Galactic Civilizations II: Dread Lords

• Play to your race's strengths as much as you can. Terrans have amazing diplomacy, so trading technologies for more credits than usual will compensate for you maxing out your income usage and running your empire at a loss. Drengin have strong military, so wage war on those weaker than you where you can. Korx are master traders and start with all trade techs, so get those trade routes up ASAP.

• Don't worry too much about running at a loss in the early game. You can sell techs and, if need be, ships to other races if you go in the red, which will boost your coffers. Eventually you'll either have enough income from trade, tourism and economy that you won't need to raised taxes, or your population will be so happy that you can tax the balls off them. Don't let your approval drop below 50% though.

• Trade route income depends on the distance (further is better) and population of the planets involved. An ideal trade route would be from your capital planet to that of a race on the outer limits of your range. Try to avoid trading with warmongering races like the Drengin or Yor unless you're certain they won't turn on you, though.

• You occasionally get choices with a Good, Neutral or Evil path, which will give benefits or penalties depending on your choice. These choices will move your race's ethical alignment. When you come to research Xeno Ethics you will have to choose an alignment, with different bonuses depending. They might have a cost depending on how far your alignment is from that choice. For instance, a Drengin player picking only evil choices can align Evil for free but would have to pay 10,000bc to align Good. Unfortunately, the Good choices tend to suck. It's better, if you have the cash, to pick Neutral choices, then pay the 2,500bc to align to Good when Xeno Ethics is researched.