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 that must be carried in transports in order to move between planets. They participate in ground combat on planet surfaces and are used to conquer planets.

Planetary defenses cannot join fleets. Each class of planetary defense is built by a dedicated structure. Planetary defenses participate in space combat against fleets of ships.

Defense units that fire from the planet's surface.

Defense units that orbit the planet at 5Mm. They form a contiguous circle and are not split into wings.

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 can form fleets and move between planets. They participate in space combat against planetary defenses or other ships.

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.

• 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

• 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

• weak armor
• do not fire weapons
• transport units and resources
• can land on worlds
• transports carrying ground units are required to invade worlds

• medium armor
• medium-strength, medium-range missile attack
• make a good active defense against gunships

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.

• fastest and cheapest starship class
• high delta-v
• medium armor
• medium-strength, medium-ranged direct attack
• good general-purpose attack units

• 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)

• 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

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).

Era 3 Unit Tables