[douglas]

Ancient Race also allows you to know where every homeworld is from the start, and allows the only certain counter to the previously mentioned trick. The combination of the right size planet and all three values being within 5% of 80/100/120% for bad/average/good starting planets almost never happens by chance, so every such planet is almost guaranteed to be a homeworld. To prevent any other ancient race from learning exactly where your borders are on first contact, claim the entire galaxy on the first turn.