Republic is a top choice for warmongering.

[HyperKnight]

To win in wars you need money, money, money and technology.
The best way to get a lot of first three things is colony corruption reduction as most of your early income comes from capital world, which gets a very high corruption from very high tax rates and population.
Highest corruption reduction governments are Hive Mind and Republic, but first also significantly cuts research rate and promptly locks you out of most "nice" diplomacy options because everyone knows what Boskara are up to.
Thus Republic, namely Ackdarian Republic due to various technology bonuses, is the logically best choice for ruthless galactic conquest.

I am thinking that some rearrangement of stats, to bring them in accordance with lore, is in order. For example, adding more corruption reduction to Military Dictatorship, as public executions tend to have a positive effect on corruption reduction.

[Premium]

Research bonus penalties are pretty minor, but yes, Republic and Hive Mind are the best regular govts in the game by a long distance for every playstyle, because of how OP corruption reduction is.

[jorgen_cab]

The game are not really suppose to be super balanced, so there is no real need for all governments to be equal.

There are no military dictatorship that we know of that have been able to deal with corruption, major corruption is facilitated by the ruling elites, they don't get executed unless they are replaced by a rival and around we go... ;)

It is just fine to have some imbalance in the government... you can play suboptimal government as a challenge and just because you like the style.

Personally I play on galaxies that are quite challenging so if I even try to go warmongering I usually become squashed like a bug, unless I do so very late in the game. This way I find Democracy and Technocracy to work equally well with Republic, as technology progress is more important than me able to grab territory from my neighbours, that is usually too difficult.

[Dray Prescot]

https://steamcommunity.com/app/1531540/discussions/0/5586172045668987478/

Once you get them, usually by exploration (they are not available at start), take a look at using the Governments from the Ancient days. Way and Path of Ancients are the Good type governments, but there is also an Evil type (which I have never seen or used) for the conquerors and warmonger and enslavers.

Way of Ancients is my favorite Government to change to from the starting governments, once I find it. Changing your government, will kill your old Leader and then you have to get a new Leader and wait for him to acquire his Traits (up to 4 for a Leader).

So if you really like your current Leader because of his (4) Traits and acquired experience skills, you might not want to change governments. His replacement might not be as good for you. You may have to dismiss potential new Leaders several times (it has happened to me) before you get one you like.

Changing your government can sometimes cause 1 or 2 of your Colonies to leave your Empire, and become IND Worlds (which you can get back with a little effort) or Worse they join another nearby Empire, and the only to get them back is War (or maybe Diplomacy).

[Nightskies]

Empire Ship Maintenance bonuses were broken and got hit hard with the nerf bat. So the best part of those war-favoring governments became gimped.

As jorgen said, they're usable as minor-modest handicaps. Give all AIs a Republic unless you don't want them allying.

[HyperKnight]

Originally posted by Nightskies:

... were broken and got hit hard with the nerf bat. So ... became gimped.

I sincerely wish that your pseudo-lingo-using faction realizes what exactly you are doing (if you do not already, forcing devs to break originally intended and working just fine game rules out of pure malevolence).

Then let me explain it: first you declare an originally intended, working rule "broken". Then, after intimidated devs "nerf" it, you admit it became "gimped". So, literally, you vocally force devs to break the game rules, causing cascade balance issues and then you accuse devs with inability to balance properly.

[Nightskies]

Nah, you're wrong *about that being the case here.

It was bad. A player could stack maintenance savings so much that a player would be earning money instead of paying for maintenance.

Thanks for playing.

[Dray Prescot]

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2850365505

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2850366043

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2850366549

[brasidas2000]

I did a quick test and switched over to Way of The Ancients from Republic and Cash Flow (which is really FCF) went up about 24%. This was even after a few colonies bailed on my empire during the revolution. I think the increased happiness, reduced maint and facility savings really kick in for developed empires.

[Dray Prescot]

Did the revolted colonies become IND (which you should be to get back eventually),or did did they join a nearby Empire, which will be a lot Harder to get back, i.e. War?

[Nightskies]

In my experience, they've always become independent- though they have been quickly taken by other empires at times. Honestly though, I don't know what factors go into determining when a rebelling colony joins other empires. I'm guessing that diplomatic modifiers (such as race, empire diplomacy modifiers, reputation, government, etc), distance to capitals and war status are the contributors. And then some specific ones may apply too, beyond being recently conquered.

[brasidas2000]

Originally posted by Dray Prescot:

Did the revolted colonies become IND (which you should be to get back eventually),or did did they join a nearby Empire, which will be a lot Harder to get back, i.e. War?

They all went IND, some were pretty close to my capital and not core worlds, one was an unfriendly alien populated planet (but I have a bunch and the majority stayed) and one was my furthest from my homeworld smack in the middle of the galactic core recently found "lost colony" which I happened to have a friendly colony ship a couple systems from, so it will be back in the fold very quickly. Looking at the IND world diplomatic contacts, they have contact with all the alien empires that I have contact with which seems weird. *shrug*

[I Throw Spears.]

Well, sure, the three super governments are meant to be a bit OP. That said, you cannot start with them, rendering Hyoerknight's initial statement that the Republic starting govenment IS the best in any scenario, correct.

[ta24-b2]

maybe but monarchs are cooler

[danielprates]

Originally posted by HyperKnight:

To win in wars you need money, money, money and technology.
.

You need one thing to win wars: money. And technology. You need two things to win wars: money and techonology. And a big industrial base. THREE things you need to win wars: money, technology, a big industrial base, and an almost fanatical devotion to the Pope. FOUR THINGS!

[I Throw Spears.]

Originally posted by danielprates:

Originally posted by HyperKnight:

To win in wars you need money, money, money and technology.
.

You need one thing to win wars: money. And technology. You need two things to win wars: money and techonology. And a big industrial base. THREE things you need to win wars: money, technology, a big industrial base, and an almost fanatical devotion to the Pope. FOUR THINGS!

The Space Pope is a nice lady.