Battle Mechanics
Understanding how combat works helps you plan effective attacks and defenses.
Combat Flow
1. Fleet Arrival
- Attacker fleet reaches target coordinates
- Combat phase begins
2. Force Compilation
Attacker:
- All ships in attacking fleet
- ACS allies if coordinated attack
Defender:
- Stationed fleet
- Planetary defenses
- ACS defending fleets
3. Combat Rounds
Maximum 6 rounds per battle:
- All units select random targets
- Each unit fires once (modified by rapidfire)
- Damage applied to targets
- Destroyed units removed
- Shields regenerate
- Check for battle end
4. Battle End
Combat ends when:
- All attackers destroyed
- All defenders destroyed
- 6 rounds completed (draw)
Damage Mechanics
Attack Damage
Damage = Base Attack * (1 + 0.1 * Weapon Technology)
Defensive structures also gain +5% attack per Defense Technology level.
Shield Absorption
Shields absorb damage before hull:
Ship Shield = Base Ship Shield * (1 + 0.1 * Mobile Shield Technology)
Defense Shield = Base Defense Shield * (1 + 0.15 * Ion Technology + 0.05 * Defense Technology)
If damage < 1% of shield, damage is completely blocked.
Hull Damage
When shields depleted:
Hull Remaining = Current Hull - (Damage - Shield)
Hull Points
Ship Hull = Base Hull
Defense Hull = Base Defense Hull * (1 + 0.15 * Defense Technology)
Ships no longer gain hull from Defense Technology.
Target Selection
Random Targeting
Each attacking unit randomly selects a defender:
- No priority system
- All units equal chance
- RNG-based selection
Implications
- Can't focus fire
- Weak units might survive
- Spread damage across fleet
Shield Regeneration
Between rounds:
- Shields fully regenerate to their maximum value
- Encourages multi-round battles
- Benefits high-shield units
Destruction Mechanics
Unit Destruction
A unit is destroyed when hull reaches 0.
Explosion Chance
Damaged units have chance to explode:
- Damaged hull = higher explosion chance
- Units below 70% hull may explode
- Adds battle uncertainty
Formula
Explosion Chance = (1 - Current Hull / Max Hull)
Combat Technologies
Impact on Combat
| Technology | Effect per Level |
|---|---|
| Weapon Technology | +10% damage |
| Mobile Shield Technology | +10% ship shields |
| Ion Technology | +15% defense shields |
| Defense Technology | +5% defense attack/shield, +15% defense hull, +5% protected daily production |
Example
Battleship (base 1,000 attack) with Weapons 10:
Attack = 1,000 * (1 + 0.1 * 10) = 2,000
Fleet Composition
Balanced Fleet
Good fleet includes:
- Damage dealers: Battleships, Destroyers
- Cannon fodder: Light Fighters
- Specialized: Bombers vs defenses
- Support: Cargo ships, Recyclers
Counter-Building
Design fleet to counter enemy:
- Light Fighter heavy? → Cruisers
- Battlecruiser heavy? → Destroyers
- Heavy defenses? → Bombers
Battle Aftermath
Debris Fields
When ships are destroyed, debris forms that can be collected:
| Resource | Recovery Rate |
|---|---|
| Metal | 70% |
| Crystal | 40% |
| Deuterium | 10% |
Warning: Debris decays rapidly—1% every 10 seconds! Send Recyclers immediately.
Defense Resource Recovery
Destroyed defenses don't become debris. Instead:
- Defender wins: Resources automatically added to planet
- Attacker wins: Resources added to attacker's loot (up to cargo capacity)
This creates interesting strategic dynamics—successful defense is rewarded, but overwhelming attacks can be extra profitable.
See Debris Fields for complete details.
Combat Simulation
Before attacking:
- Spy target
- Use combat simulator
- Calculate expected losses
- Factor in debris recovery (70% Metal, 40% Crystal, 10% Deut)
- Ensure profitable result
- Then launch attack
Many external tools can simulate battles.