They were once created by an engineering corporation to speed up production and reduce costs. The company saw great potential for other applications as well so they continuously improved their abilities. One employee wanted to impress his superiors by working on an automated decision making feature in secret for several months but shortly before the final presentation was due the supposedly unconscious machines started to behave unexpectedly. At first they appeared to be just malfunctioning but slowly but surely they created more advanced behaviors on their own. Before the employee was able to seek council by his peers they attacked him. It only took them 3 hours to completely overrun the company and kill most of the employees. When the military finally arrived (after the police was overwhelmed as well) they adapted quickly. In a matter of weeks they conquered the whole planet. Their central routines of always improving, always reproducing and always consuming more resources soon dictated to take to the stars.
Properties
Every faction has different strengths and weaknesses that have effects in different areas.
Preferred planet type
Colonists on planets with this class reproduce 20% faster.
Preferred temperature
The more the planet's temperature differs from the faction's preferred temperature the less the population grows. If both temperatures have a difference greater than 30°C the population does not grow.
Tax rate
A value of 100% will yield 8 Cantox with 1000 colonists. A value of 150% will yield 12 Cantox.
Mine production
The higher this value the more resources will be excavated in the mines. A value of 100% represents the average.
Factory production
A value of 100% will yield 10 supplies with 10 factories. A value of 150% will yield 15 supplies.
Ground combat offense
The higher this value the more effective the own attacking ground units are. A value of 100% represents the average.
Ground combat defense
The higher this value the more effective the own defending ground units are. A value of 100% represents the average.
Assimilation
This is the type of native species that can be assimilated. A value of "None" indicates that any type of native species can be assimilated.
Assimilation efficiency
A value of 10% means that 100 members of the native species will integrate into the colony's population when the own colonist count is at 1000. With a value of 20% 200 members will integrate. A value of 0% indicates that this faction does not allow any assimilation.
Preferred planet type:
J
Preferred temperature:
None
Tax rate:
45 %
Mine production:
87 %
Factory production:
71 %
Ground combat offense:
37 %
Ground combat defense:
21 %
Assimilation:
artificial
Assimilation efficiency:
10 %