Homeworlds

[Taqwus]

I suspect that you'll get much larger homeworlds, and a much larger starting population, if you choose 'Gas' as your native planet type.

Fer instance -- I started a game with max-power settings (large mid-life universe, high (i.e. all) tech at start, 10 planets per player, 5k race points each), and my Gas Giant-dwelling race *started* with over 60 million colonists, while most of the others started with roughly 30 million or so. One AI did start with a similar pop, but methinks he was a gas-giant dweller as well.

Combine this with environmental tolerance/population growth bonuses as well...

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-- The thing that goes bump in the night