I'd like to see a feature(s) that provides greater control over the way Gold Aliens deploy figs. The type of figs deployed (offensive, defensive, toll, or random) and the frequency with which they're deployed (none, minimum, default, maximum.)

Edit: ...and the quantity of figs deployed (none, minimum, default, maximum!)

I don't like Gold Aliens. They're undefeatable. The "Home Sector" feature of the Internal Ferrengi provides an Achille's Heel for the players to exploit and defeat them. The Gold Aliens don't really have that kind of thing.

look in the alien settings in the twgs after you have imported a TWA. you can make them passive or aggressive. Look at the difference between the Ferrengi and the Alien Traders...

Give them ships with only 2 figs

Well... I did that, sort of. I also turned on Sleep Mode and slowed down the movement chance to 1 in 20.

However, I like added features better! Lol!

Ok, in the interest of "science" (hyuck!) here's what I've come up with:

Gold Alien Traders:
Sleep mode enabled (option H from tedit)

Option 3 in tedit:
Max number will always be FAR less than the "50" default, and usually no more than 5.
Initial number will always be zero or 1. Or more if I feel like it. I mean, heck. I'm usually spawning only 5!
Days until max strength can vary, but never less than 1 (although I see no harm in zero.) I usually pick the default (50) or 120, or 360. In more advanced games I usually go with 1, 3, 5, 7, 10, or 12.
85% exploration, so the message of evil can be heard by all!
Never a home planet.
Lowest settings on upgrading figs/shields (2 and 100.) This means the aliens buy figs and shields almost as soon as they are able.
Never Xenophobic (because that's not what they're for)
Always Protective (because I demand honor among these thieves)
Never travel in groups (because it spreads their evil farther)
Always 10% Anomalous (because I'm evil, too)
Never a grudge (because it's just a game with plenty of ancient hate already)
Always Regen (to help the weaker ones to maintain average levels)
Always Aggressive (to escape blockading, and for amusement-see ship)
Avoids FedSpace (to avoid FedSpace blockading)
Trading enabled (to "stimulate the Red Economy" as I pompously told Star Killer! Lol!)
No bounty (because... see ship)

That's about most of it. On the Spawning Profile I'll always modify alignment and corbomite to match the Ferrengi, and bump the Experience to 30, 30, 30. This makes them a worthy target for the players.

On the Resources tab, I'll assign them to ONLY the Colonial Transport. This gives them max holds for trading and min figs for harassing players. This is what makes them "amusingly" aggressive. A side-effect is that maxing out figs/shields/holds/corbomite is a lot cheaper so after a short while, the alien will just be accumulating money!

By enabling Sleep mode and turning down the movement rate (and Regen rate, as it happens) to 1 in 20, I think that justifies producing 50 aliens to max strength on day zero in a 1K universe! Lol!

But seriously, these settings generally weaken the aliens to nuisance levels. The Ferrengi are another monster, altogether. Trying to deploy Scorpions
using the Gold Ferrengi means 120K offensive sector figs just waiting for an unsuspecting player!!?! So far, all I've thought of is max 3 Ferrengi aliens with max strength at 360 days, and ALL FOUR Ferrengi ships available for deployment. This way, each of the three Ferrengi only have a 25% chance of getting s Scorpion.

I would never allow an alien race to deploy more than single toll figs outside of their home sector, although it would be neat to have a feature that allowed you to ADD deployment of "random" sector figs (or a specified type) of a specified amount (ie: no more than x, or unlimited,) etc.

And it should be able to be turned off completely. Single toll figs should be a default setting (on or off,) but with the ADDITIONAL option of deploying (x) type figs of no more than (x or unlimited) amount (on or off.)

Most aliens fulfill their entire role by simply gridding. The Classic Ferrengi do that, and can eventually overrun a game if players constantly "wake them up."