[Strategia_In_Ultima]

And don't forget, the Elders use little or no technology you can research as a normal player. They can research techs other players can only aqcuire via ruins, and they can utilize a host of other unique devices.

Their ship sizes should also be unique, with even small scouts reaching sizes of young races' medium warships - think LC size for the first ship the Elders can build, comparable to Escorts. Also, Elders should have a LOT more ship sizes, so that their biggest ships (could be generation ships, giant battleships or whatever) reach unimaginable sizes. Weapons for the Elders should be very strong and highly effective, think the WMG with double/triple damage, 1.5 times the range, 20kT and ROF of 1. Sound attractive?

Also, Elders should have unique mounts to reflect their millenia of weapons/component research, so they can have such hugely useful mounts like doubling range, tripling damage, doubling kT, tripling resistance but increasing costs by x5.

Elders could also have multiple colonies at the game start, and you could specify those in the map editor. You could thus create a scenario with a massive Ancient Empire in decline, and hordes of younger races standing posed to take over power. The Elders would have little chance if there were large alliances, but if the younger races were crippled by infighting, the Elders could actually win as they destroy/subdue one race at a time.