I'm a little curious; was there any thought behind the meaning of the iconography for the different empires? Humanity's symbol is, of course, obvious. The Yoral symbol is likewise obviously a stylised Yoral hand. It's hard to tell, but the symbol for the Gremak Empire might be based on an abstract version of a a Gremak head's silhouette. The green protrusions from the Phidi symbol look similar enough to some of the green crystals we see on Magnate Arabo's portrait that I wonder if they're meant to be symbolic of Opil crystals. The Ashdar icon is fairly abstract, but I wonder if the three circles above it are meant to be symbolic of 'worlds' in the abstract.

You willing to share any insight, Arioch?

nweismuller wrote:I'm a little curious; was there any thought behind the meaning of the iconography for the different empires? Humanity's symbol is, of course, obvious. The Yoral symbol is likewise obviously a stylised Yoral hand. It's hard to tell, but the symbol for the Gremak Empire might be based on an abstract version of a a Gremak head's silhouette. The green protrusions from the Phidi symbol look similar enough to some of the green crystals we see on Magnate Arabo's portrait that I wonder if they're meant to be symbolic of Opil crystals. The Ashdar icon is fairly abstract, but I wonder if the three circles above it are meant to be symbolic of 'worlds' in the abstract.

You willing to share any insight, Arioch?

The Gremak symbol is an abstraction of the Gremak head shape.
The three circles of the Ashdar logo represent the three subspecies (one of which never made it into the game. Maybe it's lost somewhere...). The rest of the symbol is emblematic of the "hawk" ship shape theme.
The Yoral symbol is like a tribal sigil, a sort of Nordic knotwork element with claws.
The Orthin symbol is abstract, as befits a science-focused culture.
The original ship shape theme of the Phidi is a starfish, and the symbol is an abstraction of the starfish. The regalia that Arabo is holding is designed after the symbol.
The Tinkers symbol is also an abstraction of the ship shape theme

Arioch wrote: The three circles of the Ashdar logo represent the three subspecies (one of which never made it into the game. Maybe it's lost somewhere...)

This would be golden materiel for an update someday

The long lost third species found on a distant planet going about their own business and using a feral version of the icon themselves as well as having some light cruisers as protection for the their planet

Arioch wrote:

nweismuller wrote:I'm a little curious; was there any thought behind the meaning of the iconography for the different empires? Humanity's symbol is, of course, obvious. The Yoral symbol is likewise obviously a stylised Yoral hand. It's hard to tell, but the symbol for the Gremak Empire might be based on an abstract version of a a Gremak head's silhouette. The green protrusions from the Phidi symbol look similar enough to some of the green crystals we see on Magnate Arabo's portrait that I wonder if they're meant to be symbolic of Opil crystals. The Ashdar icon is fairly abstract, but I wonder if the three circles above it are meant to be symbolic of 'worlds' in the abstract.

You willing to share any insight, Arioch?

The Gremak symbol is an abstraction of the Gremak head shape.
The three circles of the Ashdar logo represent the three subspecies (one of which never made it into the game. Maybe it's lost somewhere...). The rest of the symbol is emblematic of the "hawk" ship shape theme.
The Yoral symbol is like a tribal sigil, a sort of Nordic knotwork element with claws.
The Orthin symbol is abstract, as befits a science-focused culture.
The original ship shape theme of the Phidi is a starfish, and the symbol is an abstraction of the starfish. The regalia that Arabo is holding is designed after the symbol.
The Tinkers symbol is also an abstraction of the ship shape theme

Thanks for this! Looks like I was pretty close on many of my guesses, but struck out on what the three circles meant. (Mind, without a hint there's a third Ashdar subspecies, I'm not sure I could have guessed this...)

I have found the missing third species of Ashdar! The Teros, the Haduir, and the... Gamesinc?