Stellaris - more other people

[jack]

After quite a while only meeting the Fungus Bigots and starting to wonder if anyone else was out there, I suddenly met a LOT of other empires.

I sent a science ship exploring round the outer edge of the Fungusoids, it found a couple of planets and some anomalies, it found some dead ends, there's a few points in the galaxy where there's only one or two hyperlanes that connect further round, so I ended up curving back close-ish to the Fungoids on the other side.

And then I ran into a fallen empire! I can't remember what they looked like, but IIRC they were technological preservers, their big plan was to squat in a half-derelict ringworld being more formiddable than anyone else around but then never do anything apart from act supercilious to any young races who stumble upon them.

They came out with such gems like "yes, yes, we've heard it all before" and "stay out of our space or you'll face certain doom, and so forth" and "before you ask, no we will not share our technology." They are the "grumpy empire", not the "bigot empire".

Sadly, their territory included the only other anticlockwise route, other than that owned by the fungusoids. Expansion temporarily curtailed.

However, they were in contact with another empire further round, who eventually heard about me and managed to open communications despite having no physical connection. I refer to them as "Space Antelope Klingons" because they were described as honourable warrior types who looked like Space Antelopes. They were not *very* warm towards me, but they were mildly positive which is an absolute fuckton better than the previous two empires whose attitude amounted to "never".

I fiddled with trade options. They weren't willing to give much, they were willing to trade resources they were short of, but not at a very good rate. And weren't enthusiastic about giving real-time sensor links (so you can see what's going on in their space). But they were quite interested in trading my research (which I hope doesn't give them too much of a boost), and willing to trade communications, i.e. for empires that they know, fill me on the basics and introduce me.

That introduced me to a lot of new empires. All with different beautiful sci-fi cites :)

The most promising were ALSO peaceful egalitarian (or spiritualist) federation builders. They started off very positive and I need to see if they want to trade.

There was also a theocratic monarchy, who were so-so about me, but more positive than not. Not sure what tongue-in-cheek name to apply to them.

There were the someone-or-other reavers, who were FANATICALLY xenophobic, and sadly more expansionist than everyone else put together, including the Fungusoids.

And a fallen empire who REALLY liked me but were unwilling to trade in any fashion whatsoever, I think they think of the younger races like cute pets. They were all "hello! hello! good to meet you! but don't come in!"

And I think maybe one new race I've forgotten.

Everyone disliked the reavers and the reavers will always hate me no matter what, so I can pick up some cheap popularity hating on them. (I think I can't officially 'rival' them unless they border me, but I may be able to do something?)

Alas, the Klingons and the two fluffier empires don't like each other either, so I don't know if I can keep them both on side or not.

And then, after that, ANOTHER race just bimbled into one of my clockwise systems. I had to decode their language myself, it seems like there's still unexplored territory between them and the galactic south empires. They are dubbed Space Napoleons, because they are egalitarian but militaristic. The leader is a Charismatic Reformer. They were cautiously positive about me. I managed to offer a trade deal where we both DID offer an active sensor link, PLUS I offered research and got some mineral income in trade.

However, for better or worse, they're in a state of increasing hostilities with an empire just to the south of them, which between them block off clockwise expansion. Who are XENOPHONES and FANATIC MILITARISTS. And are dubbed "Space Parrot Eagle Evil Roman Empire" because they are a space parrot eagle evil roman empire.

So I hope I can keep borders open with the Napoleons, at least long enough to claim some systems on the other side. Although that spreads me pretty thin. I'm *also* tempted to risk closing borders against the napoleons and hope to keep them sweet some other way, until I've managed to claim as much territory as possible, or at least, grabbed the most valuable systems near my borders.

Or maybe it's a cross between Battlestar Galactica and Eastenders :)