United Empire

For an overview of all factions, see Factions.

The United Empire is one of the playable factions available in Endless Space. Ruthless but efficient, it is skilled in both commerce and combat. At the start of the game, the United Empire is beginning interstellar expansion in earnest.

BackgroundEdit

SocietyEdit

Technically, the United Empire is a monarchy, currently ruled by Emperor Maximilian Zelevas. However, while the emperor manages the overall direction of the UE, the day-to-day management of star systems is left to various powerful corporations or families. Designated by the Empire to manage certain systems, these companies or aristocratic families work hand in hand with the Imperial bureaucracy but are also left to pursue their own profit.^[1]In return, they are expected to send a portion of their earnings back to the empire.  

With this somewhat decentralized setup, a certain level of regional autonomy is inevitable, and the various corporate system governors often cut corners when they can get away with it. That said, the central empire is far from powerless. Should a corporation stop paying its dues or become too obstinate, the Imperial fleets stand ready to remind the wayward company of its obligations. ^[2]

In contrast to its pro-business economic policies, the UE places relatively little value on human rights or individual lives. The emperor has little tolerance for dissent, real or perceived. When an HR manager published an essay that argued that the empire's use of slavery was both inhumane and inefficient, the UE and its corporations saw this as oppositional and tried to arrest her. ^[3]

MilitaryEdit

As with the society in general, the military is a mixture of direct Imperial control via the Ministry of Security, and corporate fleets as well. Despite this mixture of control, the resulting space navy is more than sufficient to ensure corporate obedience.

Even so, the possibility of conflicting loyalties is still a threat, so for much of the empire's history, the emperor traveled with his elite bodyguard force, the Sheredyn. With that body's growing autonomy, however, it is somewhat doubtful that the current emperor, Maximilian Zelevas, still depends on the Sheredyn.^[4]

The United Empire's space navy is less advanced than those of some of the older factions, but the ships are still durable and powerful.^[5]

TraitsEdit

United Empire Affinity	25% - 100% Tax Rate will give a 0% - 60% Production bonus. +10% Ship Experience on Empire. United Empire Faction-Specific Technologies
N-Way Fusion Plants	Unlocks the Eponymous Techonolgy.
Businessmen	+10% Dust on System.
Entrepreneurs	+1 Dust per population.
Strong Alloys	+40% HP on ships.
Fearless Warriors	+10 Defense on system.
Dust Impaired	+25% Dust cost of hero abilities.

Steam AchievementsEdit

	It's All Mine(d)! As United Empire or Sheredyn, own at least 20 deposits of one of the Strategic Resources in a single game

	Power and Profit! Win with the United Empire

Notes Edit

• The United Empire is generally a good choice for beginners because this faction is generally good all-around with their ships being more durable than normal. Their Dust Impaired weakness is more than made up with their dust bonuses.

ReferencesEdit