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Species: Derelict
Background on the Derelict:
Millions of years ago, before virtually all other current factions, the Dariilec were enjoying peace and prosperity.
After centuries of biological development, they almost immediately created a global government. During the two hundred or so years that followed, they discovered advanced space travel technology and colonized their solar system. Interstellar travel was still a mystery to them.
Then something happened; it was most likely an argument between two farmers over a cow or something. This tiny issue spread to other farmers, and then to normal people. Basically, a schism in the Base Theology of their so long-united species/government was created.
At first, nothing much came of this slight difference. Throughout the history of the species, NOT ONE WAR HAD EVER BEEN FOUGHT. EVER. But then a small conflict sprouted, and grew to an armed conflict, which grew to a war between the two equal halves of the species.
There minds were unable to cope with such a sudden change in ideals, and became focused entirely on war.
Now, millions of years later, the strongest [ancient/original] Dariilec would break down in tears if it saw what the race had become. The original humanoid and organic species had evolved into metal/bionic monsters. They had given up their identities, their free will, and even their individual minds and souls just in favor of fighting.
Being trapped in one system left them with a tiny supply of natural resources, which they quickly used up, so they began reusing parts and entire *derelict* vessels in the extreme. The vessels of modern Dariilec- which are now called only and always, The Derelict- resemble huge cylinders with hollowed out centers, or like pipes, made completely out of derelict ships, space stations, and anything else, all interconnected into a single functioning unit.
Only a few decades ago, they captured a vessel that was exploring the new star system, and copied faster-than-light drive technology...
The war had raged for millions of years, until now. Somehow, they united under one Derelict Megastaire or more likely the collective consciousness of one of their mightiest ships. How will a species that knows absolutely nothing but war cope with a lack of fighting? Their massive 'garbage ships' are a mighty force ‘like no other’, and they can repair damage practically as quickly as it could ever be inflicted.
The largest danger is that they 'work for trash'. If they had a hundred metric tons of diamonds, already refined and shaped, and you offered a broken down plasma canon in exchange for them, they would accept the deal without hesitation. They can therefore be recruited by even the weakest species as a powerful, highly dangerous mercenary force.
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As a species, the Derelict wish for little else than to expand into the space surrounding their resource-dry homeworld. They hold no particular grudge towards any other race , but also lack all forms of respect. If a planet belonging to another race is of extreme interest to them, they'll most likely (try to) take it- though planets they find interest in ussually aren't at all useful to other factions.
I'm not sure how complex the trade system for FreeOrion is planned out to be, but depending on such, there would preferably be an option to buy the Derelict out as a mercenary force when speaking to them. They would still remain an individual race, and would only help their employer for the duration of the contract. Once again, they will still take a planet of interest from a faction, even if that faction is currently employing them, but this is very rare.
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Weapons:
Way back when, before the Dariilec lost all of their individuality and free will, but well past the point of no return, one of the best minds of the species accurately predicted its bleak future. He realized that they would loose all knowledge of terraforming and colonizing, while at the same time adapting to take in lethal toxins and radiation as nourishment. He influenced the designing of all future components to incorporate the radiation emissions.
These emissions cause extremely fast reactions within the atmospheres of planets, turning the air into toxic fumes. This would allow the Derelict to easily move in.
Besides their automatic terraforming emitters, Derelict use any weapon they can get a hand on. Many of their strategies during battle are designed to yeild undestroyed enemy vessels for them to assimilate into their own. Taking in a left over vessel makes it a part of theirs, and all of it's weapons (that weren't destroyed in combat) become available to the Derelict.
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The Derelict are a race of rampant disadvantages and advantages.
-Extremely uncreative: they almost only know how to steal tech from others, if they research anything, very few technologies will be yeilded from the effort.
-Slow Research: going hand-in-hand with being uncreative, any research the Derelict attempt will progress at a crawling rate.
-Major repair bonus: based on variables undetermined at the moment, the Derelict can repair their vessels anywhere from 20 to 70% every individual combat turn.
-Structure point bonus: Derelict vessels are of a convoluted form created from many smaller ones. This very fact makes it difficult to damage the structure of the ship as a whole.
-Poor dimplomacy: The Derelict care little about anything but garbage, and have little social prowess to speak of.
-Very poor farming: Derelict worlds can't be farmed, but must be supplied with expensive hydroponic farms to generate edible organics. (this is based off the hope that multiple buildings of the same type could be constructed in FreeOrion, as opposed to Moo2)
-Little expansion competition: because Derelict favor radiated worlds, they have to worry little about the majority of other species feeling the need to take them.
-Poor ground attack: in the beggining, the Derelict will be INCAPABLE of launching ground attacks. Only after technologies such as battloids are developed will they find a means of raiding a planet.
This is due to the fact that they don't have defined forms anymore, but are worked into the machines of their ships. Without the machines, a Derelict would splatter to the ground (just a heap of organs, pretty much).
-Bombardment terraforming: Everytime they bombard a planet, they terraform it in the direction of being radiated. It would take several bombardments to fully terraform a planet, but they should preferably have the option of bombarding empty planets.
I could go on, but I think this would be a good stopping point for the race description, as I have many more to give as of yet.
