Influence
Besides getting economic benefits, factions who participate in the intergalactic community can gather influence. Influence represents soft power, or the ability to attract and co-opt without using force of finances as a means of persuasion.
Influence is represented by Influence Points ( 
), which function similar to Jedi Experience: it is acquired by roleplay, saved up over time and spent to gain certain advantages. Influence differs from experience in that it is acquired by member worlds rather than Jedi and is spent on different things.
Minor Worlds, Inner Worlds and Core Worlds can all gather Influence Points. Fringe Worlds and Protectorates cannot gather or spend Influence Points, as they do not participate in the political arena. They do however retain any Influence Points they acquired before or afterwards. Worlds cannot give their Influence Points to other worlds.
Using Influence
Influence is an important factor in influencing NPC factions. Below are some examples of what Influence can be used for.
Votes & Motions
Influence can be used to gain information about NPC intentions as well as motivating them to align politically with you. Note that Influence Points are infinite in their power. Factions will never vote for issues that directly oppose their core beliefs. For example, no matter how many Influence Points are used, the Holy Heimgolian Theocracy will never vote in favour of a Union enforced separation of Church and State for example.
The table below lists some examples of what Influence Points can be spent on, with an indication of the cost to influence NPCs in this manner. This table is intended as a guideline only as the NPCs attitudes may lower or raise the cost of certain actions.
| Action | Cost | Effect | Special |
|---|---|---|---|
| Find out what an NPC is going to vote in a vote over a new law | 2 Influence Points | The NPC senator informs you exactly what they will vote and why they will vote this way | - |
| Get an NPC to vote a certain way for a new law that does not significantly impact them | 10 Influence Points | The NPC senator will vote as desired during the voting period. | - |
| Get an NPC to vote in a way that clearly negatively impacts them | 20 Influence Points | The NPC senator will vote as desired during the voting period. | Depending on how severe the impact is, this cost may be higher or lower |
| Find out what an NPC is going to vote in the next elections | 4 Influence Points | The NPC senator informs you exactly who they will vote for and why | - |
| Get an NPC to vote a certain way during elections | 20 Influence Points | The NPC senator will vote as desired during the next election. | Factions never vote against their own candidate or a candidate they seconded |
| Second a candidate for the general elections | 30 Influence Points | The NPC senator will second a candidate of your choice, vote for them in the elections and help campaign to get more votes. | NPCs with extensive political influence may charge higher prices for their support as they come with multiple votes |
| Second a motion of Inquiry, Support, Sadness or Input | 10 Influence Points | The NPC senator will second a motion of inquiry, support, sadness or input | Factions never support moptions of Sadness against their own senators and may charge extra for such motions against their allies |
| Make a motion of Inquiry, Support, Sadness or Input | 15 Influence Points | The NPC senator will initiate a motion of inquiry, support, sadness or input | Factions never make motions of Sadness against their own senators and may charge extra for such motions against their allies |
| Second a motion of No Confidence or Special Enforcement | 20 Influence Points | The NPC senator will second a motion of no confidence or special enforcement | If there is no clear cause for the motion, the price will be higher. Factions never second a motion of no confidence against their own Senators and may raise the cost to make such a motion against alies. |
| Make a motion of No Confidence or Special Enforcement | 30 Influence Points | The NPC senator will make a motion of no confidence or special enforcement | Before a motion of this type can be made, there must be a clear cause the NPC can use to justify the motion. Factions never make a motion of no confidence against their own Senators and may raise the cost to make such a motion against alies. |
A Declaration of War is never decided by Influence Points.
Trade
Influence Points can also be used to gain valuable trades. The table below lists some examples of what Influence Points can be spent on. The value of trades depends on the number of Influence Points used, so no specific price is listed, but rather a benefit per influence point spent. The table makes a special reference to goods aligned with NPCs, which is explained below.
| Action | Effect | Special |
|---|---|---|
| Buy products or raw materials from an NPC | The NPC world will deliver 100 products or 250 raw materials per Influence Point spent | Delivery can be arranged at once or over multiple turns as the buyer pleases |
| Buy the product or raw material the NPC is aligned with | The NPC world will deliver 125 products or 300 raw materials per Influence Point spent | Delivery can be arranged at once or over multiple turns as the buyer pleases |
| Sell products or raw materials to an NPC | The NPC world will purchase 250 products or 500 raw materials per Influence Point spent, for which they pay 250  | Payment is made when the goods are delivered |
| Sell products or raw materials that the NPC is aligned with | The NPC world will purchase 250 products or 500 raw materials per Influence Point spent, for which they pay 300 | Payment is made when the goods are delivered |
| Voluntarily give raw materials, products or financial donations to a cause of the 'common good', such as a charity event or warfund | The NPC world will provide 200 OR 250 products OR 500 raw materials as contribution per Influence Point spent | The 'common good' may not directly financially benefit another faction, i.e. they will not donate money to buy goods from another faction |
| Voluntarily give raw materials or products that the NPC is aligned with to sell to a cause of the 'common good', such as a charity event or warfund | The NPC world will provide 350 products OR 700 raw materials it is aligned to sell as contribution per Influence Point spent |
Each NPC is aligned with one (and only one) product or raw material, which they either wish to buy or sell. The table below lists this information for each NPC world:
| Logo | Faction | Product or raw material | Selling or Buying |
|---|---|---|---|
 | Confederacy of Excaria |  Metals | Buying |
 | Divine Fiefdom of Highmons |  Construction Materials | Selling |
 | Federal Republic of Bisidn | - | - |
 | High Chiefdom of Skuldda | - | - |
 | Holy Heimgolian Theocracy | Metals | Buying |
 | Kingdom of Komès | - | - |
 | Kingdom of Meritonia | - | - |
 | Miomanian Colonists |  Healthcare Products | Selling |
 | New Communist Imperium of the Rising Suns of Deominius | - | - |
 | Principality of Suma | - | - |
 | Silver Forests of Remunzia |  Organics | Selling |
 | Socialist Republic of Niom |  Information | Selling |
Using NPC territory
Factions may wish to pass easily through NPC territory.
| Action | Cost | Special |
|---|---|---|
| Allow a Holonet Relay Upgrade Station on a Holonet Base Station controlled by the NPC | 2 Influence Points | The NPC merely allows the construction. You still need to construct the upgrade station yourself, and you remain its owner. |
Allow usage of 500  in the home sector of the NPC for a duration of 52 weeks | 5 Influence Points | To get more capacity, purchase this multiple times. Worlds on the Bozzy Spine do not provide this option. |
| Allow 200 goods to be transported by a trade fleet using the Hyperspace Lane in the home sector of the NPC for a duration of 52 weeks | 1 Influence Points | Lane Quality counts as 2 (so it takes up 100  on your trade fleet to pass 200 goods through the sector). To get more capacity, purchase this multiple times. Worlds on the Bozzy spine do not provide this option. |
Special
Influence may also be used in special events, such as opportunities for foreign trade or political happenings. Each special event will explain how Influence may be used with it.
Gaining Influence
You can acquire influence points through political roleplay and filling certain positions of influence within the Union. The table below lists how. In all cases, the total value may be changed depending on the circumstances.
| Action | Benefit | Special |
|---|---|---|
| Accept a position as a committee member of a commission that spends Union | 1 Influence Point | The value may be higher if the committee decision has a major impact |
| Receive a vote for you to become Chancellor | X Influence Points | You get 1 Influence Point for each vote cast on you |
| Successfully perform the task of Chancellor for an electoral period | 10 Influence Points | You may receive more or less depending on your activity level. |
| Successfully perform the task of Minister for an electoral period | 5 Influence Points | You may receive more or less depending on your activity level. |
| Actively participate in senate discussions that are part of a storyline | 2 Influence Points | Can be more or less depending on the size of the storyline |
| Participate in private events with four or more players that are part of a story | 2 Influence Points | Can be more or less depending on the size of the event |
| Organize a Conference or similar event | 5 Influence Points | Only one such event may be taking place at once. If you want to organize such an event but one is already taking place, please let this be known so you can line up to be next |
| Roleplay with another player | X Influence Points | You can submit a story that contains roleplay with another player for review. A storyteller will decide if the story is worth IP for the other player. You cannot submit yourself for IP in this manner. |
| Participate in Special Events | X Influence Points | A storyteller may award Influence Points for special events your faction participated in. The amount is up to their discretion. |
Other options are also possible, at the discretion of the storytellers.
