How many ways to win in this game?

[Crayonmuffins]

I've heard complaints that military might is basically the only way to win in this game? Game looks awesome and wanted to get it on the cheap through the humble bundle.

In past games like Civ I like winning through means other than might/combat/etc so I was just curious if you can win through other means.

[Consul]

3 ways.

Own 40% of the planets (expansion but also military because you need to kill people before inhabiting their planets).
Have your federation own 60% of the planets (diplomacy).
Kill or enslave all other races.

[Crayonmuffins]

What's the difference between "Own 40% of the planets" and "Have your federation own 60% of the planets"?

[Rhinkalis]

Federations are basically high tier alliances. Either you, or a CPU, can get a special trait that lets them found federations, which gives the federation a pooled fleet to act on their behalf, people in the federation can't go to war without federation approval, and some other stuff. It's a way for diplomatic species/set ups to have the military to stand up to more war like groups.

But it also means that if you join with enough other races, you can win strictly through diplomacy and colonization, or at the very least would have to fight very few other races.

[Crayonmuffins]

Originally posted by Nyarlathotep:

But it also means that if you join with enough other races, you can win strictly through diplomacy and colonization, or at the very least would have to fight very few other races.

This sounds neat. I wanted to make sure there's alternate ways to win.

[Rhinkalis]

I will say, and this might sound a bit odd, in a lot of ways, Stellaris isn't exactly about winning-winning. For example, even if you're a very military CONQUER THE GALAXY! type, actually securing 40% of the galaxy takes a long time and can be a bit fiddly (though you will get your shiny victory scree, certainly), and so, to a degree, you can figure out when you've won yourself. When no one else has the power to stand up to you, when you taken down the major threats that start in the galaxy and might come from beyond, then you know that your might has made right =P

On the flip side, even if your federation doesn't quite cover 60% of the galaxy, you'll still have a pretty good sense of when you win, and even if you don't like any of the win conditions... Well, you can win when you feel you achive what you wanted to for your race. A lot of people like a role playing angle, where your end goal isn't one of the 3, but instead to just achive what you think your empire/species wants to achieve.

Or you could just eat everybody. You know, whatever you like.

[Ryika]

All three victory conditions ultimately rely on conquering stuff. You won't own 40% of the galaxy without getting rid of other Empires, and obviously it's required for the extermination-victory. The federation-victory either relies on you actively fighting to win wars, or cheesing by getting a big empire to join you and do the work for you, but it's most certainly not your ability to play peacefully that leads you to victory.

With that said though, victory conditions are about the least important thing about this game, especially if you don't want to play combat-heavy all the time. In a way that's both, one of the biggest strengths and one of the biggest weaknesses of the game, it allows you to do whatever you want, but in the end it doesn't really lead anywhere.

[Crayonmuffins]

Interesting. I fear I've only conflicted myself further. Lol