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Table of Contents
Units
Units are jumpships, starships, ramjets, ground units, planetary defenses, and jumpmissiles. They are produced by structures and subject to attrition.
Units are distinguished from resources by their ability to participate in combat.
Unit attributes have changed in different eras in order to maintain game balance.
Ground Units
Units that must be carried in transports to move. Participate in ground combat on planet surfaces and conquer planets. Also known as “infantry.”
Planetary Defenses
Fixed
Defense units on planetary surfaces
Satellite
Defense units that orbit the planet at 5Mm. They form a contiguous circle and are not split into wings.
Jumpmissiles
Single-use weapon used to attack enemy fleets. They are built by citadel planets and can be manually fired against enemy fleets. They will automatically fire against fleets invading planets within their 100 LY range. Jumpmissiles are the only way to damage fleets that are moving between planets.
Ships
Ships can form fleets and move between planets. They participate in space combat against planetary defenses or other ships.
Jumpships
Jumpships can move at high speed to any planet within 250LY of an owned jumpbeacon. Explorers are an exception; they do not require jumpbeacons. Fleet symbol is an isosceles triangle.
Explorers
- high sensor ability, which makes them good at revealing unexplored space and detecting fleets
- move freely at very high jump speeds to any planet, anywhere
- high delta-v
- very weak armor and weapons
Basic Jumpships
- just called “jumpships” by the game, which is kind of confusing
- have point defense (very effective against missile-equipped units like jumpcruisers)
- weak armor
- weak, short-ranged direct attack
Jumptransports
Jumpcruisers
- medium armor
- medium-strength, medium-range missile attack
- make a good active defense against gunships
Starships
Starships can move at low speed to any planet that is not inside or surrounded by nebula. Starships can't be built by worlds in nebula. Fleet symbol looks like a “T” on its side.
Gunships
Starfrigates
- much more expensive than gunships, but lower attrition
- extremely slow
- medium-strength, long-range direct attack
- medium armor
- have point defense (very effective against missile-equipped units like starcruisers)
Starcruisers
- the most expensive units in the game
- extremely slow
- very strong, long-range missile attack
- very strong armor
- high-tech Megathere variant has point defense
- good counter to gunships
Ramjets
Ramjects can move at low speed to any planet within a contiguous nebula. Ramjets must be built in nebula. Fleet symbol is an elongated hexagon. Ramjets are also called “ramships” and have the same unit roles as starships (gunship, starfrigate, and starcruiser).