We’re back with another Galactic Civilizations IV civilization preview, and this time we’re going to look at the Terrans. Every space 4X game has some kind of human analogue, or a vision of a future Earth as we step into space. Thanks to events of Galactic Civilizations IV’s canon storyline, the strategy game’s fourth entry sees humanity split into two distinct factions. Now that the game is in beta, you can jump in and try them both for yourself by pre-ordering today.
The Terran Alliance has been in every Galactic Civilizations game to date and is portrayed as flexible, likeable, and innovative. In the lore, humans were the first species to invent hyperdrive technology, which they then spread to the rest of the galaxy. This sparked an arms race that set the stage for the game’s traditional strategy premise of different factions competing for galactic dominance.
But there’s now a second playable human faction: the Terran Resistance. During the events of Galactic Civilizations III, the Terran Alliance was weakened during a war with the Dread Lords, after which the Drengin and the Yor beat humanity all the way back to Earth. Though their home world was protected by an impenetrable force field, a massive blockade kept the humans confined there. The remnants of the Alliance that were trapped outside the Sol system then formed the Terran Resistance.
Despite sharing a common heritage, these two civilizations can quite easily come into conflict now that they are distinct political entities with their own agendas. The Terran Alliance is eager to get back into the galaxy and is focused on exploration, while the Terran Resistance, scattered across space and forced to survive, is resourceful and creative.
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The Resistance gets bonus influence and control points each turn and starts with some rare resources that can be traded or give you a leg-up on complex constructions. The Alliance gets instant access to a research-focused policy option and bonuses to ship range and diplomatic relations.
Obviously, the two civilizations’ starting planets are another point of divergence. While Earth is a more balanced home world with plenty of hexes offering bonuses to all of the major resources, the Resistance’s home of Refuge is geared more towards wealth and production.
Both Terran civilizations also have access to unique rosters of command ships. The Terran Alliance’s fleet features lots of utility and support, with a few high-powered capital ships. The Resistance, on the other hand, is more capable of holding its own in a straight fight.
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Terran Resistance command ships:
- Hawk of Refuge – a light attack ship that can move further as it levels up.
- Orion – this small ship focuses on beam weaponry, which gets stronger as it levels up.
- Starshield – this small ship can’t dish out much damage, but its armour increases as it levels up, meaning it can take a hit as it supports a fleet.
- Australe – this medium-sized ship has modest damage and decent defences, and improves its sensor range as it levels up, making it an excellent scout.
- Pyxis Five – an excellent medium-sized ship, its kinetic attack and move points get better as it levels up, and it can defend itself against all types of damage.
- Circinus – this large ship can hold its own in combat, and its kinetic attack gets stronger over time. Top it off, it can buff the hit points of the entire fleet by two per level.
- Eridanus – the Terran Resistance’s flagship, this vessel buffs the armor of the entire fleet, as well as improving its beam attack as it levels up.
Terran Alliance command ships:
- Victory – a light attack ship with strong missiles that get better over time and can also repair the entire fleet every turn.
- Curiosity – a small scout ship that will give bonuses to research when surveying anomalies.
- Perseverance – a lightly armed ship that boosts the approval rating of nearby planets.
- The Gaze – this modestly armed, medium-sized ship boosts the beam attack and shields of all ships in the fleet.
- Hivebase One – this ship is lightly armed for its size, but boosts the manufacturing of nearby worlds and can repair all ships by 4HP per turn within its area of effect.
- Apex – the pride of the Terran navy, it sports some decent armaments and reduces the move points of all enemy ships within range.
- The Sickle – a heavy-hitting missile ship that damages all enemy fleets within a one-tile radius.
About the only thing that the two factions have in common is their citizenry. Regardless of whether they’re a member of the Resistance or the Alliance, Terrans are Terrans. In Galactic Civilizations IV, Terran citizens are considered flexible and productive, and generally have lower expectations than other species, which will affect how moody they get when push comes to shove.
No matter which half of humanity you choose, you will have your work cut out for you when forging a new path forward. Whoever you feel deserves to lead the Terrans into their next era will need to contend with old enemies, as well as new rivals like the Arceans, Drath, and the menacing Festron.
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If you consider yourself up for the challenge, then make sure you pre-order Galactic Civilizations IV today for instant access to the beta.
