OK, giant post incoming!
As I've mentioned a few times since I joined a couple of days ago, I started with A1 and learned to mod on it. I first began modding by adding additional ships I liked or better looking versions of the stock models. I then joined the B5 Armada TC team, cause I wanted as early access to it as possible
We jumped to Armada 2 with the B5A2 TC not that long after beginning work on the A1 mod, from what I vaguely remember, we just imported many of the models to the new game. Although there were some better looking replacements later and the lighting on many models for the cinematic style pov was also tweaked in.
In terms of Campaign, I enjoyed the original A1 more. Something about A2's was not as captivating for me. In terms of modding and Instant Action, I like all of the additions that A2 brought.
Generally speaking I would have a gigantic custom mod in my personal game. Now that I'm going back to modding A2, I plan on replacing all Stock A2 races with better models. I'll leave the campaign alone so that it is playable with the better looking models but heavily modify Instant Action. Luckily I have all of my mods saved on a disc so I wouldn't lose them after uninstall.
My Instant Action game will look something like this:
1) Federation = I will add an additional construction ship and modify the AI to build my custom tree. This will begin with Archer's United Earth timeline (Including allies such as Vulcans and Andorians) and proceed through the Federation with Axanar's tech and end in the Alternate Reality line (JJ-verse or Kelvin line or whatever that's called), I'm currently building my Enterprise hero ship. I may leave 24th century bonus ships that I really like, such as the Dawnstar, but I'll generally use this timeline. I may have the Federation AI build Terran Empire universe ships if I can find enough ships and stations for it and have them be the Earth enemy but I doubt it. All I need to begin work on this is to get the Axanar ships and I'll being my editing of the techtrees.
2) Klingons = I will create their techtree from the Enterprise timeline forward into the JJ-verse and TMP era. Unfortunately, there're very little AR Klingon ships made so I'll just fill out their generational list with Prime universe ships.
3) Romulans = Same thing as the Klingons, Ent-TMP tech.
4) Borg, Cardassians, Species 8472 = Will get stock upgrades to better looking models. I may or may not switch out or add earlier enemies such as Suliban or Xindi. I don't think I can tinker too much of these and have it make sense. Especially without affecting the campaign.
5) Earth Alliance (B5) = One of my faves. I'll have two techtrees. One for me where I can go from the Minbari War tech to the Post-B5 Warlock era and a second techtree for the AI which diverges during the Civil War to use Shadow Earth hybrids.
6) InterStellar Alliance (B5) = Combination of the races of the League of Non-Aligned Worlds, the Narn Regime and the Minbari Federation. They also get B5 as their base. Maybe I'll place the Vorlons with them, though that's not accurate to their story arc.
7) Centauri Republic (B5) = Centauri forces will have their own tech alongside the Dra'kh and possibly the Shadows.
8) United Earth Forces = My own pers0nal smorgasboard of multiple Earth realities banded together against much more advanced races. The name comes from Space Above and Beyond, one of my fave shows and contains the only few ships made for A2 from that series. They also contain ships and stations from Stargate, the Colonials from Battlestar Galactica, the Colonial Marines from Aliens and other misc human space tech.
9) Undetermined Evil Schmucks (Not actual name) = I may group the Suliban, Xindi, Cylons and other misc enemies here for space reasons. If I have the space and enough ships/stations to give any of these their own race, I will, same as the Colonials above.
I have all I need to add the Republic/Rebels and the Separatists/Empire but adding them depends on space.
So this is pretty much what I'll be working on. If you read this far...you may need a map or at least some pizza...so, sorry...