Minor Races Way Up On Tech Tree?

from GalCiv2 Forums
I'm wondering if someone can comment on the ability of some minor races to gain techs way ahead of an honest, hard-working player like me. If they only have one colony, which seems normal, how can they possibly put more units into research than I can with 4 good colonies and a race with various research bonuses? Yet, when I pull them up on the trade screen fairly early in the game, they have all kinds of techs ..Stinger I, II, III and IV, Planet Bombardment and Invasion, several Xeno techs, Durantium armor, Trade, Research Centers and on and on. Can someone explain how this happens?

DA, challenging level, large galaxy with occasional planets and stars in tight clusters, no super abilities, tech trading allowed. The Minor Races are usually very hard to deal with when I offer to buy or trade techs so I can't keep up by making deals with them. Is it possible that the game allows them to be loose in trading with the AI so they have all these techs from trades and not research?

thanks for your replies.

5,102 views 7 replies
Reply #1 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
I'm pretty sure they steal them.

In a recent game I decided to go for a technology victory, even though I had close relations with all other civilizations and could have ended the game with a diplomatic victory. Around the time I completed Beyond Mortality, a new minor race appeared - Vegans as I recall. A few turns later, as I was researching Technology Victory, I got a popup that the Vegans had Beyond Mortality! I was only six turns from the victory (massive technology infrastructure and sliders set for 80% research) so I coasted to an easy win but I can't see any way they got this tech except by stealing it from me. I also don't think there is any defense - you don't see their spy's and can't spy on them. Researching counter espionage may confer some protection. I generally don't bother because I rarely have any colonies with surplus tiles I am willing to give up for the counter espionage building.

They steal from other civilizations as well and I have picked up some very useful technology by trading with them.
Reply #2 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Don't know about CalifDude's problem, but the Vegan thing is by design - when a new minor race appears, they start with all techs anyone has researched. That part is intentional, and not a bug.
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Reply #3 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Wow...that's heavy info...can't take those minor races lightly! Thank's guys.
Reply #4 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Yeah, they're a pain if they pop up while you're trying to sprint to win a Tech victory.
Reply #5 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
The minor races are also the traders of the galaxy. Pretty much all the major races have dealings with them so they can acquire techs pretty quickly that way. I doubt they really research all that much on their own.
Reply #6 from GalCiv2 Forums Top

Don't know about CalifDude's problem, but the Vegan thing is by design - when a new minor race appears, they start with all techs anyone has researched. That part is intentional, and not a bug.
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You mean that part is STUPID.
Reply #7 from GalCiv2 Forums Top

Don't know about CalifDude's problem, but the Vegan thing is by design - when a new minor race appears, they start with all techs anyone has researched. That part is intentional, and not a bug.

You mean that part is STUPID.
End of quote


No, I'm pretty sure that's necessary. Minor races are incredibly weak as is. What possible end would be served by introducing a minor race a couple years after the game begins with no tech and no prayer of ever getting enough to build even minimal ships? The game is already effectively giving you another homeworld on a silver platter, at least this forces you to be the one to take it or risk another race getting one of your techs. Heck, you may even get a free tech out of it.

Don't like it? Turn off minor races - the newest version prevents all race-appearance events if minors are turned off.