Mechanics
Combat
How a battle is fought round by round, what rapid fire does, what becomes debris and when a moon can form.
A battle starts when an attacking fleet reaches a planet or moon with ships or defences on it. It lasts at most 6 rounds. If both sides still have units after the last round, it is a draw and the attacker flies home.
A round
Each side totals its units' attack for the round and spreads it over the enemy's unit types by their share of the unit count. Every type's shield is full again each round and soaks that round's damage first, up to its own strength. What gets through destroys units of that type, in proportion to the damage over its structure, times a random factor between zero and double that. Nothing carries over: a type that keeps ships into the next round keeps them at full shield and structure. Ships and Defences list attack, shield and structure.
Weapons Technology, Shield Technology and Armour Technology raise attack, shields and structure of every unit you own. Officers and other permanent bonuses add to the same values (How bonuses combine).
Rapid fire
Some units carry rapid fire against certain target types. Against a listed target, the unit's rapid fire adds its own attack, times the rapid fire value, as extra damage against that target type, on top of the round above.
| Unit | Rapid fire against |
|---|---|
| Light Cargo | Spy Probe x5, Solar Satellite x5 |
| Heavy Cargo | Spy Probe x5, Solar Satellite x5 |
| Light Fighter | Spy Probe x5, Solar Satellite x5 |
| Heavy Fighter | Light Cargo x3, Spy Probe x5, Solar Satellite x5 |
| Cruiser | Light Fighter x6, Spy Probe x5, Solar Satellite x5, Missile Launcher x10 |
| Battleship | Spy Probe x5, Solar Satellite x5 |
| Colony Ship | Spy Probe x5, Solar Satellite x5 |
| Recycler | Spy Probe x5, Solar Satellite x5 |
| Planet Bomber | Spy Probe x5, Solar Satellite x5, Missile Launcher x20, Light Laser Turret x20, Heavy Laser Turret x10, Ion Cannon x10 |
| Star Fighter | Spy Probe x5, Solar Satellite x5, Battle Cruiser x2, Heliarch x8, Light Laser Turret x10 |
| Death Star | Light Cargo x250, Heavy Cargo x250, Light Fighter x200, Heavy Fighter x100, Cruiser x33, Battleship x30, Colony Ship x250, Recycler x250, Spy Probe x1,250, Planet Bomber x25, Solar Satellite x1,250, Star Fighter x5, Battle Cruiser x15, Battle Fortress x5, Missile Launcher x200, Light Laser Turret x200, Heavy Laser Turret x100, Gauss Cannon x50, Ion Cannon x100 |
| Battle Cruiser | Light Cargo x3, Heavy Cargo x3, Heavy Fighter x4, Cruiser x4, Battleship x10, Spy Probe x5, Solar Satellite x5, Heliarch x12 |
| Black Moon | Light Cargo x250, Heavy Cargo x250, Light Fighter x200, Heavy Fighter x100, Cruiser x33, Battleship x30, Colony Ship x250, Recycler x250, Spy Probe x1,250, Planet Bomber x25, Solar Satellite x1,250, Star Fighter x5, Death Star x1, Battle Cruiser x15, Battle Fortress x3, Missile Launcher x400, Light Laser Turret x200, Heavy Laser Turret x100, Gauss Cannon x50, Ion Cannon x100 |
| Battle Transporter | Spy Probe x5, Solar Satellite x5 |
| Avatar | Light Cargo x250, Heavy Cargo x250, Light Fighter x200, Heavy Fighter x100, Cruiser x33, Battleship x30, Colony Ship x250, Recycler x250, Spy Probe x1,250, Planet Bomber x25, Solar Satellite x1,250, Star Fighter x5, Battle Cruiser x15, Battle Fortress x5, Heliarch x10, Missile Launcher x400, Light Laser Turret x200, Heavy Laser Turret x100, Gauss Cannon x50, Ion Cannon x100 |
| Battle Recycler | Spy Probe x5, Solar Satellite x5 |
| Dark Matter Collector | Spy Probe x5, Solar Satellite x5 |
| Battle Fortress | Cruiser x15, Battleship x10, Spy Probe x5, Planet Bomber x10, Solar Satellite x5, Battle Cruiser x8, Heliarch x6, Missile Launcher x150, Light Laser Turret x150, Heavy Laser Turret x75, Gauss Cannon x15, Ion Cannon x30 |
| Heliarch | Battleship x4, Spy Probe x5, Solar Satellite x5, Star Fighter x4, Death Star x8, Battle Cruiser x2, Black Moon x6, Avatar x2, Battle Fortress x2 |
Plunder
When the attacker wins, the surviving ships load part of the resources stored on the planet, as much as their cargo holds carry.
Debris and moons
Destroyed ships leave 30% of their metal and crystal as a debris field, destroyed defences 0%. Recyclers collect it.
A battle at a planet without a moon can create one: every 100,000 units of debris add one percentage point of chance, up to 20%.
Alliance attacks
An alliance attack joins up to 16 fleets of several players against one target, and they fight as one fleet.
Battles also pay combat experience (Experience and achievements).
Questions
Why did I lose ships in a battle I won?
Both sides fire in every round, so the winner takes losses too. A stronger fleet ends the battle in fewer rounds and loses less.
Do I get a report of every battle?
Yes. Attacker and defender both get a battle report with the fleets of every round, the debris and, after a won attack, the resources taken.