Alpha Centauri Datalinks

datalinks.md

• Basic Concepts:

  1. Rainfall
  2. Rockiness
  3. Altitude
  4. Pact of Brotherhood
  5. Treaty of Friendship
  6. Blood Truce
  7. Vendetta
  8. Integrity
  9. Atrocities
  10. Drone Riots
  11. Golden Age
  12. Morale
  13. Monoliths
  14. Artifacts
  15. Fungus/Xenofungus
  16. Psi Combat
  17. Waypoints
  18. Patrol
  19. Explore (Governor)
  20. Discover (Governor)
  21. Build (Governor)
  22. Conquer (Governor)
  23. Damage and Repair
  24. Prototypes
  25. Unit Cost (Basic)
  26. Inefficiency (Basic)
  27. Ecology (Basic)
  28. Planetary Council
  29. Planetary Governor
  30. Commerce (Basic)
  31. Victory and Defeat
  32. Territory/Borders
  33. Might
  34. Disengage
  35. Zone of Control
  36. Bombardment
  37. Drones
  38. Talents
  39. Psych
  40. Landmarks, Volcanos, etc.
  41. Council Proposals
  42. Nutrients
  43. Minerals
  44. Energy
  45. Economy
  46. Labs
  47. Energy Reserves
  48. Progenitors
  49. Resonance
  50. Manifolds
  51. Energy Grid
  52. Specialists
  53. Diplomatic Relations
  54. Base Conquest
  55. Unity Pods
  56. Random Events

• Advanced Concepts:

  1. Unit Cost (Advanced)
  2. Inefficiency (Advanced)
  3. Ecology (Advanced)
  4. Commerce (Advanced)
  5. Score
  6. Victory (Diplomatic)
  7. Victory (Conquest)
  8. Victory (Transcendence)
  9. Victory (Economic)
  10. Victory (Scenario)
  11. Retirement
  12. Might Formula
  13. Drones (Advanced)
  14. Bureaucracy
  15. Victory (Progenitor)
  16. Ecology (Revised)
  17. Self Destruction
  18. Morale (Advanced)
  19. Hurry Cost
  20. Upgrade Cost
  21. Repair (Advanced)
  22. Altitude (Advanced)
  23. Random Events(Advanced)
  24. Perihelion Event
  25. Wild Natives and Fungus

Rainfall #

The Rainfall level of a region usually determines the amount of Nutrients which can be produced. A region can be arid, moderate or rainy, producing 0, 1, or 2 nutrients respectively. A farm increases the nutrient production by 1.

In addition to coastal and tropical regions, the western (upwind) slopes of mountain ranges tend to be quite rainy, since warm moisture-laden air cools as it rises, and sheds its moisture as rainfall. You can take advantage of this phenomenon by raising hills to the east of your important bases. Conversely, areas east, or downwind of mountain ranges tend to be quite arid.

Ocean squares produce 1 nutrient unless you cultivate a kelp farm, in which case they produce 3.

Rockiness #

The Rockiness of an area determines that region's Mineral production potential. Regions can be flat, rolling, or rocky. Flat regions produce no minerals unless a mine is build there, in which case they can produce one. Rolling regions produce a single mineral, which can be increased to two with a mine. Unimproved Rocky regions also produce 1, but can produce 4 with a mine and road.

Rocky areas inhibit movement, costing twice the normal number of moves to enter. They also provide a strong (+50%) defensive benefit in combat.

A base may not be founded on a rocky square, terraform LEVEL. with a Former first

Ocean squares produce minerals only if you build a mining platform, in which case they produce 2.

Special Mineral Resource squares produce two additional minerals per turn, and can be increased to three extra with a mine. Crater squares also produce one extra mineral.

Altitude #

The Altitude of a region affects the amount of Energy which can be collected there from a Solar Collector. Areas below 1000m above sea level produce 1 unit of energy. From 1000m to 1999m, areas produce 2 energy; 2000m-2999m areas produce 3 energy, and areas more than 3000m above sea level produce 4 energy.

Ocean squares do not normally produce energy unless you build a Tidal Harnesses, in which case they produce 3.

See also Altitude (Advanced).

Pact of Brotherhood #

A Pact of Brotherhood (or Pact of Sisterhood) is the closest form of diplomatic relationship you can form with another faction. Pact Brothers may enter each other's territory freely, may stack with each other's units, and may enter each other's bases (and receive repairs there).

Pact Brothers are expected to defend one another from enemy attack. They receive double commerce between their bases, and are often willing to share technological research.

A Pact can be terminated at any time (the right-click menu on the Commlink menu is one way to do it), but at the moment of termination all of your units will automatically be shipped home from your former Pact Brother's territory, and vice versa.

Treaty of Friendship #

A Treaty of Friendship is intended to secure a permanent and lasting friendship between two factions. Once you have signed a Treaty, you will receive commerce benefits with your new friends. You may not, without diplomatic repercussions, enter the territory of a faction you have a Treaty with.

A Treaty of Friendship terminates only if one faction attacks another or refuses a valid demand for withdrawal.

Blood Truce #

Blood Truce marks an end to Vendetta between two factions. It a promise not to attack one another for a limited period of time. After about 15-20 years, a Blood Truce will expire and the two factions will continue as Neutrals unless they again attack one another.

Technically, Blood Truce does not restrict you from entering another faction's territory, but other faction leaders may not see things that way.

Vendetta #

Vendetta is a state of war between two factions. If you have pronounced Vendetta on a faction (or another faction has pronounced it against you.), expect to be attacked.

Integrity #

Integrity measures the current value of your word-of-honor as a faction leader. If you keep your promises and do not betray your friends, your integrity will remain high. Committing Atrocities, attacking factions you have pledged Blood Truce or signed Treaties with will rapidly lower your integrity rating, and other faction leaders will no longer be eager to make (or keep) agreements with you.

Note that there is no dishonor in attacking a sworn enemy with whom you have not pledged Blood Truce; only breaking an agreement or commiting an atrocity can lower your Integrity.

       Levels of _Integrity_: (Best to Worst)

Noble

Faithful

Scrupulous

Dependable

Ruthless

Treacherous

Atrocities #

Atrocities comprise a set of particularly heinous acts forbidden under the Unity mission's U.N. Charter. Simple Atrocities include use of nerve gas or genetic warfare, nerve stapling of civilians, and attacks against civilian populations (e.g. intentional obliteration of a base). Use of quasi-nuclear devices such as Planet Busters is considered a Major Atrocity.

If you commit a Simple Atrocity, the other factions will likely impose commerce sanctions for ten or more years, depriving you of all trade with your Treaty and Pact partners. The faction against whom you committed the atrocity will probably remain your sworn enemy forever.

If you commit a Major Atrocity, you will be expelled from the Planetary Council and all factions will pronounce Vendetta against you.

Simple atrocities committed between factions of different species (i.e., the Progenitors and humans) do not invoke the wrath of other faction leaders.

Drone Riots #

Drone Riots occur when the number of Drones at a base exceeds the number of Talents. During Riots, citizens will continue to feed themselves, but no production will take place and no surplus energy will be produced. To end the Drone Riots, you will have to restore the balance of Drones and Talents.

Drone Riots can be prevented (or ended) by one of several methods: (a) building psych-related facilities such as Recreation Commons will reduce the number of Drones at a base (b) if your social engineering POLICE rating is high enough, you can place military units in your base to serve as "police" and impose order (c) Converting some workers to Doctors will increase the number of Talents, balancing out the drones. (d) if your base produces enough energy, increasing your energy allocation to Psych will increase the number of Talents at your base (one talent for every two points of Psych produced), thereby restoring balance.

Golden Age #

A Golden Age occurs when a base has no Drones, and the number of Talents at least equals the number of regular Workers and Specialists.

A Golden Age significantly increases a base's growth rate and energy production-- equivalent of +1 ECONOMY and +2 GROWTH on the social engineering table.

Morale #

Morale reflects the training and experience of your military units. Morale levels range from Very Green to Green to Disciplined to Hardened, Veteran, Commando, and Elite. A unit receives a +12.5% combat bonus for each morale level. Morale plays a particularly important role in psi combat, and in combat between probe teams, since no weapon and armor values are considered in those cases.

New units typically begin with Green morale, though this may be higher or lower depending on your social engineering MORALE setting. A new unit's morale can also be increased if a base has a Command Center or other related facility.

Alien units such as Mind Worms have life cycles which correspond to morale levels. Alien units are not affected by Command Centers and military facilities, but their life cycle levels can be improved by building Biology Labs and other similar facilities. The transport capacity of an Isle of the Deep is determined by its life cycle level: one unit for each level.

A unit victorious in combat will often receive a morale upgrade (the lower its morale level, the more likely an upgrade).

Elite units receive a special bonus--an additional move each turn.

A unit with a "+" sign after its morale possesses a combat bonus from its location in a base with a Children's Creche.

Monoliths #

Monoliths are mysterious and unexplained alien devices discovered on Planet. A monolith will increase a combat unit's morale (or life cycle) one level, but an individual unit can receive only one monolith upgrade.

(Hint: Consider saving your upgrade for those hard-to-get promotions from Commando to Elite)

A monolith will also completely repair any damaged unit; this can be done any number of times, even if a unit has already received a morale upgrade from a monolith.

Monolith squares can also be tapped for resources, and will produce:

2 Nutrients, 2 Minerals, and 2 Energy each turn.

A Base cannot be founded on a monolith square.

Only roads/mag tubes, fungus or rivers may be added to a monolith square

A monolith, when used to upgrade has a 1/32 chance to disappear permanently

Artifacts #

Artifacts are mysterious and unexplained alien devices sometimes discovered on Planet. If you can find an artifact and return it to one of your bases, you will have several options:

(a) you can link it to a Network Node if you have one, and receive a free random technology breakthrough

(b) you can use it to speed the production of a Secret Project or Unit Prototype by 50 minerals

(c) you can save it to use later.

Artifacts can be captured from other players. A lone artifact can be captured by any player without diplomatic penalty.

Fungus/Xenofungus #

Xenofungus or Fungus is a form of plant life native to Alpha Centauri. It has a number of unusual properties which you may discover in the course of play. Some of the more obvious properties include:

(1) Fungus impedes movement. Units may have difficulty entering Fungus squares. Increasing your PLANET social engineering rating will alleviate this problem. Building the Xenoempathy Dome improves Fungus movement considerably.

If there is a unit in a fungus square, another unit with at least one movement will always be able to enter that square.

(2) Fungus has a defensive (+50%) value when defending against other human or Progenitor factions. Against native Mind Worms, however, Fungus has negative value.

(3) Fungus squares can be tapped for resources; the resource level provided by a fungus square is determined by the number of Centauri technologies you have discovered. These are:

+1 Nutrient production in fungus:

Centauri Ecologyand Centauri Psi.

+1 Mineral production in fungus:

Centauri Genetics,Matter Transmission and Threshold of Transcendence.

+1 Energy production in fungus:

Centauri Meditation,Secrets of Alpha Centauri,Temporal Mechanics.

Additionally, building The Manifold Harmonics also increases resouces from fungus squares.

Psi Combat #

Some units (usually alien creatures such as Mind Worms) can engage in PSI COMBAT. In Psi Combat, weapon and armor strengths are ignored, and the attacker is given a 3 to 2 advantage on land (1 to 1 for sea and air combat). MORALE level becomes quite important in Psi Combat.

PLANET rating also effects attackers psi combat at +/- 10% per point.

Waypoints #

Waypoints can be set when giving a unit "go to" orders. One way to give a unit "go to" orders is to click on it to activate it, then hold down the left mouse button and drag a "movement arrow" to where you want the unit to go. You can set waypoints by pressing the SPACE BAR while the arrow is over a particular square. The unit will move to each of its waypoints on its way to its final destination. You can also set waypoints while giving a unit Patrol orders, in similar fashion.

Patrol #

A unit can be told to Patrol by clicking on the unit to activate it, then selecting the Patrol option from the Action menu. When the Patrol cursor appears, hold down the left mouse button and drag a "patrol arrow" to the area you wish the unit to patrol. The unit will commence patrolling back and forth between its current location and the location you have specified. It will "wake up" and request orders if it encounters an enemy unit. You may set waypoints in a patrol by pressing the SPACE BAR while you drag the patrol arrow.

BUG REPORT Giving a unit 3 or more waypoints can cause unusual behaviour. Only use patrol for one or two waypoints

Explore (Governor) #

The Explore, Discover, Build, and Conquer buttons on the Base Control Screen activate the Governor for that base. When the Governor is activated, he will make decisions automatically based on his general instructions. This function is useful for beginners and for players who do not wish to micromanage their bases.

The EXPLORE button tells the Governor of a base to concentrate on finding and occupying new territory. Bases set to explore will typically concentrate on building Scouts, Colony Pods, Transports, and occasional Naval Units for scouting oceans. This button is especially useful early in the game, when you need to expand quickly.

Discover (Governor) #

The Explore, Discover, Build, and Conquer buttons on the Base Control Screen activate the Governor for that base. When the Governor is activated, he will make decisions automatically based on his general instructions. This function is useful for beginners and for players who do not wish to micromanage their bases.

The DISCOVER button on the Base Control Screen emphasizes scientific discovery and technological breakthroughs. The Base Governor will concentrate on building Science Facilities (such as Network Nodes), Secret Projects, Probe Teams, and Prototype Units. This button is especially effective with large, well-protected bases deep in your interior.

Build (Governor) #

The Explore, Discover, Build, and Conquer buttons on the Base Control Screen activate the Governor for that base. When the Governor is activated, he will make decisions automatically based on his general instructions. This function is useful for beginners and for players who do not wish to micromanage their bases.

The BUILD button on the Base Control Screen mandates infrastructure and growth. The Base Governor will tend to build Facilities and Formers. Use this button at any time to have your base concentrate on peaceful growth.

Conquer (Governor) #

The Explore, Discover, Build, and Conquer buttons on the Base Control Screen activate the Governor for that base. When the Governor is activated, he will make decisions automatically based on his general instructions. This function is useful for beginners and for players who do not wish to micromanage their bases.

Use the CONQUER button on the Base Control Screen to build up your military. In this mode your base will produce military units of all varieties, and their associated facilities, such as Command Centers. Use this button whenever you need to attack or defend.

Damage and Repair #

Units which engage in combat may become damaged. Damage is indicated by a colored bar along the left side of a unit's status icon: Green represents light (or no) damage; Yellow and Red show increasing damage.

As non-air units take damage, their movement rate declines.

(But movement can never be reduced below 1)

Damage can be repaired if a unit skips its entire turn (SPACE BAR) at a friendly base. A severely damaged unit may have to repeat this operation for several turns.

NOTE: Damage will not be repaired on any turn in which the unit is attacked or bombarded.

Units can also conduct "field repair" (i.e. not at a base), but this process is much slower and is only effective if the unit has sustained more than 20% damage.

See also Repair (Advanced).

Prototypes #

You may use the Design Workshop screen to create new unit types. Whenever you create a unit using a weapon, armor, or chassis type which you have never used before, you must prototype the unit.

A prototype unit requires an extra +50% Minerals to build, though it receives a bonus +1 Morale upgrade in compensation since experimental weapons are often given to crack, well-trained troops.

Once you have prototyped a new unit, you may build that unit in the future at no additional cost.

Building a prototype also counts as a for equal or lower-valued components.

Chassis prototypes only count for the same types of chassis: air, sea, land.

Build completion is done sequentially, in the base sequence as shown on that unsorted display f4. Once you have completed your prototype, units constructed later in the queue, even if built in that same turn do not have to pay the prototype penalty.

Unit Cost (Basic) #

When designing new units, bear in mind that units strong in three areas (weapon, armor, chassis) will be vastly more expensive than units strong in only two areas (or one).

For example, a 4-3-2 unit normally costs 70 minerals to build, whereas a 4-1-2 unit costs only 30 and a 4-3-1 unit costs 40. So you can have two units for the price of one, not to mention the +25% base-attack bonus which the 4-3-1 infantry unit will receive.

Inefficiency (Basic) #

As your colony grows and you claim more territory and build more bases, this growth will put a strain on your economy. This strain shows up as inefficiency, which can cause you to lose some of your energy production each turn.

The farther a base is away from your Headquarters base, the more inefficiency it will experience.

Inefficiency can be mitigated at all of your bases by making social engineering choices which increase your EFFICIENCY value. Democratic politics and Green economics each increase efficiency.

Inefficiency can be mitigated at a particular base by building a Children's Creche there.

Ecology (Basic) #

As humans or Progenitors expand and build colonies on Planet, they inevitably begin to cause ecological damage. Ecological damage can provoke the native life forms and cause other unexpected effects.

The red ecological damage number represents a percentage chance, per turn, of an ecological accident happening in the base's territory.

The more mines, solar collectors, roads, and farms (but not forests, which actually help the ecology) you build, the more the potential damage. Boreholes, Mirrors, and Condensers cause even greater damage. You can reduce or eliminate this type of damage by building Tree Farm and Hybrid Forest facilities.

As your industrial output (minerals) increases, ecological damage will also take place. This effect can be reduced by building the Centauri Preserve, Temple of Planet, and Nanoreplicator or a Tree Farm/Hybrid Forest facilities.

Ecological damage reducing facilities only reduce ecological damage if built after your first eco-damage report.

Planetary Council #

Once you have obtained commlink frequencies for all factions, you can convene the Planetary Council to vote on planetary policies, including election of a Planetary Governor.

In elections for Planetary Governor (and Supreme Leader), each faction casts votes equal to the total size of all its bases. This total may be modified by faction powers and Secret Projects. Only the leader of one of the two factions with the highest vote totals may stand for election as Governor or Supreme Leader.

On votes to set planetary policies, each faction receives one vote. In these votes, the current Planetary Governor has veto power, which can be overridden only by unanimous vote of all remaining factions.

Planetary Governor #

The Planetary Governor holds an Executive Veto in all votes on Planetary Policy. The Governor also receives +1 Energy in commerce transactions with other friendly factions at each base, from the increased commerce created by global agencies. The planetary bureaucracy provides the Governor with an infiltrator in every other faction.

The Governor also gets +1 Energy in all of his bases

Commerce (Basic) #

Commerce is bonus energy generated from trade between two friendly factions. Whenever you sign a Treaty or Pact with another faction, your bases will automatically begin to accrue commerce (and this benefit extends to your partner faction as well).

Commerce is interrupted whenever a Vendetta occurs between two factions, or when sanctions are applied against a faction which has committed an atrocity. Think of Commerce as a reward for peaceful behavior.

Between two factions, commerce is more beneficial to the faction which has discovered the most Economic technologies. CEO Morgan gains additional bonuses here as part of his faction power. Commerce also tends to benefit the current Planetary Governor.

You can increase your commerce rates by doing the following:

• Sign more Treaties.

• Sign more Pacts (Pacts receive double commerce).

• Increase the size and economy of your bases ("it takes energy to make energy").

• Discover more economic-related technologies

Economic related technologies include Industrial Economics, Industrial Automation, Planetary Economics, Industrial Nanorobotics, Sentient Econometrics, and Environmental Economics.

Victory and Defeat #

There are five principal ways to win the game:

Transcendence Victory

Conquest Victory

Progenitor Victory

Diplomatic Victory

Economic Victory

Scenario Victory

For detailed scoring information, see Scoring.

For information on retirement and mandatory retirement, see Retirement.

Territory/Borders #

Your territory consists of all land nearer to one of your land bases on the same continent than to anyone else's. Your territorial waters consist of all sea areas nearer to one of your sea bases (in the same ocean) than to anyone else's. Territory may move and shift during the course of the game as bases are built, conquered, and destroyed.

Other faction leaders may take offense if you move units into their territory, particularly if you have signed a Treaty of Friendship.

Territory never extends more than 7 squares from a land base, or 3 from a sea base.

Might #

Your Might is a measure of your overall standing in comparison to other factions. It ranges from "Unsurpassed" (first place), to "Feeble" (seventh place).

Might is based on a holistic evaluation of your faction, and includes population, technology, secret projects, and military strength.

The Faction Dominance graphs on the information display track might.

       Summary of _Might_: (Strongest to weakest)

Unsurpassed

Potent

Formidable

Sufficient

Wanting

Anemic

Feeble

See also: Might Formula

Disengage #

Fast units, such as Speeders and Hovertanks, can sometimes disengage when surprised by slower enemy units. A unit disengages when the following conditions are met:

• Unit incurs 50% damage, relative to what it started the combat with.

• Unit is faster than its attacker, taking damage into account.

• Unit is alone in its square.

• Unit did not attack on its last turn.

• Unit is a combat unit (non-combat units may never disengage).

• Neither attacker nor defender is an air unit.

• Attacker does not have the Comm Jammer ability.

• Unit does not have the HOLD order, and is not in a bunker or airbase.

• A valid retreat square is avaiable, which is not a fungus square (unless Pholus Mutagen) and is not adjacent to an enemy unit.

Zone of Control #

Every unit exerts a Zone of Control into every adjacent square (but units in sea squares do not exert zones of control into land squares, nor vice versa).

Land units may not normally move between two squares in an enemy zone of control, with the following exceptions:

• Units may freely move into and out of bases.

• Units may freely attack any adjacent unit.

• Units may freely enter squares already containing friendly units.

• Probe teams and units with the Cloaking ability may ignore this rule.

Air and Sea units exert zones of control, but are not affected by them.

Bombardment #

Naval units, land units with the Heavy Artillery ability and Spore Launchers may conduct Bombardment by selecting the Long Range Fire option from the Action menu.

Bombardment has the advantage of potentially damaging every enemy unit in a particular square and the disadvantage that land units can never be reduced below 50% damage by bombardment.

If a unit is bombarded it will not heal for the turn, it will also cancel a former's terraforming

If bombardment is attempted against a square containing an enemy naval or artillery unit, the bombardment is cancelled and an Artillery Duel is initiated, with the attacking and defending artillery (or naval) units fighting attack-vs-attack strength. Armor values are ignored for Artillery Duels.

Bombardment may also be used to destroy square improvements (Xenofungus cannot be destroyed by bombardment)

Drones #

Drones are discontented, undereducated citizens which appear as a result of population pressure and other social forces. Drones work like other citizens, but if a base has more Drones than Talents, a Drone Riot will result.

Talents #

Talents are prosperous, highly educated citizens, your intellectual elite. Talents are created as the result of favorable social conditions and the diversion of energy to Psych. As long as a base has at least as many Talents as Drones, no Drone Riot will occur.

Psych #

Energy diverted to Psych is used to improve the quality of life your citizens experience. Every two units of energy diverted to Psych will convert a normal citizen into an additional Talent in that base.

If no are no normal citizens then every two units of Psych will turn one Drone into a normal citizen.

Landmarks, Volcanos, etc. #

Certain major Landmarks on Planet's surface convey special bonuses:

Garland Crater confers +1 Mineral in interior squares. (Vulnerable)

Mount Planet confers +1 Mineral and +1 Energy in each square around the mouth. (Vulnerable)

Uranium Flats confer +1 Energy in each square. (Vulnerable)

Geothermal Shallows confer +1 Energy in each square. (Vulnerable)

Pholus Ridge confers +1 Energy in each square. (Vulnerable)

Monsoon Jungle confers +1 Nutrient in each square. (Vulnerable)

Freshwater Sea confers +1 Nutrient in each square.

Fossil Field Ridge confers +1 Mineral in each square. (Vulnerable)

Manifold Nexus confers a +1 PLANET rating when inside a faction's borders. Progenitor factions gain an additional +1 RESEARCH rating. (Vulnerable)

Vulnerable: Bonus is removed if square changes elevation to a different 1000m band

Other landmarks have no effect beyond the standard effects of the terrain which they represent.

Council Proposals #

The following proposals can be brought before the Planetary Council, once appropriate technology is obtained:

Upon discovery of Orbital Spaceflight:

Salvage Unity Fusion Core: +500 energy for each faction.

Upon discovery of Planetary Economics:

Global Trade Pact: Commerce rates doubled planetwide.

Repeal Trade Pact: Commerce rates return to normal.

Upon discovery of Advanced Spaceflight:

Launch Solar Shade: Global cooling; sea levels fall.

Increase Solar Shade: Global cooling; sea levels drop.

Upon discovery of Adv. Ecological Engineering:

Melt Polar Caps: Global warming; sea levels rise.

Upon discovery of Adv. Military Algorithms:

Repeal U.N. Charter: Atrocity prohibitions lifted.

Reinstate U.N. Charter: Atrocity prohibitions return.

The Council also elects the Planetary Governor by a majority vote of population, and by a 3/4 vote by population can annoint a Supreme Leader, conferring a Diplomatic Victory (available upon discovery of Mind/Machine Interface).

Nutrients #

Nutrients are produced in squares with sufficient Rainfall, sometimes supplemented by the addition of Farms and similar enhancements.

Every citizen at a base must "eat" two Nutrients per turn to survive.

Surplus nutrients are stored. When sufficient surplus nutrients have been accumulated, a base will grow, producing a new citizen.

Special Nutrient Resource squares produce two extra nutrients, and lift nutrient restrictions for that square.

Monsoon Jungle squares produce a single extra nutrient.

Base squares have no restrictions

Condensors lift nutrient restrictions on the square they are built.

The discovery of Gene Splicing lifts all nutrient restrictions.

Minerals #

Minerals are produced in squares with sufficient Rockiness, sometimes supplemented by the addition of Mines and similar enhancements.

Once a base has exceeded its free SUPPORT level, any additional units (military or non-combat) consume one Mineral per turn of support.

Surplus minerals are applied to production of facilities, units, and secret projects which a base is creating. When sufficient minerals are accumulated, the facility or unit is built.

Special Mineral Resource squares produce two additional minerals, and lift mineral restrictions for that square.

Base squares have no restrictions

The discovery of Ecological Engineering lifts all mineral restrictions.

Energy #

Energy is produced in squares with Solar Collectors, particularly those at high Altitudes.

A river will also increase energy output by +1

Ocean shelf squares can produce energy with a Tidal Harnesses

Depending on the Energy Allocation which you have made on the Social Engineering screen, all the energy you produce is divided among three priorities: Economy, Labs, and Psych. Some of the energy a base produces may also be lost to Inefficiency.

Special Energy Resource squares produce two extra energy, and lift energy restrictions for that square.

Base squares have no restrictions

The discovery of Environmental Economics lifts all energy restrictions.

See also Commerce (Advanced)

Economy #

Energy allocated to your Economy is added, as energy credits, to your Energy Reserves, which function as your treasury for monetary transactions.

Labs #

Energy allocated to Labs is used to conduct scientific research. The more energy you allocate to Labs, the quicker you will make technological breakthroughs.

Energy Reserves #

Your Energy Reserves represent stored energy. Your reserves function as your treasury for monetary transactions.

Your energy reserves increase depending on the amount of Energy you allocate to Economy on the Social Engineering screen.

Specialists #

Specialists are citizens with special tasks generating Economy, Psych and Labs.

Doctor: +2 Psych

Technician: +3 Economy

Librarian: +3 Labs (available upon discovery of Planetary Networks)

Empath: +2 Economy, +2 Psych

(available upon discovery of Centauri Meditation)

Engineer: +3 Economy, +2 Labs (available upon discovery of Fusion Power)

Thinker: +1 Psych, +3 Labs

(available upon discovery of Mind/Machine interface)

Transcend: +2 Economy, +2 Psych, +4 Labs

(available upon discovery of Secrets of alpha Centauri)

The more advanced specialists may make other specialists obsolete.

Diplomatic Relations #

Diplomatic Relations with other factions depend upon a number of factors, including your social choices, proximity to territory, military power, previous relations and Integrity.

       Summary of _Mood_: (Best to worst)

Submissive*

Magnanimous

Solicitous

Cooperative

Noncommital

Ambivalent

Obstinate

Quarrelsome

Belligerent

Seething

*Submissive is a special case of Magnanimous,

encountered when the faction is hoplessly overmatched.

Base Conquest #

If the last combat unit defending a base (or non-combat if no combat units are present) is defeated, then population of a base is reduced by one (unless a Perimeter defense is present and all non-combat units are destroyed too.

If there are no units defending a base, it can be entered by any combat unit. This causes the base to pass into the control of the attacking faction. Conquering a base destroys a random number of the base's facilities (but never a secret project) and reduces the population of a base by one.

(This will cause a base to be completely destroyed if it is of size 1)

If a wild native lifeform enters an undefended base, it destroys one random facility, or devours one population then disappears.

Unity Pods #

Unity Pods provide random effects for the first faction that visits them.

The of possible results are listed below are no particular order.

Survey Pod: Creates a Nutrient, Mineral or Energy resource on the tile

Resources are discovered only in non-fungus, non-sea tiles.

The overall chance discovering a new resource is 50% (if possible). There is an additional 50% chance of producing another result as well.

Monolith: Creates a Monolith on the tile - Never occurs on sea tiles

If found on fungus, removes fungus from beneath the tile

Resupply Pod: Free 25-200 Energy Credits.

Bigger totals more likely at sea and later in the game.

Cartographer/Sonar Pod: Reveals all land/sea tiles within 5 squares.

Materials pod: Completes production of item at nearest base

Never spawns when nearest item is a Secret Project. If hurried item is changed, bonus production is completely lost (no 50% reduction)

Dimensional Gate (Land)/ Tidal Wave (Sea):

• Unit exploring is teleported to a random (sea-sea or land-land) square. Movement reset to maximum

Technology Data Pod: Free Technology

Only level 1 technologies may be discovered in this way

Commlink Data Pod: Free commlink for a random faction.

Hydrology Pod: Taps an underground river, just like Drill to aquifer.

Hydroponics Pod: Plants 1-5+ Forests nearby. Replaces Fungus

Sea Farming Pod: Plants 1-7 Kelp Farms nearby. Replaces Fungus

Robot Agricultiral Pod: Creates 1-7 Farms nearby

Robot Mining Pod: Creates 1-3+ Mines (with roads) nearby

Robot Power Pod: Creates 1-5 Solar Collectors

Unit Section: ALL the units generated from pods are independant

(No Support cost)

Supply Pod: Free Unity Rover or Unity Foil.

If Synthetic Fossil Fuels have been discovered, you have a chance of discovering a Unity Chopper.

Not a pod: Free Battle Ogre -mkI, mkII or mkIII.

The more advanced Battle Ogres can only spawn later in the game, and are more likely to be found on larger maps

Not a Pod: - Free Alien artifact

Movement of the artifact is 0 when discovered.

Dimensional Rift Creates a copy of the investigating unit

Monolith status is not copied and is set to unvisited.

Xenofungal Bloom: Makes some fungus and (usually) spawns natives

Can spawn fungus in adjacent land/sea tiles.

Never occurs if within base radius

Native infestation:/Swallowed whole

Spawns some natives: Swallowed whole spawns Isle of the Deep

Sea Pod: -1 movement, Isle of the Deep always has native lifeform cargo

Never occurs if pod is adjacent to base.

Earthquake: Raises terrain 2000-3000m

Raised flat tiles can become rocky, adjacent terrain is raised to follow the Altitude Rule.

Only occurs on land pods

Random Events #

Every turn a random event can occur. For detailed information about the mechanics behind random events see Random Events(Advanced).

Some events depend upon the presence of a base facility these are listed below:

Childrens Creche event (extra drone for 5 years if no creche, otherwise pop boosted to that base's current ability to handle based on current food production)

Network Node event (if none, then lose all accumulated research credits in an overload, otherwise free tech)

Energy bank event (if none, then all mines in base radius destroyed; if one, then +50 Credits)

Biology Lab event (planet blight if no lab, +1 nut in all base radius squares for 10 years if a lab) Planetblight Notes: Affects Pop/2 radius from infected bases, infection can spread to adjacent bases within range Effect: destroys all farms and forests within base raduis

Prometheus Virus (if a Research Hospital or Nanohospital at that base, or if faction owns a medical Secret Project

Human Geonome Project, Longevity Vaccine or Clinical Immortality, nothing happens. Otherwise, 1/2 base population is killed. Radius of effect equals half base's population, and can spread to adjacent bases

There is one event that depends upon your energy reserves

Energy Market Boom/Crash (if have more than 1000 credits, lose 3/4 if more than 500 but less than 1000, and in 4th place or lower, reserves double)

Many events modify resource output at a base for 10 years

Bumper crops (+1 nutrient per square for 10 years in that base)

Famine (-1 nutrient per square for 10 years in that base)

Haze and Clouds (-1 energy per square for 10 years in that base)

Heat wave (+1 energy per square for 10 years in that base)

Industrial Boom (+1 mineral per square for 10 years in that base)

_Industrial Collapse _(-1 mineral per square for 10 years in that base)

Energy, Mineral or Nutrient resources may be modified:

Discovered new resource Creates a resource on a square

Resource peters out Removes a resource on a square

Some events destroy nearby improvements of a type:

Hail Storms (all Solar Collectors in base radius destroyed)

Sea Beetles (all Kelp Farms in base radius destroyed)

Tidal Wave (all Mining Platforms in base radius destroyed)

The Volcano Event depends upon how close the base is to a volcano.

If there is one nearby it Erupts, otherwise one is Created

New Volcano Created - Creates a volcano like the Mt Planet Landmark.

Note: Volcano tiles are identical to those of Mt Planet (+1 energy and +1mineral)

Volcano erupts - All terrain enhancements in volcano radius destroyed.

"Dust clouds will reduce global energy production for next ten years" Gives -1 energy output for all factions in all squares.

Sunspots: No direct communication allowed between factions .

Factions will not learn of minor atrocities commited against another faction.

Minor atrocities do not count for Eco-damage purposes.

Cannot call planetary council.

Some events are very rare, they only occur 20% of the time

80% of the time nothing happens.

Asteroid Strikes base Base is destroyed - never happens to a HQ.

Only if faction is in top three

"Dust clouds will reduce global energy production for next ten years" Gives -1 energy output for all factions in all squares.

Asteroid strikes Nessus Prime: Mining Stations of all factions destroyed

Solar Storm/Flare:

All Orbital Power Transmitters and Defense Pods destroyed

But triple energy from all squares next turn)

Note that Perihelion is not a random event, but occurs every game

Unit Cost (Advanced) #

When designing new units, bear in mind that units strong in three areas (weapon, armor, chassis) will be vastly more expensive than units strong in only two areas (or one). The basic cost formula, to which there are several modifiers, is:

Cost = Weapon * (Armor + Speed) * 10 / (2 ^ (Reactor + 1))

• Weapon value never less than 1/2 Armor value.

• Non-combat units substitute "Equipment Cost" for Weapon value.

• Cost is halved for units with Speed 1.

• Cost is halved for sea units, and Armor is discounted 50%.

• Cost quartered for combat air units.

• Armor cost doubled for air units.

• Cost +25% for each unit of Special Ability cost.

• Cost +10 minerals if both Weapon and Armor greater than 1.

• Cost +10 minerals if Land unit's Weapon, Armor, Speed all greater than 1.

• Minimum cost (Reactor*2 - Reactor/2)*10 unless all values are 1.

Inefficiency (Advanced) #

The formula used to compute the energy lost to Inefficiency by a base is:

Inefficiency = (Energy * Distance / (64 - ((4 - Efficiency) * 8))

Energy | Amount of energy produced by base this turn.

Distance | Distance from Headquarters base (16 if no HQ).

Efficiency | Social Engineering EFFICIENCY (+2 if Children's Creche)

• If denominator reaches zero, ALL energy is lost to inefficiency.

Ecology (Advanced) #

The ecological damage formula is complex:

(1) For each base total the number of Mines, Solar Collectors, Farms, Soil Enrichers, Roads, Mag Tubes, Condensers, Mirrors, and Boreholes. Items in squares which are actually being worked count double.

(2) Add an extra +8 for each Borehole, +6 for each Mirror, and +4 for each Condenser.

(3) Subract 1 for each Forest.

(4) Halve if base has Tree Farm, and Eliminate if also has Hybrid Forest.

(5) Divide this value by 8, and reduce by up to 16 plus # of previous damages. Set this number aside.

(6) Take the number of minerals produced this turn (but not from Orbit)

(7) If result from 5 was reduced by less than 16+#, reduce result 6 by remaining amount.

(8) Divide minerals by 1 plus # of Centauri Preserve, Temple of Planet, Nanoreplicator.

(9) Sum the values of (5) and (8), and add +5 for each major atrocity.

(10) If Alpha Prime is at perihelion (20 years out of every 80), double your value.

Ecology% = (ValueFromStep10) * Difficulty * Technologies * (3-PLANET) * LIFE / 300

Difficulty = Normally 3, but 5 on two highest two difficulty levels.

Technologies = Number of technologies discovered

PLANET = Social Engineering PLANET value

LIFE = Native life level (1-3) from Custom Start

See also Ecology (Revised).

Commerce (Advanced) #

Commerce is computed base by base between factions with Treaties and Pacts, as follows:

(1) First, all bases for each faction are ranked from top to bottom by Energy output.

(2) Bases are paired off from top to bottom. If one faction has extra bases, these are ignored.

(3) For each pair of bases, sum the combined economic output and divide by 8, rounding up.

(4) Double this value if a Global Trade Pact is in effect.

(5) Now, for each individual base, the commerce formula is as follows:

   (ValueFromStep4) * (CommerceTech+1) / (TotalCommerceTech+1)

(6) CommerceTech is the total # of economic technologies discovered, plus faction & social bonuses.

(7) TotalCommerceTech is the total # of economic technologies in the game.

(8) Now, using the value from step 5, divide by 2 if no Pact (e.g. only a Treaty)

(9) Add +1 if you are Planetary Governor.

(10) Reduce to zero if sanctions are in effect against either faction.

Score #

Your Alpha Centauri Score is computed as follows:

(1) 1 point for each citizen of each base.

(2) If you have won a Diplomatic or Economic victory, score:

    (a) 1 point for each citizen of a [Pact Brother's](#pact-of-brotherhood) base.

    (b) 1/2 point for each citizen of any other faction's base.

(3) 1 point for each citizen of a surrendered base.

(4) 1 point for each unit of commerce your bases are receiving.

(5) 1 point for each technology discovered.

(6) 10 points for each Transcendent Thought advance.

(7) 25 points for each Secret Project.

(8) A Victory bonus if you have won the game.

The following depend upon game settings:

(9) Native Life Settings (-25% if rare, +25% if abundant)

(10) Iron Man (+100% if on)

Victory (Diplomatic) #

You may win the game diplomatically by convincing enough faction leaders to unite behind you as Supreme Leader of Planet. A 3/4 vote of the Planetary Council and the knowledge of Mind/Machine Interface is required to secure such election. Only the leader of one of the two factions with the highest vote totals may stand for election as Governor or Supreme Leader.

When a Supreme Leader is elected, a faction leader may choose to defy the will of the Council and refuse to submit. In this case, the Supreme Leader must, with the help of loyal factions, conquer all defiant factions to achieve a Conquest victory. Because of the military power usually required to secure election as Supreme Leader, defying the will of the Council is generally fairly suicidal. Other factions will therefore usually only take this course if you have committed atrocities against them or grossly and repeatedly betrayed them.

If you win a Diplomatic Victory, you are awarded 1200 points minus 2 for every game turn elapsed. If Cooperative Victory is enabled and your Pact Brother or Sister is elected Supreme Leader, you are awarded half this total.

No leader can win a diplomatic victory so long as any Progenitor faction remains unconquered.

Victory (Conquest) #

You may win the game by conquest if you eliminate all remaining factions. Factions which surrender and "swear a pact to serve you" count as eliminated for this purpose. If Cooperative Victory is enabled, you need not eliminate any faction with whom you have signed a Pact of Brotherhood, though aside from surrendered AI factions no more than three factions may "win together" in this fashion.

For winning by Conquest, you are awarded 1000 points minus 2 for every game turn elapsed. If Cooperative Victory is enabled and more than one faction survives the game, the points are split between them based on relative population.

Victory (Transcendence) #

The highest form of victory is the Ascent to Transcendence, the next step in the evolution of sentient life. In order to ascend, you must complete the secret project Ascent to Transcendence, which can be started only after one faction has completed the Voice of Planet project.

Players who ascend to transcendence are awarded 2000 points minus 2 for every game turn elapsed. If cooperative victory is enabled, all Pact Brothers and Sisters participate in the win, and points are split between all winning factions based on relative population.

Victory (Economic) #

You may win an Economic Victory by cornering the Global Energy Market. You must have discovered Planetary Economics in order to pursue such a plan.

Cornering the Global Energy Market will require a sum of Energy Credits roughly equal to the cost to "mind control" every remaining base on Planet. When you are ready to make such an attempt, select "Corner Global Energy Market" from the HQ Menu.

When a faction attempts to corner the Global Energy Market, all other factions will be given an allotted period of time in which they can capture or destroy the cornering faction's Headquarters and thereby foil the plan.

For Economic Victory, you are awarded 1200 points minus 2 for every game turn elapsed. If Cooperative Victory is enabled, Pact Brothers and Sisters of the winning faction receive half the bonus points.

Victory (Scenario) #

You win a Scenario Victory if you successfully complete the goals of a Scenario. Your score will depend on the specific scenario rules.

You cannot win a Scenario Victory if you are playing a standard game.

Retirement #

You may retire as faction leader at any time by selecting "Retire" from the Game Menu. This ends the game and computes your Alpha Centauri Score.

You must also retire if you reach the mandatory retirement year for your game or scenario. In standard games, the mandatory retirement year is M.Y. 2600 for Citizen, Specialist, and Talent levels, and M.Y. 2500 for Librarian, Thinker, and Transcend levels.

You will be warned 20 years before you reach mandatory retirement.

Might Formula #

The formula used to compute a faction's Might is as follows:

4 points for each point of population

4 points for each Transcendent Thought

?? points for each Tech (sum of Explore, Discover, Build, Conquer values)

10 points for each Secret Project

For each non-combat unit, add Cost/40 (technically MineralRows/4)

For each psi unit, add Cost/20 (MineralRows/2)

For each planet buster, add Cost/10 (MineralRows)

For combat units, add Cost/10 in ratio of weapon strength to best

weapon of any unit currently in the game.

So a 2-1-2 unit is only worth half value if "4" weapons are the best available.

Drones (Advanced) #

Several factors contribute to the number of drones found at a base before police, facilities, psych, and secret projects are taken into account:

(1) Difficulty Level: at the lowest difficulty level, every citizen after the first six is a drone. For each increase in difficulty level, an additional drone is added, so at the highest level every citizen after the first one is a drone.

(2) Bureaucracy: depending on your EFFICIENCY and your difficulty level, you will receive additional drones when your number of bases exceeds a certain number. See BUREAUCRACY.

(3) Disloyal Citizenry: for approximately 50 turns after you capture an enemy base, you will receive extra drones while you assimilate the enemy citizens. The basic rate is 5 drones minus one for each 10 turns elapsed, but the number may never exceed:

^(BaseSize + Difficulty - 2)/4

(4) Faction Power: Some factions receive additional drones or talents. For instance, the University receives an extra drone for every 4 citizens (rounded down), while the Peacekeepers receive an extra Talent for every 4 citizens, rounded up.

(5) POLICE: If your Social Engineering POLICE rating for a base is at -3 or less, drones will be created for each supported military unit away from territory OR aircraft-based chassis without the Air Superiority ability (location does not matter). However these drones may not be quelled directly through the use of PSYCH, nor drone-reducing facilities (excluding a Punishment Sphere). Only Talents, or a secret project may prevent a drone riot from pacifism.

Bureaucracy #

Bureaucracy is the addition of extra Drones because a faction has exceeded a certain number of bases. The bureaucracy formula works as follows:

BaseLimit = (8 - Difficulty) * (4 + Efficiency) * MapRoot / 2

Where:

Difficulty = Player's difficulty level (0 - 5)

Efficiency = Social Engineering Efficiency rating.

(Negative efficiency ratings are treated as 0 for bureaucracy purposes)

MapRoot = Sq. Root of # Map Squares / Sq. Root of 3200.

Note: BaseLimit is unaffected by Children's Creche.

COMMON MAPROOTS Tiny = 0.6, Small = 0.8, Standard = 1, Large ~ 1.1, Huge 1.6

For each base a faction builds in excess of this number, one additional drone will appear at some base somewhere in the colony.

Efficiency Defaults, for Efficiency = 0

Librarian, standard 10 bases, Transcend 6 bases

Librarian, huge 16 bases, Transcend, 9 bases

Progenitors #

The Progenitors are a highly advanced race of starfaring creatures, whose technological sophistication is evident in the artifacts and monoliths they left behind on Planet. Research into these structures, or direct contact with the Progenitors should they return, can yield new technologies, weapons, and base facilities.

In recent millenia, the Progenitors have split into two warring camps: the Manifold Caretakers and the Manifold Usurpers. These factions conflict over the uses of the Manifolds, which include Planet. The Caretakers wish to leave the Manifolds in their original, pristine state, while the Usurpers wish to initiate and control an Ascent to Transcendence. If either faction is successful in their quest, it most likely means an end to humanity's presence on Planet.

Resonance #

The Progenitors have evolved complex biological systems that can sense fields imperceptible to humans, including at least electrical and magnetic fields. The collective term for this sensitivity is resonance, and permeates all Progenitor communication, art, and culture. The sensitivity also confers valuable combat bonuses to Progenitor forces. With a great deal of training and mechanical aid, humans can learn to sense and utilize this resonance as well.

Manifolds #

Eons ago, the ancient Progenitors constructed six Planetary Manifolds, which they intended as massive experiments into sentience on a gigantic scale. One of the Manifolds, in the Tau Ceti system, achieved an early sentience, gaining the ability to project undreamt-of power across the galaxy. The "Flowering", as this event was called, engulfed numerous star systems and plunged Progenitor culture into a dark age from which it has not fully recovered. In the ensuing millenia of chaos and fragmentation, the locations of the Six Manifolds were lost.

Energy Grid #

Progenitor factions do not engage in commerce with humans. However, their experience with recycling does provide them with an Energy Grid at each base. Each Progenitor base facility is connected to this grid; every two base facilities generate one energy added to the base total, rounded up. Every two Secret Projects generate five energy added to the base total.

Nerve Stapling causes widespread disaffection among Progenitor citizens, resulting in the shutdown of the Grid for a limited time.

Victory (Progenitor) #

The two Progenitor factions can achieve victory by calling in reinforcements from their respective homeworlds. To broadcast the hidden location of the Manifold to their leaders offworld, either Progenitor faction can construct a Resonance Communicator. The Communicator consists of six Subspace Generators, which must be built in bases of size ten or greater.

Players who build the Resonance Communicator are awarded 2000 points minus 2 for every game turn elapsed. No cooperative victory is possible for this victory condition; if either Progenitor faction succeeds in the completion of such a Communicator, it heralds the end of human habitation on Planet.

Ecology (Revised) #

The Revised Eco-Formula:

Each time you 'build' (not acquire) a Tree Farm, a Hybrid Forest, a Centauri Preserve or a Temple of Planet, the number of minerals you can produce before eco-damage begins at all increases by one. The effect is not limited to the base in which you build the facility. It applies for every base in your faction!

The effect is permanent. You can sell these facilities, have them captured, destroyed etc., but the number of 'clean minerals' each of your bases can produce never goes down. You can even rebuild the facilities you just sold and the number of 'clean minerals' still increases.

The effect only begins after your faction (not others) experiences its first fungal bloom. Neither the number of techs, the PLANET rating nor the construction of Nanoreplicators, the Pholus Mutagen or the Singularity Inductor have any effect on the number of 'clean minerals'. Instead, these affect the degree of eco-damage when present. However, eco-damage is not present at all until the combination of terraforming damage and mineral production in a base exceeds the 'clean mineral' limit of a faction. Eco-damage increases from this point for each mineral produced over the limit.

Atrocities usually reduce the 'clean mineral' limit.

Eco-Damage = (DamageFactor * Perihelion * Techs * Life * Difficulty * Planet) / 300

Planet = PLANET Social Engineering -3, to a minimum of 1.

Difficulty = 3 on Librarian and lower, 5 on Thinker and Transcend

Life = 1, 2 or 3 for Rare, Normal or Abundant native life

Techs = # of techs discovered by your faction

Perihelion = 1 or 2 depending on whether Alpha Centauri is in perihelion

DamageFactor = Int ((Terraforming - Cleanmins1) + ((Minerals - Cleanmins2 + 5 * Atrocities) / (1 + Goodfacs)))

Terraforming = ((2*# worked (not crawled) improvements other than kelp farms) + (# of unworked improvements) + 8 * Boreholes + 6 * Echelon Mirrors + 4 * Condensors +1 if a Seabase - # of Forests) / 8

Divide by 2 for presence of a Tree Farm and reduce to 0 for presence of a Hybrid Forest.

Improvements include Roads, Mag Tubes, Farms, Mines, Solar Collectors, Soil Enrichers, Boreholes, Echelon Mirrors, Kelp Farms, Tidal Harnesses, Offshore Platforms and Condensors.

Cleanmins = 16 + # Fungal Blooms + # Tree Farms, Hybrid Forests, Centauri Preserves and Temples of Planet constructed by your faction since the first Fungal Bloom.

Cleanmins1 = Cleanmins or Terraforming, whichever is less. If Terraforming is negative, Cleanmins1 = 0.

Cleanmins2 = Cleanmins - Cleanmins1.

Minerals = Total minerals produced by this base after multiplying by facilities - total minerals received by this base from orbit.

Goodfacs = 1 each for the presence of Centauri Preserve, Temple of Planet and Nanoreplicator in this base, + 1 each for possessing the Pholus Mutagen and Singularity Inductor.

Atrocities = Number of Major Atrocities committed by your faction. These include the use of Planet Busters or Tectonic Missiles, but do not include the use of Fungal Payloads. Any atrocities after lifting the UN-charter do not count.

CREDIT: Ned, Blake and Fitz

Self Destruction #

Self-Destruction damage is dealt to all enemy units in surrounding squares.

_a 3x3 grid centered at the unit_

Self-Destruct damage = FLOOR[weapon*reactor class/2]

Damage is limited to 1/2 *reactor value

(i.e weapon >10 deal no additional damage)

Non-Combat modules have a weapon value of 1

Units within a base are immune to self-destruct damage

Armour of defender, current hp of self-destructor have no effect

Morale (Advanced) #

Battle Upgrades. *(SE) =Social Engineering

When a unit wins a battle, there is a certain chance this unit will receive a morale upgrade of one level. The probability of such a battle upgrade seems to differ depending on the current morale of the unit. An educated guess as to the odds of an upgrade are listed as follows:

100% for very green* and green units (CONFIRMED)

50% for disciplined units

1/3 for hardened units

25% for veteran units

20% for commando units

*Special situation for very green units. Under -3 & -4 SE MORALE newly built units in bases without any morale enhancing facilities will at first not receive any morale upgrades from battle. This is probably because the game takes into account virtual morale levels under Very Green. For example under �3 SE Morale units receive minus 2 morale levels, which basically makes new trained units Very VERY Green. Therefore they first need to win two battles to become green. Likewise under -4 SE Morale units will only upgrade to green after winning their third battle

Drone Riots

A unit homed to a base under drone riots gets a (-) morale modifier.

The effects of this modifier differ depending upon SE MORALE setting: (This is a Bug)

-3 SE Morale: Units homed to a crecheless base get a 25% combat bonus. Units homed to a creche base get a 12.5% bonus.

-2 or -1 SE Morale: Units homed to a crecheless base get a 12.5% attack bonus. Units homed to a creche base get no bonus.

0 SE Morale: No effect

1 or >1 SE Morale: -12.5% combat bonus (as expected)

Children's Creche A Children�s Creche (CC) has a two effects on morale. On the one side it gives a morale bonus to units, built in a base with a CC, of a faction running a negative SE Morale. This bonus counts on every location. On the other side a Children�s Creche gives a battle bonus to units on the base square of a base with a CC. This is (supposed to be) represented in the form of (+)�s. Unfortunately the (+)�s are in some cases a bad indication of the actual battle modifiers given.

(Both of these effects are Bugged)

For any unit built in a base with Children�s Creche, regardless of location: 0 SE Morale or higher: no difference.

-3 to -1 SE Morale: +1 morale level

-4 SE Morale: +2 morale levels

For units on a base square, with the base having a Children�s Creche:

When the unit is defending:

0 SE Morale or higher: +12.5% (+) battle bonus

-1 & -2 SE Morale or higher: +25% (++) battle bonus

-3 SE Morale: +37.5% (+++) battle bonus

-4 SE Morale: +50% (++++) battle bonus

The total defence bonus (the sum of the morale level bonus and the (+) boni) is capped off at +50%.

When the unit is attacking:

+4 SE Morale: -37% battle penalty

+3 SE Morale: -25% battle penalty

+2 SE Morale: -12.5% battle penalty

+1 SE Morale: no difference

0 SE Morale: +12.5% battle bonus

-1 SE Morale: +25% battle bonus

-2 SE Morale: +25% battle bonus

-3 SE Morale: +37.5% battle bonus

-4 SE Morale: +50% battle bonus

For attacks from a children's creche base there is no limit at all for the battle bonus.

This could potentially give a +100% attacking Combat bonus to an elite unit under -4SE Morale

CREDIT Maniac: Treatise on Morale

http://apolyton.net/forums/showthread.php?postid=4195589

Hurry Cost #

Base Facility Hurry Cost = 2 * M

Doubled if the number of minerals in the production box is less than 10.

Secret Project Hurry Cost = 4 * M

Doubled if the number of minerals in the production box is less than 4 mineral rows.

Unit Full Hurry Cost = ROUND DOWN(M * (2 + M / 20) )

Partial Hurry Cost = ROUND UP(Hurried Minerals * Full Hurry Cost/M)

Doubled if the number of minerals in the production box is less than 10.

M: Number of Minerals needed to complete the item.

mineral row: One mineral row = 10 * INDUSTRY modifier minerals

Credit: MariOne

Upgrade Cost #

Obsolete units may be upgraded to keep track with newer designs while retaining their morale. However, upgrading will cost you energy.

If all units of a design are upgraded via the design workshop no movement points are lost for any of them, however if any unit is individually upgraded it requires that the unit has not used any movement points for the turn, then the upgrade will use all movement of the unit.

Upgrade Cost = (WeaponRise + ArmorRise + NewRowsCost) * 10

Cost is halved and rounded down to the nearest multiple of 10

if you control The Nano Factory secret project.

NewRowsCost: Number of Mineral 'rows' required .

         (one row = 10 minerals at 0 **INDUSTRY**.)

WeaponRise: Change in weapon cost if raised, otherwise 0.

ArmorRise: Change in armour cost if raised, otherwise 0.

The costs of all weapons and armours where applicable, is equal to their strength except for those listed below:

String Disruptor - 30, costs 40 (+10)

Resonance Bolt - 12r, costs 16 (+4)

Pulse 8 Armor - 8p, costs 11 (+3)

Resonance 8 Armor - 8r, costs 11 (+3)

Resonance Laser - 6r, costs 8 (+2)

Pulse 3 Armor - 3p, costs 5 (+2)

Resonance 3 Armor - 3r, costs 5 (+2)

When upgrading the following cannot be changed:

• Chassis.

• The Air Superiority special ability (If Aircraft chassis).

• Heavy Artillery special ability.

• Equipment (Between any module or weapon & vice-versa).

Also Note: Weapon or armor costs may not be downgraded.

However, reactor type can be downgraded.

The cost is NOT related to INDUSTRY setting, you alway pay 10ec for each row you new unit costs.

It is not related to the number of special abilities on the new design or the old.

Credit: MariOne for the formulae.

Repair (Advanced) #

Units repair at least 10% of their damage each turn, additively increased as follows:

+10% if in friendly territory.

+10% if in a base.

+10% if air unit in Airbase.

+10% if land unit in Bunker.

+10% if in fungus.*

Note: Units may only heal to 80% unless they are in a base.

*Fungus bonus for natives only, unless you control

The Xenoempathy Dome.

Some facilities can fully repair units over one turn:

**Command Center** - Land only.

**Naval Yard** - Naval only.

**Aerospace Complex** - Air only.

**Biology Lab** - Native only.

The Nano Factory allows the controller to heal units to 100% over one turn anywhere on Planet.

Visiting a Monolith instantly heals to 100%

Any of the Battle Ogres, MkI, MkII and MkIII may not be repaired under any circumstance.

For more information see: Damage and Repair.

Altitude (Advanced) #

The maximum altitude difference between any two adjacent squares is one 1000m band.

For example a square at 1000-1999m may be adjecent to any square between 1-2999m.

If one square changes altitude through terraforming ALL other squares will be instantly adjusted to preserve this rule.

If global warming/cooling would cause a square to violate this rule, that square will instantly be adjusted by raising or lowering it by 1000m to preserve the altitude rule.

This can cause a square to be 'washed' of improvments, units or even a base. It can also cause a 'raised' tile to actually lose altitude or a 'lowered' one to gain altitude.

Random Events(Advanced) #

The Mechanics of how random events occur is described below:

Firstly, random events must be enabled (by default they are on)

No Random Event occurs before Turn 75 � (DIFF x 10) where Citizen is 0 DIFF and Transcend is 5

Each turn the game randomly picks a number between 1 and 100 (If no base exists� in built sequencing numbering order � there is no event)

If the base is size 4 or less, or it is the only base of it's faction, or it is already under a random event time line (e.g. minerals boom for 10 years) � then there is no event

Some random events chosen will naturally have no effect, so no event is shown that turn (e.g. Asteroid strikes Nessus Prime - no effect if there are no Mining Stations)

If a really good event would occur while that faction is in the top 3 in Might (or a bad one while in the bottom 3 of Might) there is no event.

Perihelion Event #

Perihelion is a standard event that occurs regularly and strengthens Planet

Wild native lifeforms +1 Lifecycle

Increased Eco Damage

Each Perihelion lasts for 20 years. It first occurs at 2190, and every 80 years after that.

Wild Natives and Fungus #

There is a small chance whenever a land or sea unit is moved into an unnocupied fungus square that is not adjacent to a Sensor Array or base that the fungus will 'spawn' a wild native lifeform.

This can be used to "Hunt for natives" by repeatedly entering unnocupied fungus tiles.

Sensor arrays can be defensively placed to prevent an unwanted 'discovery'.

When attacking wild lifeforms some special bonuses apply:

If succesful the 'husks' can be harvested for their planetpearls at a bonus of 10ec per Life Cycle level (starting at 10 for hatchling)

Any psi damage recieved will be spread (at 100%) to all of the same type of native in the tile

Destroying any one native kils all of the rest too (and gives appropriate planetpearl bonuses)

locusts of chirion are a special case to the above two rules, and each one must be damaged seperately

Some wild lifeforms may be catured if your faction posseses a positive PLANET rating, if you control too many natives of any type (regardless of how they were accquired) you will be unable to capture any more until either you lose control of some or you increase your PLANET rating further.

Some approximate values for the odds to discover a native unit per square are given below:

Normal land fungus = 1/3

Fungus + river = 1/9

Fungus + road = 1/27

Fungus within one square of sensor radius, base radius = 0

Fungus + $LINK = 0

It is thought that Sea fungus squares have lower odds than land fungus

Note that natives and a faction with the Xenoempathy dome treat use fungus road odds.

Native lifeforms do not suffer from hasty penalties.

Wild native lifeforms will not usually attack natives owned by factions.

Credit to Kody for exploration odds