I made HOP my main ally in my game as well, they're such a needy faction with them fighting everyone else that they constantly buy from me.
Started off working with Argon & Teladi to get myself setup with some decent stuff, then started to build a defensive line between HOP and the Xenon so that they can focus more on pushing back the other factions that were hounding their borders, now I'm gradually planning and setting up a network of production stations to feed their war efforts.
You feel so much more alive working with the HOP faction, having to pick and choose battles against everyone else and making sure traders and miners are well protected.
Wrote on previous page. Having done few of the content for the other races, apparently HOP are "the good guys".
Been attacked by 4 factions (ARG, ANT, PAR, ALI) because they want their independence, with Xenon and bugs and pirates on top.
Their situation is pretty severe tbh, given that their own capital sector is very unsafe. Went to grab a datavault in Holy Vision near the portal and was impossible.
At one point i was cowering inside the datavault because outside was chaotic and my ships were the only ones defending. For the sake of it, built 2 Nemesis fully equipped (4mil each) and with the Gorgon now patrolling the gate. Nothing less is possible hold there. Even put up 20 MK2 laser towers and lost them in 15 minutes even when the Gorgon and a Perseus were present defending the area!!!
When I am back tomorrow, going to finish the factory built missions and going to grab the Ody to set it up at the gate defending. At least that would stop the mass loss of HOP freighters happens in the area.
I have over 200 hours in the game and never felt that difficult, alive and entertaining as starting fresh with Paranid start and focusing only on HOP
Ahh yeah, the obligatory screenshots
No shame hiding in the vault as they had killed me already twice on my attempts to open it

(had the scanner on thats why doesn't look good)