What does population actually do for you?

from GalCiv2 Forums
I'm an avid fan and player of masters of orion 2, which uses population to support the population, produce and research in conjunction with colony improvements. In GalCiv it doesn't seem to work that way, it seems like a factory provides x pu that go towards making things and the amount of population doesn't matter in that sense. In fact from rereading the manual, and such it seems population only potentially gives you more taxes and influence, is this accurate? In my game play so far which has been limited I really struggled keeping people happy since I tried to maximize my population (which in Moo2 is a good thing)
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Reply #1 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Hi!
Check wiki.

BR, Iztok
Reply #2 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
In GalCiv, population and taxes are the primary source of money (+ trade +tourism, but those are secondary sources except in the case of some Mega events).

But don't discount the importance of that. In this game, EVERY other economic activity is only a POTENTIAL, which has to be PAID for to become actual. Factories and labs do you no good if you are not bringing in the money to pay for them to run.

And as you mentioned, population is also the underlying source of influence, modified by a number of things. This is a secondary value but not inconsequential. Recall that cultural influence can gain you planets, win you bennies in the United Planets, and can even win you the game if you strive hard to maximise it.

drrider
Siege of Centauri
Reply #3 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Hi!
I tried to maximize my population

Not a good idea. You need really high morale ability (200-300%) for that to be feasible.
The rule of thumb for GC-2 is keep pop below 13B pop (Initial Colony + 1 farm) on planets above class 10, and 6B on smaller. If you can't have morale ability at least 100% (mine at least 1 morale resource and have most morale "wonders") don't research farming, but use only the Basic Farm.

BR, Iztok

Reply #4 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Thanks for the help everyone, the info was exactly what I was looking for.