisdom of the Forever Emperor.

Their wealth was beyond anything ever documented. Yet, after surviving through what they call the Silent Era, the Empire has been reduced to rubble.

The resources of the capital system have been depleted and most of their power disintegrated, yet the Heirs have not given up hope. The new dawn may rise in the uncharted systems.

Difference From Terrans:

• Draws two random Reputation Tiles in the beginning of the game

• With the Move action may move up to two Ships, or one Ship twice

• Two Influence Discs less (leave two rightmost Influence Track circles empty)

• Reputation Track

• Different Ship blueprints

• Initial Technologies: Gauss Shield, Fusion Drive, Plasma Cannon

• Trade rate:

• Starting Sector number: 222

• Starting Storage:

Hydran Progress

Never satisfied, never complete the Progress are ever striving further.

The Hydrans have long since embraced technology as their main interest, constantly evolving and augmenting their society and even themselves with new inventions.

The speed of their technological progress is unparalleled among the Seven.

Although very difficult to access by the layman, the universities and laboratories of Beta Hydri are held in very high esteem by the scientists species-wide.

Difference From Terrans:

• With the Research action may buy two Technologies.

• With the Move action may move up to two Ships, or one Ship twice.

• During game setup, also place a Population Cube in the Advanced Science Population Square on the Starting System.

• Reputation Track

• Initial Technologies: Advanced Labs

• Trade rate:

• Starting Sector number: 224

• Starting Storage:

Planta

Even though they are by far the most different species of the Seven, the Planta have long been a steady Council member. Being a moss-like species with a distributed sentience, their intentions are sometimes difficult to decipher.

After overgrowing most of the planets and moons in the Cygnus system, they seem to be content in just expanding their lush growth in new systems, fully co-operating with the other species, who mostly regard them as harmless companions.

The Planta are phenomenal navigators, which makes them very respected in interspecies trading vessels.

Difference From Terrans:

• With the Explore action may explore two hexes, one after another.

• With the Move action may move up to two Ships, or one Ship twice

• Four Colony Ships.

• Population Cubes are automatically destroyed by an enemy Ship at the end of the Combat Phase.

• 1 extra VP for each controlled hex at the end of the game.

• Reputation Track

• Different Ship blueprints.

• Initial Technologies: Starbase

• Trade rate:
  

  Starting Sector number: 226

• Starting Storage:

Descendants Of Draco

The Descendants are rumoured to be directly related to the Ancients.

While there is no concrete proof on this, the statistics show that the survival ratio in the Descendant-Ancient contact is significantly higher for the Descendants than the other Seven.

Hailing from the Draco system, the Descendants are a somewhat elusive species.

While they are a fully recognized member of the Galactic Council, their Ambassadors still often cause discomfort among the other species.

Difference From Terrans:

• May have Ships in hexes containing Ancients, but may not battle the Ancients; may place Influence Discs in those hexes; may not collect Discovery Tiles from hexes containing Ancients.

• With the Explore action may turn 2 hexes and choose one, or discard both.

• With the Move action may move up to two Ships, or one Ship twice.

• 1 VP per Ancient Ship left on the game board at the end of the game

• Reputation Track

• Trade rate:

• Starting Sector number: 228

• Starting Storage:

Mechanema

After a long and difficult process, the Mechanema have only recently been accepted as a full member of the Council.

Although they have been proven sentient in every legal way defined by the other Seven, and the Auriga system has been assigned as their sovereignty by the Council, there are still occasional disputes on the matter.

The birth of the species dates back in the early days of the Galactic Center, when the artificial intelligences of various species were allowed to integrate.

The Mechanema are quite respected for their technological advancements in fact, the basic Ship types now commonly used among the spacefaring races were originally designed by them.

Difference From Terrans:

• With the Upgrade action, may take up to 3 Ship Part Tiles from the Supply Board.

• With the Build action, may build up to three Ships or Structures.

• With the Move action may move up to two Ships, or one Ship twice.

• Cheaper Building costs.

• Reputation Track

• Initial Technologies: Positron Computer

• Trade rate:

• Starting Sector number: 230

• Starting Storage:

Orion Hegemony

The Hegemony originally hails from the Orion system, but their fleets are known to have actively patrolled the general volume since the early times.

The tragedy that fell upon the Terran Federation Dreadnought "Juri Gagarin" and its accompanying fleet may well have been due to a grave misunderstanding in interspecies communication plausible enough in a mutual First Contact.

The long war that followed and their seemingly overwhelming military power gave the Hegemony their commonly used name.

After the peace was established and the interspecies collaboration took its first steps with the creation of the original Galactic Center, the Hegemony has now been recognized as a benevolent species, and their past as a ruthlessly efficient war machine has been reduced to a historical side note.

Difference From Terrans:

• Starts with a Cruiser instead of an Interceptor

• With the Move action may move up to two Ships, or one Ship twice

• Reputation Track

• Different Ship blueprints.

• Initial Technologies: Neutron Bombs, Gauss Shield

• Trade rate:

• Starting Sector number: 232

• Starting Storage:

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