I want to formally welcome everyone to the first weekly TI3: Shattered Empire (TI3: SE) developer preview! I, Corey Konieczka, will be your captain each and every Twilight Tuesday introducing you to the new and wonderful things that you will find in the highly anticipated TI3 expansion.

This week, I will be giving you a glimpse of the new races found in TI3: SE. Immediately after anti-shrink-wrapping your expansion, four brand new races will violently swarm out of the box in an attempt to conquer the known galaxy. The following information should prepare you for this potentially shocking experience.

The Winnu: The Winnu system was the first system to pledge fealty to the Lazax Empire. The Lazax took the Winnarans under their wing and over time they became indispensable as their bureaucrats, councilors, and administrators. When the empire collapsed, some Winnarans remained on Mecatol Rex as its custodians and protectors, awaiting the Lazax return. The Winnarans back home on Winnu, now generally called “the Winnu,” quietly built their civilization in the image of their emperors. In the years that followed, the Winnu became convinced that they were in fact the true inheritors of the Lazax.

The Winnu still retain much of the lore, wisdom and technology from the Lazax, making them dangerous foes. Their affinity towards technology can be seen in their race-specific ability as well as their home system: Winnu is the only planet in the galaxy with a yellow technology specialization. Even the Universities of Jol Nar can be jealous of the Winnu ability to buy general (yellow) technology at a discount. Their racial ability allows them to use the secondary ability of the Technology Strategy Card without paying a command cost. This makes attaining technology cheaper and easier for their race.

Besides their technology, the Winnu are also known for their diplomatic and political cunning. Their strength in diplomacy makes their planets containing a ground force immune to the “Local Unrest” Action card. This allows them to use their diplomacy to spread quickly and safely across the galaxy. Their strength in politics ensures that they always have a say during the Galactic Senate, whether or not their home system is exhausted.

If you desire technology and political power, then the Winnu are the race for you.

The Clan of Saar: Few historians dispute that the Saar were the first of the known races to venture into space, but it remains unknown whether it was need or curiosity that drove the otherwise primitive people into such exploration. Their peaceful ways and dispersed civilization never promulgated them to official Lazax recognition. Some scholars have thus called them “the forgotten race.” Their tale is a tragic one of being forced from planet to planet, with no true home.

Through the ages, the Saar have endured through their scavenging skills and their will to survive. Their race-specific ability allows them to gain one trade good each time they acquire a planet. This makes the Saar a rich race early in the game and encourages them to expand often.

Since they are often on the move, the Saar have developed technology that allows their space docks to exist off-planet and even move to adjacent systems. Their nomadic roots can also be seen in the fact that they are not required to hold onto their home system to fulfill objectives. Gone are the days of protecting your home in order to achieve victory. Don’t like your starting location? That’s fine, move your home to a distant system, or even claim an opponent’s home system as your own.

If you value mobility and easy expansion, then the Clan of Saar is the race for you.

Other Races?
So there you have it, two new races vying for control of the TI3 universe. While I can’t give away all of our secrets, I will at least give you an overview of the two other new races.

The fanatical Brotherhood of Yin are religious zealots with the ability to convert opposing ground forces and sacrifice ships in battle. Cloned from a single egg, the Brotherhood fight to spread their faith among the stars.

The fiery Embers of Muaat start with a War Sun, the War Sun technology, and the ability to gain fighters at their War Suns. They have long been oppressed by the Jol Nar and have now turned their burning resolve into massive weapons of war. (A playtest version of the Muaat were revealed in an earlier preview, but they may have changed for their final version. -ed.)

Now you know a little more about the TI3: Shattered Empire Expansion. You have only seen the tip of the iceberg, so be sure to check back next week to see how deep our frosty rabbit hole goes!