The recent 0.60 alpha update for upcoming 4X game Galactic Civilizations IV brought a wealth of new features, including two new factions that strategy game fans who pre-order can take for a spin right now. We’ll revisit the greedy business moguls of the Corporate Sector another time, but for today’s deep dive we’ll be looking closer at the galaxy’s most-wanted criminals: the Xeloxi.
You must have to work really hard as a society to get to the point when your entire racial identity revolves around dubious morals and criminal activity, but by gosh the Xeloxi have that brand nailed. Xeloxi citizens – just by existing – generate crime wherever they go. This is generally a problem for other empires, and while high crime is still an issue for the Xeloxi themselves (criminals gonna crime, even against their own people), this faction also has plenty of unique benefits that allow them to thrive not just despite high crime rates, but because of them.
For example, there are several planetary improvements that are only available to the Xeloxi when crime is high: the Smuggler Port, Pleasure Dome, and Mercenary Camp, the last of which increases a world’s resistance. Not content with revelling in their own immorality, one of the Xeloxi’s other special moves is a policy called ‘Look the Other Way’, which spreads crime through trade routes.
In addition to stealing everything that isn’t nailed to the floor, the Xeloxi are capable of fielding their own military forces, and they also have access to their own suite of seven command ships.
Not only do these ships come with their own abilities, but every ship also naturally spreads crime to any neutral or enemy planets within their radius.
Xeloxi Command Ships
- Eufemie’s Skiff: A strong attack ship made to raid other civilizations
- Lenore’s Wake: An attack ship with the chance to capture defeated enemies
- Marisail: A strong missile ship able to attack from a distance
- Killigrew: A legendary ship whose reputation earns Control for every successful battle
- Ladgerda: A skirmish ship able to flee from battles that it’s losing
- Elegy of the Xeloxi: This warship completely heals after each battle. If it is to be destroyed, it must be done all at once
- Yesenda’s Bridge: Unlike the other Xeloxi command ships that increase crime to nearby worlds by a flat amount, this ship increases Crime based on its level, and at high levels can destroy nearby planets’ economies
The Xeloxi have a martial streak, as evidenced by some of their command ships above, but also by their other racial trait: ‘Warriors’. This trait allows their ships to ignore 10% of the damage dealt to them, and also increases all of their ships’ attack range by 10%. Other starting racial characteristics (which can be customised prior to a match) involve bonuses to income and ship range. They also have a penalty to diplomatic relations, for reasons that I’m sure are a complete mystery to everyone.
The Xeloxi have a few other quirks you’ll want to consider. Their starting planet is a little on the deprived side – similar to the Yor – so you won’t have many adjacency bonuses to exploit. Focusing on trade and generating money, however, will allow the Xeloxi to simply buy their way to whatever they need.
The Xeloxi also start as allies of the pirate factions that roam the galaxy. Usually, these neutral forces will attack anyone who roams too close, but as the Xeloxi you can use them as protection. You can even lure opponents into getting jumped by the pirates, then bravely run away.
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For the Xeloxi, crime does pay, but it’s important not to let your people’s immoral instincts get in the way of you taking your rightful place among the stars. Make sure you pre-order Galactic Civilizations IV today so you can try them out for yourself.