[dogscoff]

They all apply throughout the entire game. It is a simple pecentage multiplier. Combat (defensiveness, agressiveness) modify your to-hit probablities in combat.

Test it out. Pick a large research bonus (for example), then start a game. Count up the research facilities on your homeworld and see how many points you *should* be getting, then compare it to the homeworld's *actual* output. Now click the "abilities" tab on the homeworld's screen- you'll see that the base figure is being modified by your racial bonus (as well as by various population modifiers.)

EDIT: Forgot to mention. If you get any other races' population under your control (ie you conquer them or trade population transports or something) then that race takes on all your race's abilities. For example, Druckshocka have really good mineral extraction modifiers. If you picked a low mining bonus and then acquire a planet-load of Druckshocka population, you'll find that they don't produce as much working for you as they did when they worked for their own people. This is a bit crap, but I imagine it would be a nightmare for MM to code a better system...

[ June 18, 2002, 15:57: Message edited by: dogscoff ]