Factions

There are multiple factions in game, each having their own lore, specifics of dealing with them, as well as sector(s) they are more common withim

Rat empire
This is faction that formally owns sector 1, and their ship serves as sector 1 boss, guarding the gate.

Rats like kinetic weapons like incendiary cannons and gatling guns, althrough lasers are used as well. Their ships are often equipped with low-grade modules, so they don't pose much threat even to starting ship without much fate points spent. Atop of that, they always request bribe or "tax" from the player and will gladly avoid the fight if player pays, throught given quality of their ships it might be better to just destroy them in battle if you can.

Bribery and rule of strong and rich are common in rat empire. Low-quality gear are "favorite" because their production owners simply bribe rat generals into buying this junk. It is also known that rats have some enemy, but it isn't know who it is.

Pirates
Pirates are very common in sector 2, and their fleet serves as boss for it.

Pirates like to send boarders, however futile it is. Their actual weaponry is weak and outdated, but they can use anything they can get hand on, so be wary for surprises (such as nukes) and always keep point defences online.

Earth Alliance
This is faction that player's ship officially belongs to. It is in war with Squids, due to player's mission somehow going wrong years ago. Earth's forces has presense in sectors 3 and 7. In sectors 3 and 8-9 they control ability to exit through warpgate, and you must complete sector's mission before you can exit.

Sector 3 is represented with local observatory/science station and numerious refueling post across the sector. Station was deprived of its fleet and resources as war started, in the end forcing AI to freeze entire crew. Once player helps re-gather some resources (750 metal), crew is unfrozen and some join the player.

Sector 7 has Earth forces gathering numerous traders for you to use, as well as placing free refuel posts and lack of any enemies.

Sectors 7-9 exits are actually warpship that Earth uses to put player into necessary sector. Thus, sectors 8 and 9 require mission completion before player can use this exit.

Terran technology is not bad for starters, however it is weaker than numerous different biotech modules player will find later on.

Insectoid alliance
This group has generally neutral standing towards Earth. However, many insectoids have questionable "tradities" that they require player to uphold lest they attack the player.

Additionally, following Earth's meeting with Spideraa, Insectoid alliance blamed Earth for possible connection with Spideraa taking away several insectoid queens. Of course, there wasn't any proof of that connection, so the only hostile act against Earth was sending single planet-destroying ship to destroy Earth itself - stopping it is objective and boss fight of sector 10.

Many insectoids can be found as mercenaries or traders. Their biotech is decent quality modules, and insectoids themselves are often well skilled.

It is know that alliance was formed to defeat Spideraa, but even with all united forces, Spideraa couldn't be destroyed, only forced to retreat. Still, that shows that alliance possesses some military power. Their planetkiller ship is perhaps the most notable example of their power, althrough it is unknown on how easy they can build ships like this.

Squid empire
Led by insane emperor player previously tried - and failed - to negotiate with, Squid empire first shows proper in sector 6 but first squid bounty hunter serves as optional boss in sector 3 (fleeing him is impossible, but evading encounter altogether can be done). Player fights emperor himself in his squid Dreadnougt as main quest (read: boss) of sector 9.

Squid vessels prefer raygun weapons - all of them are blocked by shield, but common squid fighetr has 2 EMP rayguns along witth 2 anti-system ones, meaning that relying solely on shield won't work for long. Heavier squid ships may carry nukes, some also have venom miniguns. Squids are said to use stealth technology, so you best to get stealth decryptor or sensors that have innate stealth decryption.

Squids clearly have very harsh military policies, interrogating and then killing crew of any ship they see in "their" territory. Squid emperor, prior to his death, was clearly insane from human's perspective, and is unknown if he was considered sane for other squids.

Slaver clans
While they might be seen as part of "Pirates" group, Slavers are especially imfamous for doing exactly what their collective name suggests. Their ships are often much better armed, as unlike normal pirates they clearly have access to material goods - they hunt for living cargo instead. Expect average and above weapons, and no-weak boarders. Slavers serve as sector 5 boss.

Slavers have so bad reputation, even ships' AIs fear them. This is why any ship that has its crew formally lost activates self-destruction - deadman switch at least saves AI and crew (that could be incapacited and bleeding but not quite dead yet) from fate worse than death...

Spideraa
Strong elder race, Spideraa still stalk in specific parts of the galaxy, hunting other beings without looking at "sentience". They are difficult to find, and people don't generally look for them, out of fear to not become their next prey.

Spideraa possess extra-advanced technology of all kinds, notably they have high evasion. Player has difficulty fighting their light ships, and medium-classed one serves as sector's pseudo-boss. Luckly, low weight class of Spideraa ships player faces allows to still win if player's ship is well built.

Spideraa's thinking is clearly alien to humans and possibly to other "modern" races, as they force ambasaddors into long search and several battles, then reject any gifts and agree to help unconditionally. Perhaps they like bloodshed too much, not even mindiing having some casualities in crew of ships player faces.

Warp animals and anomalies
Possessing weird warp powers, those "space whale"-like creatures can and, indeed, do different kinds of stuff. Relatively common are warp whales, whose singing can give substantial amount of datacredits and fate points, and warp hunters, whose player have to ward off and still suffer at least some ship damage.

Precursors
They are not met in face. In fact, it is not known if they exist in this galaxy anymore. However, traces of their presence in the form of warp gates, precursor robots, and artifacts can be found.

It is best to assume that none of the player's tech would do well if put directly against precursor's. Still, contact with Precursor technology can be beneficial, and comes frequently in the form of credits, ship repairs, and fate points.