Limited ability of Arceans to compete in large maps

from GalCiv2 Forums
The Arcean's have really gotten the short end of the stick in the new upgrade for their technology trees. Basically, their ability to use mining bases and starbases is greatly limited, similarly the ability to develop an economy is buried deep in the tree. So, it seems to me that the Arcean's are too 'proud' to worry about money. In compensation, their factories, etc, are cheaper but their production rates don't seem to be much greater.

The upshot is that in small maps, they do okay. They get rapid speed bonuses and have the first shot ability. As the maps get larger, the opponents quickly begin to out-tech them (especially the Drengin) and then the Arcean's are dead meat.

I really like the feel of the Arcean, it fits well with the backstory on them. However, I'm not sure I could ever win with them on a map larger than medium. I might be able to make better planets but with no effective starbases or mining bases, in the long run they will lose.

I have no good suggestion on how to 'fix' this, if indeed it should be fixed. Perhaps others have ideas?
3,201 views 5 replies
Reply #1 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
The mining starbases are a bug as far as I can tell. The short story is that since they don't have Xeno Engineering in their tech tree they can't build the second mining improvement.

arcean's can't build mining improvements Supposedly this is fixed in the internal builds.
Reply #2 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
I disagree that Arceans have trouble on Large maps. I'm currently playing a Gigantic map (as Arcean) and I control over 80% of the map, and have completed all research. No really, ALL research. I've even been at war with the Drengin for about ... um ... since two days ago (real time). The Drengin and Terrans are close (but not allied) and occupy collectively about 10% of the map, because they can't get near the rest. My ships knock any Drengin or Terran ships into the last Age if they attempt to attack me. Heck, I reckon a Dread Lord vessel would be dead meat against one of mine.

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Reply #3 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
I'll be interested to see how the Arcean's do in the next build. Hopefully with the bugs fixed, they will be a bit more competitive.
Reply #4 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
I've done pretty well as the Terrans and Drengin, but every time I try the Arceans, I get my ass handed to me. It seems like I can't expand as quickly. I end up grabbing about 10 worlds on a large, go into the econ slump, and before I can come out of it, I am being flooded with colony ships from the other two. Literally 5 or 6 from each power at once.
Reply #5 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
I have been through the expansion part of all three races (TA beta 1) and as previously the place you start (! - sidetracked on an inhabitable side of the galaxy makes a fairly simple setup very hard to play), the anomalies you pick up and the galactic resources (for me mainly econ and moral) you can snatch really makes a difference. Producing and sending colony ships to nearest (or strategically clever) habitable planet is more controlled by your economy to sustain the new colony and a 100% production rate.

The economy lapse is a pain but not a thing that i would go without - it makes you think (in which order should I grab the anomalies so have most to myself, can I build up the econ resource enough to keep up, can i maintain this production level if i sell useless techs to minor/major races for cash, how fast and far should i send my freighters, when to tech interstellargoverments etc)