I started out with Advent because i liked how the Halycon looked. Then i learned playing Vasari because i wanted to test RA everyone was complaining about. Then i fell into love with the nukes of the Marza and started playing TEC. I have to say i like all three and i am at a point where deciding wich race to play becomes a really difficult task. I find that random race function very useful ^^

As far as i can break it down:

Vasari are all about phase missiles. They access veary early LRF but those are also the most expensive. You have speed at start making rush tactics viable but you won't grow a huge fleet fast, Vasari are the slowest. It is true that they are the most powerful but also expensive and slow race. RA helps a bit lategame but it is not as unbalanced as it was once, so no surefire win. Their strikecraft carry phase missiles as well so they definetly have the most powerful strikecraft (albeit not numerous), making it a viable option. You will probably be outnumbered but your technology is capable of dealing with superior numbers. Playing them is great fun.

Advent are all about beam firepower and culture. Naturally that means lots of Illums, wich are the hardest LRF to tech to. For this reason they are not suited for rushing. But the LRF are medicore priced, so they will grow a huge fleet pretty fast after the initial economic hit for the required labs. Actually they would NOT be suited very well for strikecraft. "Would". They are. The reason is their insanely powerful Halycon carrier AMPLIFYING Illum beams. So you can bet on lots of strikecraft being present, depending on the level of the carrier(s). The ships are all relatively fragile but make up for that with exceptional shields. For this reason phase missiles (shield piecering) are their bane. Don't you do that i wanna see all the pretty lights. Playing them is great fun.

TEC are about economy and nukes. Their LRF are the weakest, but reachable with a medicore efford and are the cheapest so you will, combined with your economic advantages, field a larger fleet than anybody else. The LRF really start to shine when you research their area of effect ability midgame. Then they become cheap AND powerful. Despite their medicore LRF tech effort they make excellent rushers because the ships are so cheap. As opposed to their LRF the capital ships are real monsters with numerous powerful direct combat abilities (wich is another reason for being good rushers) and can take quite a beating. Also the best planet killer ist among them, the Marza. What shields are to Advent, armor is to TEC. Still you have to tech both, missiles and armor. Its not as protective as Advent shields but can not be penetrated by phase missiles, wich is good. Their strikecraft are also rather weak but you can field so much so quickly. Playing them is great fun.

I think its actually pretty well balanced.

arg, double post

It did not save my post.

Okay so here is the scope.  Played with hard ais.  Finally found out how to build my fleets for late game battle. Learned the real income is lots of planets and put metal and crystal on the market.  RA is best left autocast off. Then when I need to bring some in let em go.  Allows me easy ships that I don't have time to build.

In my game agaist the advent I took some heavy hits.  Looks like you have to out micro these guys to fight them.  But the vasari do hold there own agaist these guys in a fleet to fleet war.

And once you beak the support of the fleed the advent just get washed away.