Did anyone play Hegemony: Legions of Iron? or Star Ruler?
Played both of them... Star Ruler is not worth my time typing it's name even. Totally didn't liked that one (though they did great possibility of scaling things down - that single thing was awesome - AND ONLY THAT ONE IN MY PERSONAL OPINION).
As for Haegemonia... Oh boy! I still remember how I felt when I got finnaly past first episode (and made Earth Empire restore it's dominant role above Martian Republic) and could begin colonisation... That game had so wonderfull pacing... Not too slow, and not to fast... And I loved how I needed to choose my research carefully through campaing... And those "secret" objectives that if completed could make next mission to simply get skipped... Haegemonia was wonderfull game! AND MUSIC! Music was purely AWESOME! And such as Star Ruler did one thing good - Haegemonia did one thing silly and stupid... Planets were NOT orbiting around stars (facepalm)! Oh... And there was no carriers

Not even a single faction could have them...