Aurora 4x Wiki - User contributions [en]

Command and Control

2026-02-24T13:21:00Z

14.2.200.136:

Command and control modules are [[components]] for [[Ship]]s in the [[CSharp|C#]] version of Aurora. They are used to allow your [[leaders]] to offer command bonuses to your ships.

* The [[Bridge]] component is the most basic C&C component, required on ships of 1000+ tons. It does not actually have any in-game benefits, as the ship's commander has the same effect with or without a bridge.
* The [[Auxiliary Control]] component allows your ship to have an Executive Officer, to oversee [[crew]] training.
* The [[Science Department]] component allows your ship to have a Science Officer, to oversee [[survey]] work.
* The [[Main Engineering]] component allows your ship to have a Chief Engineer, to improve [[maintenance]].
* The [[Combat Information Centre]] ("CIC") component allows your ship to have a Tactical Officer, to help in [[C-Ship-Combat|combat]].
* The [[Primary Flight Control]] component allows your ship to have a Commander, Air Group, to help with [[fighter]] operations.
* The [[Flag Bridge]] component allows your ship to carry a Fleet Commander, who gives a [[crew]] reaction skill bonus to all ships in the fleet. (A fleet with no Flag Bridge will still have a fleet commander listed, but they will offer no bonus).

Each of these modules sets a minimum rank for the ship's commanding officer. The commander's actual minimum rank on the final ship is the highest of these values.

==Statistics==
{| border="1" class="wikitable" style="text-align: center"
|+
! Component !! Size (HS) !! Cost (BP) !! Ship CO Minimum Rank !! Officer Minimum Rank !! Officer Bonus Stat
|-
! Bridge
| 1 || 20 || Racial Minimum || N/A || All stats (50% effect if listed below, 100% otherwise)
|-
! Auxiliary Control
| 1 || 15 || Minimum + 1 || Commander - 1 || Crew Training
|-
! Science Department
| 2 || 50 || Minimum + 1 || Commander - 1 || Survey
|-
! Main Engineering
| 3 || 75 || Minimum + 2 || Commander - 2 || Engineering
|-
! Combat Information Centre
| 3 || 75 || Minimum + 2 || Commander - 2 || Tactical
|-
! Primary Flight Control
| 4 || 100 || Minimum + 1 || Commander - 1 || Fighter Operations
|-
! Flag Bridge
| 5 || 125 || Minimum + 2 || Commander + 1 || Reaction (for the whole fleet)
|}

[https://aurora2.pentarch.org/index.php?topic=8495.msg101818#msg101818 Original announcement]

{{Components}}
[[Category:Components]]

Lasers

2026-02-24T13:19:38Z

14.2.200.136: Fixed a couple of links

{{bothversions}}
Lasers are a type of [[Beam Overview|beam weapon]].

==Description==
Lasers are a type of [[Beam Overview|beam weapon]].

Maximum Range = ( Base Damage * 10000km ) * Range Modifier
Rate of Fire = ( Base Damage * 5s ) / Capacitor Recharge Rate (rounded up to the next multiple of 5s)

While the theoretical maximum range far exceeds 1.5m km, no [[Beam Fire Control]] is able to handle ranges beyond this limit. Longer laser ranges still lead to increased damage across their effective range.
Lasers can be mounted in a [[turret]].

==Usage==

Lasers are an all-rounder weapon, with the widest array of modifications and able to work in some capacity in most roles. They have no major weaknesses with their weakest area possibly being point defense; even there, their range allows them to counter missiles with laser warheads effectively. Medium-calibre lasers can provide decent damage with good fire-rate, while large lasers can hit hard even at longer ranges.

Lasers can be put on a spinal mount: basic spinal mount will increase the caliber by 25% and advanced one will increase it by 50%; this will increase the range, damage and time to reload accordingly. Only one spinal weapon can be mounted on a ship.

Lasers can also be turreted and downsized at a cost of massive penalties to their firerate.

==Damage Profile==

[[File:Damage gradients.JPG|1000px|Damage templates for different weapon types.]]

Lasers use the 3-gradient damage profile, the second best after Particle Lances.

==Components==

'''Laser Focal Size''' determines how large the laser focal size (or calibre). Larger lasers cause more damage and have longer ranges, but they also require more power (for lasers, power requirement is equal to the base damage), which means they'll fire slower unless your capacitor recharge tech keeps up.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;"
! Focal Size !! 10cm !! 12cm !! 15cm !! 20cm !! 25cm !! 30cm !! 35cm !! 40cm !! 50cm !! 60cm !! 70cm !! 80cm
|-
! Size (HS)
| 3 || 4 || 4 || 6 || 8 || 9 || 11 || 12 || 16 || 19 || 22 || 25
|-
! Base Damage
| 3 || 4 || 6 || 10 || 16 || 24 || 32 || 42 || 65 || 94 || 128 || 168
|-
! RP cost
|1,000||2,000||4,000||8,000||15,000||30,000||60,000||125,000||250,000||500,000||1,000,000||2,000,000
|}

'''Laser Wavelength''' modifies the range, with shorter-wavelength lasers having greater range.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;"
! Wavelength !! Infrared !! Visible Light !! Near Ultraviolet !! Ultraviolet !! Far Ultraviolet !! Soft X-Ray !! X-Ray !! Far X-Ray !! Extreme X-Ray Laser !! Near Gamma Ray !! Gamma Ray !! Far Gamma Ray
|-
! Range Modifier
| 1 || 2 || 3 || 4 || 5 || 6 || 7 || 8 || 9 || 10 || 11 || 12
|-
! RP cost
|1,000||2,000||4,000||8,000||15,000||30,000||60,000||125,000||250,000||500,000||1,000,000||2,000,000
|}

'''Capacitor Recharge Rate''' determines how fast the laser's power can be recharged, and therefore determines its rate of fire. A ship must also be equipped with sufficient [[Power Plants]] to recharge the lasers in order to maintain their maximum rate of fire.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;"
! Recharge Rate !! 1 !! 2 !! 3 !! 4 !! 5 !! 6 !! 8 !! 10 !! 12 !! 16 !! 20 !! 25
|-
! RP cost
|1,000||2,000||4,000||8,000||15,000||30,000||60,000||125,000||250,000||500,000||1,000,000||2,000,000
|}

'''Reduced Size Lasers''' creates more compact lasers that have slower rates of fire.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;"
! Reduction !! 1 !! 0.75 !! 0.5
|-
! Recharge Multiplier
| 1 || 4 || 20
|-
! RP cost
| - || 5000 || 15,000
|}

'''Energy Weapon Mount''' allow to design a larger weapons than could normally be constructed using available technology. A ship can only mount one spinal weapon and they cannot be mounted in turrets. The possibilities are Standard Mount, Spinal Mount and Advanced Spinal Mount. The latter two use a focal size 25% larger and 50% larger than the maximum possible for a normal laser. This increases all bases stats, as specified above.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;"
! Reduction !! Standard !! Spinal Mount !! Advanced Spinal
|-
! Focal Size
| 1 || 1.25 || 1.5
|-
! RP cost
| - || 5,000 || 20,000
|}

{{Components}}
[[Category:Components]]
[[Category:Designed Systems]]

Power Plants

2026-02-24T13:18:43Z

14.2.200.136: Fixed link

The '''power plant''' is the power source for all powered ship component systems, such as beam weapons. Power plant offer variable power output based on the technology in use.

==Usage==
Each ship should ideally have at least enough power generation capacity to fire all its [[Beam Overview|beam weapons]].

==Components ([[CSharp|C#]])==
'''Power Plant Technology''' is the type of power plant to build. It determines the power / hull space ratio and the cost / hull space.
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;"
! Technology !! Conventional !! Radioisotope Thermal !! Pressurised Water !! Pebble Bed !! Gaseous Fission !! Magnetic Mirror Fusion !! Stellarator Fusion !! Tokamak Fusion !! Inertial Confinement Fusion !! Solid-core Anti-matter !! Gas-core Anti-matter !! Plasma-core Anti-matter !! Beam Core Anti-matter !! Vacuum Energy !! Quantum Singularity
|-
! Power per HS
|0.5||2||2.5||3.2||4||5||6.4||8||10||12.8||16||20||24||32||40
|-
! RP cost
|N/A||600*||1,200||2,400||3,600||6,000||12,000||24,000||45,000||90,000||180,000||375,000||750,000||1,500,000||3,000,000
|}

Note that the Radioisotope Thermal reactor starts researched unless you're on a [[conventional]] start.

'''Power Boost''' allows you to get more power out of a plant of any given size, at the expense of a higher chance of [[secondary explosion]] if the reactor is hit.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;"
! Boost !! 0% !! 10% !! 20% !! 30% !! 40% !! 60% !! 80% || 100%
|-
! Explosion Chance
|5%||7%||10%||15%||20%||30%||40%||50%
|-
! RP cost
| - ||500||1,000||2,000||4,000||8,000||15,000||30,000
|}

'''Size''' is exactly what it sounds like - the power plant's size in [[HS]]. There is no tech for size, and the player can choose freely from 0.01 HS up to 30.75 HS. A power plant's efficiency is multiplied by the square root of its size, so a size-4 reactor will be sqrt(4) = 2x more efficient at producing power per HS. This is shown in game as "Power Adjustment: 100%".

==Components ([[VB6]])==
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;"
! Technology !! Pressurised Water !! Pebble Bed !! Gas-Cooled Fast !! Stellarator Fusion !! Tokamak Fusion !! Magnetic Confinement Fusion !! Inertial Confinement Fusion !! Solid-core Anti-matter !! Gas-core Anti-matter !! Plasma-core Anti-matter !! Beam Core Anti-matter !! Vacuum Energy
|-
! Power per HS
|2||3||4.5||6||8||10||12||16||20||24||32||40
|-
! RP cost
|1,500||3,000||6,000||12,000||24,000||45,000 ||90,000||180,000||375,000||750,000||1,500,000||3,000,000
|}

'''Power vs. Efficiency''' is the same tech as for [[Engine]]s. A power increase setting here increases the output of the reactor at the expense of a higher chance of [secondary explosion]] if the reactor is hit.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;"
! Boost !! 0% !! 5% !! 10% !! 15% !! 20% !! 25% !! 30% || 40%|| 50%
|-
! Explosion Chance
|5%||7%||10%||12%||16%||20% || 25%||30%||35%
|-
! RP cost
| - ||1,000||2,000||3,000||5,000||7,500||12,500 || 25,000 || 50,000
|}

'''Size''' is the size in hull spaces of the reactor ranges between 0.1-30 HS. The total Power Output of a reactor is Power Output per hull space (which is a constant for each type of reactor) times size in hull spaces. Everything else is also multiplied by the size: cost, crew, HTK, required materials, and development cost.

{{Components}}
[[Category:Components]]
[[Category:Designed Systems]]

Naval Shipyard Complex

2026-02-24T13:16:58Z

14.2.200.136: Fixed link

{{bothversions}}

{{About|the shipyard complex itself|shipyard operations|Shipyards}}
{{Infobox installation
| transport method = Must be [[Ship to Ship Tractor|towed]]
| pop required = 250 per ton per slipway ([[CSharp|C#]]), 1,000,000 + 100 per ton per slipway ([[VB6]])
| total cost = 2,400
| duranium = 1,200
| neutronium = 1,200
}}

== Function ==
'''Naval Shipyard Complexes''' are orbital [[installations]] that allow construction of [[ship]]s. Each shipyard contains one or more slipways, each one allowing for one ship design to be constructed. Each shipyard also has a maximum tonnage limitation, restricting what designs can be built.

Naval shipyards can build any ship, but require more workers and materials than a [[Commercial Shipyard Complex]]. However, naval shipyards can build [[military vessels]], unlike commercial shipyards, which are limited to [[commercial vessels]].

A shipyard produces the racial shipbuilding rate per year per slipway modified by the [[Leaders|planetary]] and [[Leaders|sector governor's]] Shipbuilding bonus. In [[CSharp|C#]], each naval shipyard requires 250 workers per ton of total capacity (capacity times number of slipways). In [[VB6]], each naval shipyard requires a base of 1,000,000 workers, plus an extra 100 per ton of total capacity.

=== Shutting Down ===
Shipyards cannot be shutdown in order to free up civilian workers for other industry. However, construction and complex activities can be cancelled or paused in order to save resources. Physically moving the shipyard away from the planet with a [[Ship to Ship Tractor|Tug]] will effectively shut down the shipyard, but note that shipyards will disappear if the tug releases them while not in orbit of a colony.

== See Also ==
* [[Shipyards]]

{{Installations}}

[[Category:Installations]]

Commercial vessels

2026-02-24T13:16:09Z

14.2.200.136: Fixed several links

{{bothversions}}

{{about|non-military ship classes|automated NPC shipping lines|Commercial Shipping}}

Commercial vessels are [[Ship]]s that are not intended for combat or combat-related operations. To support these designs, Aurora has a number of special rules for commercial vessels, which make them cheaper and easier to maintain than [[military vessels]].

* Commercial ships can be built in a [[Commercial Shipyard Complex]]. These are ten times larger than their military versions for the same cost, and use 1/10th the workforce per ton.
* Commercial ships can use commercial [[Jump drive]]s, which are cheaper than military jump engines (though also larger and less capable).
* Commercial ships do not need to worry about [[Ship Maintenance]], and do not suffer breakdowns.

In order for a ship to be considered commercial, it must meet all the following criteria:
* No [[components]] on the ship can be military components.
* The Deployment Time of the class must be at least 3 months.
* The ship must have at least 50 tons of [[Engineering Spaces]].

The [[Class Design]] window will tell you if a ship is considered commercial, with "This design is classed as a Commercial Vessel for maintenance purposes" being the second-last line of the ship's description.

In most cases, commercial ships will use conscript crew in the Class Design window (to save your highly-trained combat crew for combat ships).

The following components are considered military, and will prevent a ship from being considered commercial.
* Any weapon that is capable of damaging another ship.
** Note: [[CIWS]] are not offensive weapons, since they can only fire at incoming missiles, so they can be used by commercial ships.
* Any system explicitly described as "Military".
* Any [[magazine]] or [[hangar deck]] not explicitly described as "Commercial".
* [[Fire Control]] systems.
* [[Power Plants]].
* [[Shields]]
* [[Gravitational Survey Sensors]] are military components in both versions of the game. [[Geological Survey Sensors]] are military in [[CSharp|C#]] and commercial in [[VB6]].
* Any [[engine]] with a power ratio higher than 50%, or with a size below 1250 tons (25 [[HS]]).
* Any [[sensors|sensor]] larger than 50 tons (1 HS).
* Certain specialized modules ([[ELINT Modules]], [[Flag Bridge]]s, etc.)

Note that [[Troop Transport Bay]]s and [[Armor]] are never considered military, regardless of transport bay type or armour thickness.

[[Category:content]]

Cargo Shuttle Bay

2026-02-24T13:13:13Z

14.2.200.136: Fixed link

{{ComponentInfo
|type = Core
|class = Commercial
|staticsizehs = 100
|staticsizetn = 5000
|partcost = 20
|ducost = 10
|vecost = 10
|crewreq = 10
}}
Cargo Shuttle Bays are [[components]] that reduce the loading time of [[Cargo Hold]]s, [[Cryogenic Transport]]s and [[Troop Transport Bay]]s on [[ship]]s. They also allow [[maintenance supplies]] to be transferred from ship to ship.

==Usage==
Cargo Shuttle Bays can be used on cargo ships, colony ships and troop ships to enable faster cargo loading or unloading. There is only one kind of component, but technologies can be researched to make them more effective.

The total cargo handling value of all cargo shuttle bays is added together on any given ship design, to produce the ship's Cargo Shuttle Multiplier (visible in the [[Class Design]] screen). The basic load/unload time of the ship is then divided by this value, so a ship with a multiplier of 4 will unload in 1/4 the time of a ship with a multiplier of 1. This can be further improved by [[Spaceport]] and [[Cargo Shuttle Station]] installations on colonies, by the Logistics skill of the ship's [[Leaders|commander]] and [[Naval Admin Commands]], and by the governor at the [[colony]] where loading or unloading is taking place.

==Technologies==
{| border="1" class="wikitable" style="text-align: center"
|+ Cargo Shuttles technology tier
! Tier !! Conventional !! Trans-Newtonian !! Improved !! Advanced
|-
! Handling Multiplier
| 1 || 2 || 3 || 5
|-
! RP cost
| N/A || 5,000 || 12,500 || 40,000
|}

{{Components}}
[[Category:Components]]

Refuelling System

2026-02-24T13:11:26Z

14.2.200.136: Fixed a couple of links

Refuelling Systems are [[components]] that allow [[Ship]]s to pass [[fuel]] to other ships. They are one of two ways to refuel your ships, the other being [[Refuelling Station]]/[[Spaceport]] [[installations]] on a [[colony]]. In order to use a Refuelling System, the ship must also be designated as a [[tanker]].

==Technologies==
'''Sizes''' vary for refuelling systems, with three very different size categories in the game. Small Craft refuelling systems can only be used on ships of 1000 tons or less (i.e., [[Fighter]]s and [[Fast Attack Craft]]). Standard systems can be used on any ship. Hubs can theoretically be used on any ship, but due to their immense size, they are most often seen on [[space station]]s or very large specialty vessels.
{| border="1" class="wikitable" style="text-align: center"
|+ Refuelling System Sizes
! Size Class !! Small Craft !! Standard !! Hub
|-
! Size (tons)
| 50 || 500 || 100,000
|-
! Fuelling Speed
| 10,000 LPH, one ship || See below, one ship || See below, unlimited ships
|-
! BP cost
| 4 || See below || 2,400
|-
! RP cost
| N/A || See below || 10,000
|-
! [[Crew]]
| 4 || 20 || 0
|-
! [[HTK]]
| 0 || 1 || 5
|}

'''Fuelling Speed''' unlocks improved models of standard-sized Refuelling Systems. It also affects the fuelling speed of hubs - there is only one hub module, which does not need to be upgraded, but it will transfer fuel at a rate determined by your highest researched fuelling speed technology.
{| border="1" class="wikitable" style="text-align: center"
|+ Refuelling speed (Litres per Hour)
! Speed !! 50,000 !! 60,000 !! 80,000 !! 100,000 !! 125,000 !! 160,000 !! 200,000 !! 250,000 !! 320,000 !! 400,000 !! 500,000
|-
! BP cost
| 10 || 12 || 16 || 20 || 25 || 32 || 40 || 50 || 64 || 80 || 100
|-
! RP cost
| N/A || 2,000 || 4,000 || 8,000 || 16,000 || 32,000 || 64,000 || 125,000 || 250,000 || 500,000 || 1,000,000
|}

'''Underway Replenishment''' technologies allow tankers to refuel other ships in motion, instead of needing to stop. The rate will be slowed when replenishing underway (until the 100% technology is researched), but it can still be convenient in many cases.
{| border="1" class="wikitable" style="text-align: center"
|+ Underway Replenishment
! % Rate !! 20% !! 30% !! 45% !! 70% !! 100%
|-
! RP Cost
| 2,500 || 5,000 || 10,000 || 20,000 || 40,000
|}

{{Components}}
[[Category:Components]]

Point Defense

2026-02-24T13:09:56Z

14.2.200.136: Fixed several links

{{bothversions}}
Point defense is using missiles and beam weapons to automatically defend a ship, a fleet or a colony against incoming missiles, small attack craft or fighters; basically anything that comes too close for comfort.

While it is possible to attack missiles with any weapon (from [[fighter]]s all the way up to a battleship's main guns), an effective point defense system usually relies on an outer 'umbrella' of anti-missile missiles, an inner 'screen' of turreted guns to catch anything that slipped through the outer barrier, plus [[decoy]]s, [[shields]], and [[armor]] to catch anything that makes it through the inner point defense.

Exact missile mechanics vary somewhat between different versions of the game - in particular, [[CSharp|C#]] [[2.2.0:Release_Notes|v2.2.0 (November 2023)]] had a major revision to missile mechanics that significantly changed the detailed tactics for point defense. This article will focus more on the concepts than on the detailed tactics.

==Point Defense==

See [[Ship Combat]] on how to set up weapons and fire controls on your ships.

See the [[Anti-Missile Tutorial]] for an introduction to defending against missiles.

''Note: to understand the different modes of point defense fire, keep in mind that positions of ships and missiles are updated in five-second increments, so a missile moving at 22,000 km/s actually moves in 110,000 km "hops". That's why your sensors almost never detect objects at maximum theoretical range: they are just outside of detection range in one turn, and already some way inside it the next turn.''

===Anti-missile Missiles (AMM)===
Generally these are small (size 1) missiles that focus on being fast and nimble. Range is a secondary concern, and the warhead only needs to do 1 damage to kill a normal missile.

See the [[Anti-Missile Tutorial]] and [[Missiles]] for details.

In the Ship Combat tab of the {{key|F4}} [[Naval Organization]] window, you set their fire control to automatically engage any incoming threats within a given range with a number of one to five AM-missiles, depending on how lucky you feel. Higher numbers mean better chances to hit all threats, but you might run out of ammunition quickly.

===Ship Mounted Turrets===
Beam weapons with high tracking speed can effectively attack fast missiles. On all but the fastest ships, this means you will want a [[turret]], as your ship will almost always be much slower than your best [[Beam Fire Control]] tracking speed. With small [[Lasers]], [[Gauss Cannons]], or [[Mesons|Meson]] cannons mounted on a turret, a high tracking speed short-mid ranged weapon for Missile Interception is possible. They can also be used as short range weapons against enemy fighters or ships that dare to close in with your ships.

Ship Mounted Turrets can actually provide multiple inner layers of PD fire for the fleet by staggering weapon ranges. However, due to the high speeds of missiles and the 5-second minimum [[time]] increment, this is not always as effective in practice as it would be on paper.

==Point defense modes for beam weapons==
In the Ship Combat tab of the {{key|F4}} [[Naval Organization]] window, you can select a fire control, assign weapons to it and set it to one of several automated Point Defense firing modes.

===Area Defense===
Area defense occurs during the normal weapons fire segment of a 5-second increment. If a missile crosses the engagement range of a weapon set to Area Defense during a single movement then it will not be engaged.

Use this when you want a beam weapon to fire at maximum range. For example, a combination of laser and fire control that has a range of 400,000 km might be able to fire several times at a missile salvo. Or you might split off defensive ships and order them to fly ahead of the main task group, where they can engage incoming missiles before they reach the high-value units.

===Ranged Defensive Fire (C# only)===
This is similar to Area Defense, except that it will only shoot at missiles whose target is ''also'' within the weapon's range.

===Point Blank Defensive Fire===
Point blank defense occurs at the end of the last movement segment, when the missile intercepts any ship in this task group. Range to the missile is 10,000 km, the smallest unit of distance in Aurora, thus assuring maximum hit chances at point-blank range. (In VB6, this is known as "Final Defensive Fire" instead, but the mechanics are identical.)

===Point Blank Defensive Fire (self only)===
Like above, but only if the missile attacks the ship carrying the fire control and not a different ship in this task group. Use this when you want to reserve this weapon to protect the high-value ship it is mounted on.

==Close-In Weapon Systems==
[[CIWS]] are a weapons category of their own and are designed as a ship component. They are fully autonomous, automatic gun turrets that contain their own weapons, sensors and fire controls. They always operate in "Final Defensive Fire (self only)" mode, so they do not protect other ships and cannot be used offensively. All you have to do is stick them on a ship and wait. They count as commercial components and can be mounted on any ship.

==Point Defense setup within a fleet==
A widely used doctrine for combat fleet defense consists of a AMM-equipped missile ship (long range), Area Defense beam-weapons ship (medium range) and a Final-Fire-laser ship (short range).

You want your PD missile launchers to be able to fire at the incoming missiles multiple times before they strike, but not waste too much ammo. Anything that gets through the missile screen gets attacked by the Area Defense ship with long range lasers. Finally, your Final-Fire ships will fire one last time at 'leakers'.

==Comments==
Ideally, any PD weapon would have a rate of fire of 5 seconds. Missile PD can get away with 10 or even 15 seconds, but most likely not more than that. However if you happen to know that this particular enemy fire salvoes of very fast missiles every 40 sec you may want to have some burst Final Fire capability every 30-40 sec rather than wasting short ranged turret RoF when there are no missiles in range 80% of the time.

Weapons on Point-Blank or Ranged Defensive status will always get a final shot before the missile makes its attack. Weapons on Area Defense do not.

For the C# v2.2 changes, see [https://aurora2.pentarch.org/index.php?topic=13090 the changelog]
* [https://aurora2.pentarch.org/index.php?topic=13090.msg164041#msg164041 Fractional damage warheads]
* [https://aurora2.pentarch.org/index.php?topic=13090.msg164060#msg164060 Point defense changes (part 1)]
* [https://aurora2.pentarch.org/index.php?topic=13090.msg164114#msg164114 New guidance options]
* [https://aurora2.pentarch.org/index.php?topic=13090.msg164167#msg164167 Laser warheads]
* [https://aurora2.pentarch.org/index.php?topic=13090.msg164276#msg164276 Point defense changes (part 2)] - '''Major post'''
* [https://aurora2.pentarch.org/index.php?topic=13090.msg164388#msg164388 Decoy attack missiles]
* [https://aurora2.pentarch.org/index.php?topic=13090.msg164435#msg164435 Multi-warhead missiles]
* [https://aurora2.pentarch.org/index.php?topic=13090.msg164473#msg164473 AMM minimum range option]
* [https://aurora2.pentarch.org/index.php?topic=13090.msg164759#msg164759 Defensive anti-missile decoys]

For an in-depth analysis of VB6 point defense, see this thread: http://aurora2.pentarch.org/index.php/topic,5197.msg53720.html#new

[[Category:content]]

Railguns

2026-02-24T13:06:44Z

14.2.200.136: Fixed several links

{{bothversions}}
Railguns are a type of [[Beam Overview|beam weapon]].

==Description==
A railgun typically shoots four projectiles at once, each of which has 1/3 the damage of a similar tech [[Lasers|Laser]], for a total damage output that's 33% higher. However, due to the lower damage of each shot, it is not as good at penetrating [[Armor]] or inflicting [[Shock Damage]], and it has a shorter range.

Maximum Range = ( Base Damage * 10000km ) * Range Modifier
Rate of Fire = ( Base Damage * 3 * 5s ) / Capacitor Recharge Rate

While the theoretical maximum range far exceeds 1.5m km, no [[Beam Fire Control]] is able to handle ranges beyond this limit. Longer ranges still have some value, as they reduce the damage drop-off at longer ranges, which leads to increased damage across their effective range.

Railguns cannot be mounted in [[turret]]s.

==Usage==
Railguns are used in situations where their rate of fire and raw damage output are most valuable, and their weakness at armour penetration matters less. For example, they are commonly used as an early [[Point Defense|point defense]] weapon, as their high number of shots (as many as 4 per 5-second tick) means a lot of chances to shoot down incoming missiles or fighters. This gives them a similar role to [[Gauss Cannons]], which are larger per shot (assuming the same accuracy), but can be mounted in turrets.

==Damage Profile==
The [[Damage Profile]] of a railgun uses a medium gradient, which is not as good at armour penetration as lasers, but better than [[Missiles]] or [[Plasma Carronade]]s. Each shot inflicts damage separately, so the total damage inflicted by a railgun burst can be rather spread out.

{| class="wikitable" style="width: 200px; text-align: center;"
|+ Example 4 Strength-2 hits

| - || - || x || - || x || x || - || x || -
|-
| - || - || x || - || x || x || - || x || -
|-
| - || - || - || - || - || - || - || - || -
|-
| - || - || - || - || - || - || - || - || -
|}

==Background Tech==
There are three key pieces of technology involved in the creation of a Railgun.

'''Railgun Size''' or Calibre. Larger projectiles cause more damage, has higher range, but requires more power, which means it'll fire slower unless your recharge tech keeps up.

Larger laser cause more damage, has higher base range
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;"
! Calibre !! 10cm !! 12cm !! 15cm !! 20cm !! 25cm !! 30cm !! 35cm !! 40cm !! 45cm !! 50cm
|-
! Size (HS)
| 3 || 5 || 6 || 7 || 8 || 9 || 10 || 11 || 13 || 15
|-
! Base Damage (per Shot)
| 1 || 2 || 3 || 4 || 5 || 7 || 9 || 12 || 16 || 20
|-
! RP cost
|1,000||2,500||5,000||7,500||10,000||20,000||40,000||60,000||120,000||240,000
|}

'''Railgun Launch Velocity''' The muzzle velocity of the railgun. Railguns with higher velocities can shoot their ammo further and inflict damage at greater ranges.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;"
! Launch Velocity !! 1 !! 2 !! 3 !! 4 !! 5 !! 6 !! 7 !! 8 !! 9
|-
! RP cost
|1,000||2,000||4,000||8,000||15,000||30,000||60,000||120,000||240,000
|}

'''Capacitor Recharge Rate''' determines your rate of fire.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;"
! Recharge Rate !! 1 !! 2 !! 3 !! 4 !! 5 !! 6 !! 8 !! 10 !! 12 !! 16 !! 20 !! 25
|-
! RP cost
|1,000||2,000||4,000||8,000||15,000||30,000||60,000||125,000||250,000||500,000||1,000,000||2,000,000
|}

{{Components}}
[[Category:Components]]
[[Category:Designed Systems]]

Fast Attack Craft

2026-02-24T13:03:49Z

14.2.200.136: Fixed link

{{bothversions}}
A '''Fast Attack Craft''' (FAC) is any [[ship]] between 501 and 1000 tons. While they must be constructed at a shipyard like larger ships, any ship under 1000 tons is not required to have a [[Bridge]], which frees up space for extra weaponry or engine power. Like fighters, FACs are commonly deployed from carriers or planetary bases to limit the amount of fuel they must carry. In [[VB6]], it can be assigned to a "mothership" on the Individual Unit Details window {{key|F6}}.

Typical FAC types are survey craft based on a jump-capable mothership, small missile boats for colonial defense or sensor scouts for larger fleets.

Their small size limits their fuel capacity. Small size (10-20 HS) can be a combat advantage, though, because active sensors with high resolutions (e.g. 120 HS) will detect them only at low range.

Also see [[Fighter]]s and [[Carrier]]s.
[[category:content]]

Military vessels

2026-02-24T13:02:59Z

14.2.200.136: Fixed another link

{{bothversions}}

Military vessels are [[Ship]]s that are intended for combat or combat-related operations. They tend to be smaller and more expensive than [[commercial vessels]], but they are necessary for a game with any serious combat.

* Military ships must be built in a [[Naval Shipyard Complex]], which are smaller and more expensive than their commercial equivalents.
* Military ships use more expensive (but also lighter, more durable and more capable) military [[Jump drive]]s.
* Military ships need to worry about [[Ship Maintenance|maintenance]] mechanics, and must consider their risk of breakdowns.

A ship is considered military if it meets any of the following criteria:
* Any [[components]] on the ship are military components.
* The Deployment Time of the class is less than 3 months.
* The ship does not have at least 50 tons of [[Engineering Spaces]].

The [[Class Design]] window will tell you if a ship is considered military, with "This design is classed as a Military Vessel for maintenance purposes" being the second-last line of the ship's description. (Alternately, "This design is classed as a Fighter for production, combat and planetary interaction" if the class is under 500 tons)

The following components are considered military:
* Any weapon that is capable of damaging another ship.
** Note: [[CIWS]] are not offensive weapons, since they can only fire at incoming missiles, so they are not military.
* Any system explicitly described as "Military".
* Any [[magazine]] or [[hangar deck]] not explicitly described as "Commercial".
* [[Fire Control]] systems.
* [[Power Plants]].
* [[Shields]].
* [[Gravitational Survey Sensors]] are military components in both versions of the game. [[Geological Survey Sensors]] are military in [[CSharp|C#]] and commercial in [[VB6]].
* Any [[engine]] with a power ratio higher than 50%, or with a size below 1250 tons (25 [[HS]]).
* Any [[Sensors|sensor]] larger than 50 tons (1 HS).
* Certain specialized modules ([[ELINT Modules]], [[Flag Bridge]]s, etc.)

Note that [[Troop Transport Bay]]s and [[Armor]] are never considered military, regardless of transport bay type or armour thickness.

[[Category:content]]

Military vessels

2026-02-24T13:02:23Z

14.2.200.136: Fixed 5 different links

{{bothversions}}

Military vessels are [[ships]] that are intended for combat or combat-related operations. They tend to be smaller and more expensive than [[commercial vessels]], but they are necessary for a game with any serious combat.

* Military ships must be built in a [[Naval Shipyard Complex]], which are smaller and more expensive than their commercial equivalents.
* Military ships use more expensive (but also lighter, more durable and more capable) military [[Jump drive]]s.
* Military ships need to worry about [[Ship Maintenance|maintenance]] mechanics, and must consider their risk of breakdowns.

A ship is considered military if it meets any of the following criteria:
* Any [[components]] on the ship are military components.
* The Deployment Time of the class is less than 3 months.
* The ship does not have at least 50 tons of [[Engineering Spaces]].

The [[Class Design]] window will tell you if a ship is considered military, with "This design is classed as a Military Vessel for maintenance purposes" being the second-last line of the ship's description. (Alternately, "This design is classed as a Fighter for production, combat and planetary interaction" if the class is under 500 tons)

The following components are considered military:
* Any weapon that is capable of damaging another ship.
** Note: [[CIWS]] are not offensive weapons, since they can only fire at incoming missiles, so they are not military.
* Any system explicitly described as "Military".
* Any [[magazine]] or [[hangar deck]] not explicitly described as "Commercial".
* [[Fire Control]] systems.
* [[Power Plants]].
* [[Shields]].
* [[Gravitational Survey Sensors]] are military components in both versions of the game. [[Geological Survey Sensors]] are military in [[CSharp|C#]] and commercial in [[VB6]].
* Any [[engine]] with a power ratio higher than 50%, or with a size below 1250 tons (25 [[HS]]).
* Any [[Sensors|sensor]] larger than 50 tons (1 HS).
* Certain specialized modules ([[ELINT Modules]], [[Flag Bridge]]s, etc.)

Note that [[Troop Transport Bay]]s and [[Armor]] are never considered military, regardless of transport bay type or armour thickness.

[[Category:content]]

Weapons

2026-02-24T12:55:39Z

14.2.200.136: Fixed Ship link

{{bothversions}}
Weapons are used to damage enemy [[ship]]s. There are several varieties of weapons in Aurora, divided into two main categories.

==Missiles==
[[Missiles]] are fired from [[Missile Launcher]]s. They require the construction and resupply of missiles (which can be expensive and logistically demanding), but they are very flexible, and they allow your ships to upgrade their firepower as easily as reloading.

==Beam Weapons==
[[Beam Overview|Beam weapons]] are split into several weapon types.

Weapons that use the Energy Weapons (EW) research tree are:
* [[Lasers]] are good general-purpose weapons.
* [[Particle Beams]] are the best beam weapons at long ranges.
* [[Mesons]] are good at penetrating armour, but deal little damage.
* [[High-Powered Microwave]] weapons attack enemy electronics.
* [[Plasma Carronade]]s are short-range weapons specializing in raw damage.

Weapons that use the Missile and Kinetic (MK) research tree are:
* [[Railguns]] fire numerous smaller projectiles at once.
* [[Gauss Cannons]] fire even more projectiles at once, but those projectiles can only ever do 1 damage.
* [[CIWS]] is a specialized version of Gauss weaponry that can only be used for anti-missile defense.

[[Category:Content]]

Armor

2026-02-24T12:52:47Z

14.2.200.136: Fixed Particle Beam and Railgun links

{{bothversions}}
{{About|the ship component|a discussion of defensive systems|Armour and Shields}}
==Description==
Armor is used for the outer hull of all ships. All ships carry at least one layer of armor. In [[VB6]], PDCs get an additional 5 layers of armor for free.

==Usage==
[[File:Armor.png|thumb|in-game 5x21 example]]

Armor is the basic passive defense, represented in Aurora as a NxM grid of armor cells. N is the Armour Rating, represent the thickness of the armour you set in ship design. whereas M is the Armour columns, determined by the number of components the armor must cover.

Incoming fire destroys cells of armor instead of the internal components of the ship. Every larger ship needs some form of armor to survive. The most important quality for armor to have is thickness, as a ship does not need to be completely stripped of armor for damage to pass through to the [[Internal Damage|internal components]] underneath.

Armor does not protect against [[Mesons]] and [[High-Powered Microwave]]s, nor does it help against the effects of [[Shock Damage]].

Larger ships get thicker armor for the same percentage of armor, representing that the surface area grows slower than the internal volume of the ship. The first few levels of armor tech also benefit civilian constructions as it reduces the mass used on their single armor layer, although this gets negligible with better armor tech.

A major limitation of armor is that it may only be repaired in a [[Shipyards|shipyard]] or [[Hangar deck|hangar]].

==Variants==
Each type of armour in Aurora has a different strength rating per hull space (HS), as tech increases you will need less hull space dedicated to armour to meet the Armour Strength Required. Early armor techs vary slightly between [[versions]], but later techs are identical.

'''Version-Dependent''':
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;"
! Type !! Conventional Steel !! Conventional Composite([[CSharp|C#]]) / Composite ([[VB6]]) !! Conventional Advanced Composite !! Duranium
|-
! Version
| C# only || Both (name differs) || C# only || Both (stats differ)
|-
! Strength per HS
| 1 || 2 || 3 || 4(C#) / 5(VB6)
|-
! RP cost
| 125 || 250 || 375 || 500
|}

'''Shared Techs''':
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;"
! Type !! High Density Duranium !! Composite !! Ceramic Composite !! Laminate Composite !! Compressed Carbon !! Biphase Carbide !! Crystalline Composite !! Superdense !! Bonded Superdense !! Coherent Superdense !! Collapsium
|-
! Strength per HS
| 6 || 8 || 10 || 12 || 15 || 18 || 21 || 25 || 30 || 36 || 45
|-
! RP cost
| 2,500|| 5,000|| 10,000|| 20,000|| 40,000|| 80,000|| 150,000 || 300,000 || 600,000 || 1,250,000||2,500,000
|}

=={{anchor|Damage Profile}}Penetration Mechanics==
Armor is penetrated when a column of armor is completely damaged. The way in which this damage is applied varies by the type of weapon causing it. For [[missiles]] and carronades, the penetration depth is approximately equal to the square root of the total damage. For [[Railguns]] and [[Particle Beams]] the penetration is approximately equal to the square root of twice the damage, and for [[Lasers]] the penetration is approximately equal to the square root of triple the damage.

===Square-by-Square Penetration===
[[File:DamageTemplate.png|thumb|right|Damage templates for different weapon types.]]
For most strikes, the exact pattern of damage on armor may be predicted reliably. The image at right shows the expected pattern of damage for missile and carronade strikes at left, while lasers are shown at right. A hit of a given damage will destroy all squares equal to or lower than its value. For example, a size-nine missile will destroy all squares with a value of nine or less in the template.

The pattern in which damage is applied favors the design of weapons which deliver a damage found in the central column of the template, due to those numbers representing the first penetration into an additional layer of armor. This represents the least damage required to penetrate that particular armor layer and therefore the most efficient warhead or beam strike.

For additional examples of penetration mechanics in action, see [http://aurora2.pentarch.org/index.php?topic=10470.msg116088#msg116088 this forum post].

===High-Damage Strikes ([[VB6]] only)===

[[File:LaserPenetration.png|thumb|right|Actual armor penetration compared to the initial damage curve for lasers.]]

While the originally-stated penetration equations hold for lesser damage levels, the way in which damage is applied changes for higher-damage strikes in VB6. The net effect is that strikes above a certain level exceed their expected armor penetration - see the graph at right for an example using lasers.

This is due to the way damage is handled after the template definition for how damage is applied is exceeded. When the defined template is not sufficient to cover the damage applied, the squares in each column are multiplied by the difference between the max template damage and the actual damage applied. This results in a linear increase in damage rather than the slow falloff present while within the bounds of the template.

The consequence of this is that damage which would have been allocated to expanding the template at earlier levels is instead allocated straight downwards into the armor without expanding the maximum achievable strike width.

This effect is only achievable with lasers and missiles due to their high single-strike damage capability. All other player-usable weapons are incapable of delivering single-strike damage in excess of their template definition, although NPR-initiated ramming attacks will frequently max out the template and therefore over-penetrate armor.

The template definitions and their maximums for the various weapons are:

* Damage Template 1 (Max 100): Applies to [[Ramming]], [[Missiles]], [[Plasma Carronade]]s, and absorbed [[Shields|shield]] energy.
* Damage Template 2 (Max 121): Applies to [[Lasers]].
* Damage Template 3 (Max 128): Applies to [[Particle Beams]] and [[Railguns]].

{{Components}}
[[Category:Components]]

Plasma Carronade

2026-02-24T12:50:38Z

14.2.200.136: Fixed Armor link

{{bothversions}}
==Description==
A Plasma Carronade is a close-range, high-damage energy weapon. They have a maximum range of

Base Damage * 10000km

Their rate of fire is

Base Damage / Capacitor Recharge Rate * 5s

Plasma Carronades cannot be mounted in [[turret]]s, but can use a [[spinal mount]].

==Usage==
Plasma Carronades pack more punch than an equivalent tech level [[Lasers|laser]] or even [[Railguns|railgun]], while being smaller. This makes them a perfect choice for a close-range knife fight, however any carronade ship will have to be well-armored to survive the approach to said close range.

They're a great choice for both damage-per-second needs and alpha strike, with their large caliber and spinal mounts aiding the latter and allowing them to deal truly staggering amounts of damage in a single shot.

==Damage Profile==

{| border="1" class="wikitable" style="width: 200px; text-align: center;"
|+ Example Strength-9 hit

| x || x || x || x || x || - || - || - || -
|-
| - || x || x || x || - || - || - || - || -
|-
| - || - || x || - || - || - || - || - || -
|-
| - || - || - || - || - || - || - || - || -

|}

Plasma Carronades have shallow-gradient [[Damage Profile|damage profiles]] compared to other weapon types - they tend to spread their damage out more, instead of concentrating it to punch through thick [[armor]].

==Components==
===Plasma Carronade Size===

Plasma Carronades have bigger focal sizes than a laser of equivalent tech level. This results in higher per-hit damage, as well as higher power requirement (like lasers, it is equal to base damage of a carronade).

{| border="1" class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;"
|+ Carronade Calibre
! Carronade Size !! 15cm !! 20cm !! 25cm !! 30cm !! 35cm !! 40cm !! 50cm !! 60cm !! 70cm !! 80cm !! 100cm
|-
! Size (HS)
| 2.5 || 3 || 4 || 5 || 5.5 || 6.5 || 8 || 9.5 || 11.5 || 13 || 16
|-
! Base Damage
| 6 || 10 || 16 || 24 || 32 || 42 || 65 || 94 || 128 || 168 || 262
|-
! RP cost
|2,000||4,000||8,000||15,000||30,000||60,000||125,000||250,000||300,000||600,000||1,200,000
|}

===Capacitor Recharge Rate===
{| border="1" class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;"
|+ Capacitor Recharge Rate
! Recharge Rate !! 1 !! 2 !! 3 !! 4 !! 5 !! 6 !! 8 !! 10 !! 12 !! 16 !! 20 !! 25
|-
! RP cost
|1,000||2,000||4,000||8,000||15,000||30,000||60,000||125,000||250,000||500,000||1,000,000||2,000,000
|}

===Energy Weapon Mount===
'''Energy Weapon Mount''' allow to design a larger weapons than could normally be constructed using available technology. A ship can only mount one spinal weapon and they cannot be mounted in turrets. The possibilities are Standard Mount, Spinal Mount and Advanced Spinal Mount. A Spinal Mount increases the focal size by 25%, and an Advanced Spinal Mount increases it by 50%. This increases all bases stats, as discussed above.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;"
! Reduction !! Standard !! Spinal Mount !! Advanced Spinal
|-
! Focal Size
| 1 || 1.25 || 1.5
|-
! RP cost
| - || 5,000 || 20,000
|}

{{Components}}
[[Category:Components]]
[[Category:Designed Systems]]

Particle Beams

2026-02-24T12:48:31Z

14.2.200.136: Fixed another Plasma Carronade link

{{bothversions}}
==Description==
Particle Beams is an energy weapon, that, unlike [[Lasers]] and [[Plasma Carronade]]s, does not have damage drop-off across the entire range band. As a drawback, it has shorter range than lasers and higher power demand.

Their rate of fire is

Power Requirement / Capacitor Recharge Rate * 5s

Particle beams cannot be mounted in turrets.

==Usage==
Particle Beams are a mid-range anti-ship weapon, and start to suffer when taken outside of that niche. At close ranges, [[Lasers|lasers]], [[Railguns|railguns]] and [[Plasma Carronade|carronades]] will deal much more damage over time, and at long range, lasers and (past a certain point) [[Mesons|mesons]] can handily outrange the particle warship. Within their niche, however, they're second to none, and lack of damage drop-off allows them to deal serious damage in mid-range combat while only receiving minimal damage themselves.

Lances take the one thing they're good at and take it to extreme: against unshielded or poorly shielded targets a single lance volley can cripple or destroy enemy ships with very little problem owing to their supreme armor penetration, but if it doesn't work or the target has strong shielding, the lance warships will be sitting ducks, waiting ages for their weapons to reload for a second salvo.

Particle Beams are terrible PD weapons: with only one shot, inability to be turreted and long reloads, they're ill-suited for anti-missile fighting.

==Damage Profile==

{| border="1" class="wikitable" style="width: 200px; text-align: center;"
|+ Example Strength-8 hit

| - || x || x || x || - || - || - || - || -
|-
| - || x || x || x || - || - || - || - || -
|-
| - || - || x || - || - || - || - || - || -
|-
| - || - || x || - || - || - || - || - || -

|}

Particle Beams deal damage in gradient-2.

{| border="1" class="wikitable" style="width: 100px; text-align: center;"
|+ Example Strength-12 Lance hit

| - || - || x || - || -
|-
| - || - || x || - || -
|-
| - || - || x || - || -
|-
| - || - || x || - || -
|-
| - || - || x || - || -
|-
| - || - || x || - || -
|-
| - || - || x || - || -
|-
| - || - || x || - || -
|-
| - || - || x || - || -
|-
| - || - || x || - || -
|-
| - || - || x || - || -
|-
| - || - || x || - || -

|}

Particle Lances deal damage in a straight line, penetrating a layer of armor with each point of damage. This makes them very difficult (but not impossible) to stop with just armor. [[Shields]] are massively more effective against them - an improved [[Damage Profile|damage profile]] does nothing against shields.

==Components==
===Particle Beam Strength===
{| border="1" class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;"
|+ Particle Beam Strength
! Particle Beam Strength !! 2 !! 3 !! 4 !! 6 !! 9 !! 12 !! 16 !! 20 !! 25 !! 36 !! 50
|-
! Size (HS)
| 6 || 6 || 6 || 6 || 6 || 6 || 6 || 6 || 6 || 6 || 6
|-
! Power Requirement
| 5 || 7 || 10 || 15 || 22 || 30 || 40 || 48 || 64 || 90 || 125
|-
! RP cost
|2,000||4,000||8,000||15,000||30,000||60,000||125,000||250,000||500,000||1,000,000||2,000,000
|}

===Particle Beam Range===
{| border="1" class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;"
|+ Particle Beam Range
! Beam range (kkm) !! 60 || 100 || 150 || 200 || 240 || 320 || 400 || 500 || 640 || 800 || 1,000 || 1,200
|-
! RP cost
|1,000||2,000||4,000||8,000||15,000||30,000||60,000||125,000||250,000||500,000||1,000,000||2,000,000
|}

===Capacitor Recharge Rate===
{| border="1" class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;"
|+ Capacitor Recharge Rate
! Recharge Rate !! 1 !! 2 !! 3 !! 4 !! 5 !! 6 !! 8 !! 10 !! 12 !! 16 !! 20 !! 25
|-
! RP cost
|1,000||2,000||4,000||8,000||15,000||30,000||60,000||125,000||250,000||500,000||1,000,000||2,000,000
|}

===Particle Lance===
Particle Lance is a special beam modification that takes '''30,000''' RP to research and requires to have Particle Beam Strength 6 and Particle Beam Range 200,000 km to be researched beforehand. This modification affects the Particle Beam in following ways:

*2x Damage
*2x Size
*2x HTK
*2x Crew
*2.5x Power Requirement
*3x Cost
*2x Development Cost

The armor penetration also changes from a gradient-2 to a straight line, making the lance the best anti-armor weapon in the game.

{{Components}}
[[Category:Components]]
[[Category:Designed Systems]]

Particle Beams

2026-02-24T12:47:21Z

14.2.200.136: Fixed broken Plasma Carronade link

{{bothversions}}
==Description==
Particle Beams is an energy weapon, that, unlike [[Lasers]] and [[Plasma Carronade]]s, does not have damage drop-off across the entire range band. As a drawback, it has shorter range than lasers and higher power demand.

Their rate of fire is

Power Requirement / Capacitor Recharge Rate * 5s

Particle beams cannot be mounted in turrets.

==Usage==
Particle Beams are a mid-range anti-ship weapon, and start to suffer when taken outside of that niche. At close ranges, [[Lasers|lasers]], [[Railguns|railguns]] and [[Plasma Carronades|carronades]] will deal much more damage over time, and at long range, lasers and (past a certain point) [[Mesons|mesons]] can handily outrange the particle warship. Within their niche, however, they're second to none, and lack of damage drop-off allows them to deal serious damage in mid-range combat while only receiving minimal damage themselves.

Lances take the one thing they're good at and take it to extreme: against unshielded or poorly shielded targets a single lance volley can cripple or destroy enemy ships with very little problem owing to their supreme armor penetration, but if it doesn't work or the target has strong shielding, the lance warships will be sitting ducks, waiting ages for their weapons to reload for a second salvo.

Particle Beams are terrible PD weapons: with only one shot, inability to be turreted and long reloads, they're ill-suited for anti-missile fighting.

==Damage Profile==

{| border="1" class="wikitable" style="width: 200px; text-align: center;"
|+ Example Strength-8 hit

| - || x || x || x || - || - || - || - || -
|-
| - || x || x || x || - || - || - || - || -
|-
| - || - || x || - || - || - || - || - || -
|-
| - || - || x || - || - || - || - || - || -

|}

Particle Beams deal damage in gradient-2.

{| border="1" class="wikitable" style="width: 100px; text-align: center;"
|+ Example Strength-12 Lance hit

| - || - || x || - || -
|-
| - || - || x || - || -
|-
| - || - || x || - || -
|-
| - || - || x || - || -
|-
| - || - || x || - || -
|-
| - || - || x || - || -
|-
| - || - || x || - || -
|-
| - || - || x || - || -
|-
| - || - || x || - || -
|-
| - || - || x || - || -
|-
| - || - || x || - || -
|-
| - || - || x || - || -

|}

Particle Lances deal damage in a straight line, penetrating a layer of armor with each point of damage. This makes them very difficult (but not impossible) to stop with just armor. [[Shields]] are massively more effective against them - an improved [[Damage Profile|damage profile]] does nothing against shields.

==Components==
===Particle Beam Strength===
{| border="1" class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;"
|+ Particle Beam Strength
! Particle Beam Strength !! 2 !! 3 !! 4 !! 6 !! 9 !! 12 !! 16 !! 20 !! 25 !! 36 !! 50
|-
! Size (HS)
| 6 || 6 || 6 || 6 || 6 || 6 || 6 || 6 || 6 || 6 || 6
|-
! Power Requirement
| 5 || 7 || 10 || 15 || 22 || 30 || 40 || 48 || 64 || 90 || 125
|-
! RP cost
|2,000||4,000||8,000||15,000||30,000||60,000||125,000||250,000||500,000||1,000,000||2,000,000
|}

===Particle Beam Range===
{| border="1" class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;"
|+ Particle Beam Range
! Beam range (kkm) !! 60 || 100 || 150 || 200 || 240 || 320 || 400 || 500 || 640 || 800 || 1,000 || 1,200
|-
! RP cost
|1,000||2,000||4,000||8,000||15,000||30,000||60,000||125,000||250,000||500,000||1,000,000||2,000,000
|}

===Capacitor Recharge Rate===
{| border="1" class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;"
|+ Capacitor Recharge Rate
! Recharge Rate !! 1 !! 2 !! 3 !! 4 !! 5 !! 6 !! 8 !! 10 !! 12 !! 16 !! 20 !! 25
|-
! RP cost
|1,000||2,000||4,000||8,000||15,000||30,000||60,000||125,000||250,000||500,000||1,000,000||2,000,000
|}

===Particle Lance===
Particle Lance is a special beam modification that takes '''30,000''' RP to research and requires to have Particle Beam Strength 6 and Particle Beam Range 200,000 km to be researched beforehand. This modification affects the Particle Beam in following ways:

*2x Damage
*2x Size
*2x HTK
*2x Crew
*2.5x Power Requirement
*3x Cost
*2x Development Cost

The armor penetration also changes from a gradient-2 to a straight line, making the lance the best anti-armor weapon in the game.

{{Components}}
[[Category:Components]]
[[Category:Designed Systems]]