Editing Player Designed Systems

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All the systems listed here are able to be player designed. This article is used to detail the various components. 

==[[Weapons]]==
===[[Missile Launcher]]s===

'''Launcher Size'''
This directly affects how big of a missile may be fired. It also affects the Rate of Fire. A launcher may launch any missile available up to and equal to its size, e.g. a size 6 launcher may fire size 1-6 missiles. Base reload time increases with weapon size. 

'''Reload Rate'''
The reload rate affects how fast the missile launcher may be reloaded and fired. The level of reload rate is used as a divisor to the base reload rate from the size of the launcher. The available rates are 1 - 12.

'''Platform Type(VB6 only)'''
There are two options available here, Ship-based and PDC-based. The PDC option cuts the base reload time in half.

'''Reduced Size'''
The options here allow the launcher to be reduced in size at the expense of reload rate. The smallest option, box launchers, cannot be reloaded at all until the ship is inside a hangar or at a maintenance facility. 

===[[Lasers]]===
Lasers are a good generic offensive weapon, offering good tech improvement and a favourable damage profile that breaches armor more easily than most other weapons. 

'''Focal Size'''
The focal size of a laser determines its damage, base size, and power requirement. The power requirement per shot is equal to the damage. 

'''Wavelength'''
The wavelength of a laser determines its range. 

'''Recharge Rate'''
The recharge rate of a laser determines how fast you can add power to it. It's measured in units of power per five-second tick. 

'''Size (C# only)'''
A laser can be reduced to 75% of the usual size by quadrupling its recharge time, or reduced to 50% of its usual size by multiplying its recharge time by 20. These options are most often used for fighter weapons. 

'''Mounting (C# only)'''
A mounting can be standard, spinal, or advanced spinal. [[Spinal mount]]s cannot be placed into a [[turret]], and are limited to one per ship, but allow the laser's size to be expanded by the equivalent of 1-2 tech levels and its range to increase by 50-100% (lower number for spinal, higher number for advanced spinal). 

===[[Railguns]]===
Railguns fire several less-damaging shots each time they fire. They are a weapon that can do well at either anti-missile defense or blasting down [[shields]], but they are not ideal at breaching [[armor]]. 

'''Calibre'''
The calibre of a railgun determines its damage, base size, and power requirement. 

'''Launch Velocity'''
The launch velocity of a railgun determines its range. 

'''Recharge Rate'''
The recharge rate of a railgun determines how fast you can add power to it. It's measured in units of power per five-second tick. 

'''Shots'''
A railgun can fire 1-4 shots. Lower shot counts reduce power need and size. Power need is 25% of baseline per shot, and size is (10% + shots*22.5%) of baseline. 

===[[Gauss Cannons]]===
Gauss Cannons are multi-shot weapons, like railguns, but take the role to an extreme. They only ever do 1 damage per shot, but can get very high rates of fire, and do not require [[power plants]] to shoot. 

'''Rate of Fire'''
The rate of fire is the number of shots the cannon fires every 5 seconds. 

'''Launch Velocity'''
The launch velocity of a gauss cannon determines its range. 

'''Accuracy'''
Gauss cannons can be made smaller by reducing their accuracy. Accuracy is 100% at 6 HS (300 tons), and reduced proportionally as the size gets smaller. 

===[[High-Powered Microwave]]===
Microwaves are anti-electronics weapons, designed to blind enemies by destroying sensors and fire control units. 

'''Focal Size'''
The focal size of a microwave determines its damage, base size, and power requirement. 

'''Focusing Technology'''
The focusing technology of a microwave determines its range. 

'''Recharge Rate'''
The recharge rate of a microwave determines how fast you can add power to it. It's measured in units of power per five-second tick. 

===[[Mesons|Meson Cannons]]===
Unlike most other weapons, mesons do not ablate armor. Instead, they go through it and deal internal damage to systems directly. Armor does, however, reduce the chances of mesons penetrating successfully. 

'''Focal Size'''
The focal size of a meson cannon determines its damage, base size, and power requirement. 

'''Focusing Technology'''
The focusing technology of a meson cannon determines its range. 

'''Meson Armor Retardation'''
The armor retardation of a meson cannon determines how well it can penetrate armour. Each layer of armor has the listed chance (from 50% down to 7%) of stopping the meson, meaning that the chances of making it through are based on 100% minus the listed value. So with an armor retardation of 40%, there's a 60% chance of making it through each layer. If the enemy has 3 layers of armor, there's a 60%^3 = 21.6% chance of penetrating with each shot. If retardation is 32%, this increases to 68%^3 = 31.4% chance of penetration. 

'''Recharge Rate'''
The recharge rate of a meson cannon determines how fast you can add power to it. It's measured in units of power per five-second tick. 

===[[Plasma Carronade]]===
Plasma carronades are a good offensive weapon for players who do not wish to invest much research or mass into energy weapons. They have a poor [[damage template]], and no ability to increase range, but they have very high damage output for their size and tech level. 

'''Focal Size'''
The focal size of a plasma carronade determines its damage, base size, and power requirement. The power requirement per shot is equal to the damage. 

'''Recharge Rate'''
The recharge rate of a carronade determines how fast you can add power to it. It's measured in units of power per five-second tick. 

'''Mounting (C# only)'''
A mounting can be standard, spinal, or advanced spinal. [[Spinal mount]]s cannot be placed into a [[turret]], and are limited to one per ship, but allow the carronade's size to be expanded by the equivalent of 1-2 tech levels and its range to increase by 50-100% (lower number for spinal, higher number for advanced spinal). 

===[[Particle Beam]]===
The particle beam is somewhat similar to lasers, but allows the powerful Particle Lance upgrade at higher tech levels. 

'''Strength'''
The strength of a particle beam determines its damage, base size, and power requirement.

'''Range '''
The range value of a particle beam determines its range. 

'''Recharge Rate'''
The recharge rate of a particle beam determines how fast you can add power to it. It's measured in units of power per five-second tick. 

'''Particle Lance (C# only)'''
Once Range 200,000km and Strength 6 have both been researched, the Particle Lance modification can be researched and added to Particle Beams. This has the following effects: 2x Damage, 2x Size, 2.5x Power Requirement, 3x Cost, and the [[Damage template]] is changed to single-column damage (i.e., the best possible template). [https://aurora2.pentarch.org/index.php?topic=8151.msg86805#msg86805]

===[[Fighter Pod Bay]] (C# only)===
Fighter pod bays are used much like missile launchers, except that they carry ground support weaponry. 

'''Size'''
The size of the pod bay determines the size of pod it can carry. The size is measured in the same units as missile sizes. 

==Defensive Systems==
===[[Shields]]===
Shields will block weapon damage from reaching armour, until their strength runs out. They will recharge slowly. 

'''Shield Type '''
Shield types range from Alpha to Omega, with strengths (VB6) or strength multipliers (C#) ranging from 1 to 15. 

''' Size (C# only) '''
The size of the generator is multiplied by the type multiplier to determine the total strength of the shield. Larger shields are somewhat more space-efficient. 

'''Shield Regeneration Rate '''
Shield Regeneration Rate depends on the Regeneration Rate research and ranges from 1 - 15

''' Fuel Efficiency(VB6 only) '''
Fuel efficiency decreases the amount of fuel consumed by a multiple from 1x - 0.1x depending on researched Fuel Efficiency modifier.

===[[Cloaking Device]]===
Cloaking devices make a ship appear smaller to enemy [[active sensors]]

'''Sensor Reduction'''
How much your ship's size is reduced for the purposes of enemy sensors. A 100 HS ship with a 90% cloak will be detected as if it were a 10 HS ship instead. See [[Active Sensor Design]] for details of the mechanics here. 

'''Efficiency'''
The multiplier for how large of a ship can take advantage of your cloaking, ranges from 3-15. This is multiplied by the cloak's size to determine the maximum tonnage of the ship. 

'''Size'''
The size of the cloak generator. The minimum size is 2-30 HS (based on your research), and the maximum size is 100 HS. 

===[[CIWS]]===
A CIWS is basically a self-contained dual [[Gauss Cannon]] [[turret]], optimized for shooting down enemy missiles. However, unlike most weapons, it counts as a commercial component, meaning it can offer some missile defense to civilian vessels and space stations. 

'''Rate of Fire'''
The number of shots each of the two Gauss Cannons will fire every 5 seconds. 

'''Fire Control Range'''
The multiplier of range. Since a CIWS sensor is always given a range of 10,000 km, higher tech here will lower the size of the system. 

'''Fire Control Speed'''
The speed multiplier of the fire control. The CIWS will always have a tracking speed of 4x this amount, and a turret speed (below) to match. 

'''Grav Sensor Strength'''
The sensor strength of the built-in sensor. The sensor size will be 3/[strength] HS. 

'''Turret Tracking Speed'''
This is the multiplier for the weight of the turret's tracking equipment. The tracking system will always have a speed equal to the fire control speed rating (with 4x multiplier), so for any given tracking speed, this will make the turret smaller. 

'''ECCM'''
ECCM helps the built-in sensor avoid interference from enemy [[ECM]] systems. 

===[[Decoy Launcher]] (C# only)===
Decoy launchers are used to spoof enemy missile salvoes into attacking false targets. 

'''Size'''
The size of decoy that it launches. 

==Sensors==
All sensors are [[commercial components]] if their size is 1 or less, and military components if their size is greater than 1. 
===[[Active Sensors]]===

'''Grav Strength'''
A higher grav strength will increase an active sensor's scanning ability, at the cost of also making it more easily visible to enemy EM sensors. 

'''EM Sensitivity Multiplier'''
The sensitivity of an active sensor is equal to size * grav strength * sensitivity multiplier. 

'''Size'''
A larger sensor will have greater sensitivity.

'''Resolution'''
The resolution of an active sensor determines what size of target it's best at detecting. For detailed mechanics, see [[Active Sensor Design]].

'''Electronic Hardening'''
Hardening a sensor protects it from damage by high-powered microwave weapons. 

'''ECCM'''
ECCM helps an active sensor avoid interference from enemy [[ECM]] systems. 

===[[EM Sensor]]s===
EM sensors detect electromagnetic emissions. EM emissions are made by active sensors and shields (when they are turned on), and by inhabited planets. Planets normally have a stronger EM signature than their thermal signature. 

'''Sensitivity Multiplier'''
The sensitivity of a sensor is equal to its size multiplied by its sensitivity multiplier. 

'''Size'''
A larger sensor will have greater sensitivity.

'''Electronic Hardening'''
Hardening a sensor protects it from damage by high-powered microwave weapons. 

===[[Thermal Sensors]]===
Thermal sensors detect thermal emissions. Thermal emissions are made by engines (when a ship is moving) and by inhabited planets. Planets normally have a weaker thermal signature than their EM signature. 

'''Sensitivity Multiplier'''
The sensitivity of a sensor is equal to its size multiplied by its sensitivity multiplier. 

'''Size'''
A larger sensor will have greater sensitivity.

'''Electronic Hardening'''
Hardening a sensor protects it from damage by high-powered microwave weapons. 

==Fire Control==
===[[Beam Fire Control]]===
Used to control energy weapons. 

'''Range'''
The basic range that the fire control can reach. 

'''Range Multiplier'''
The range can be anywhere from 0.2x to 4x the basic range. Fire control size is multiplied by this number. 

'''Speed'''
The basic speed of target that the fire control can hit reliably. 

'''Speed Multiplier'''
The speed can be anywhere from 0.5x to 4x the basic speed. Fire control size is multiplied by this number. 

'''Multi-Weapon (C# only)'''
A fire control can normally control multiple weapons. It can be reduced in size by 50% by making it only able to control one weapon. This is especially useful on fighters. 

'''Electronic Hardening'''
Hardening a fire control protects it from damage by high-powered microwave weapons. 

'''ECCM'''
ECCM helps a fire control avoid interference from enemy [[ECM]] systems. 

===[[Missile Fire Control]]===
Used to control missiles (especially if they do not have self-targeting capability). Mechanics here are very similar to active sensors, so see [[Active Sensor Design]] for mechanical details. 

'''Grav Strength'''
A higher grav strength will increase a fire control's scanning ability, at the cost of also making it more easily visible to enemy EM sensors. 

'''EM Sensitivity Multiplier'''
The sensitivity of a missile fire control system is equal to size * grav strength * sensitivity multiplier. 

'''Size'''
A larger fire control system will have greater sensitivity.

'''Resolution'''
The resolution of an active sensor determines what size of target it's best at detecting. For detailed mechanics, see [[Active Sensor Design]].

'''Electronic Hardening'''
Hardening a sensor protects it from damage by high-powered microwave weapons. 

'''ECCM'''
ECCM helps an active sensor avoid interference from enemy [[ECM]] systems. 

==Utility==
===[[Engine|Engines]]===
Engines allow ships to move through space under their own power. Engines of 25+ size and with 50% power or lower are commercial components. All other engines are military components. 

'''Technology'''
The tech level of an engine is a multiplier to its power output. 

'''Power Ratio'''
Engine power can range from 50% to 150% at game start, and from 10% to 300% with higher tech levels. Lower power is far more fuel-efficient, while higher power is somewhat more space-efficient.  

'''Fuel Consumption'''
This is an additional multiplier to the fuel consumption of the engine. 

'''Thermal Reduction'''
This reduces the engine's visibility to enemy thermal sensors. 

'''Size'''
The size of the engine, in HS. Larger engines are moderately more fuel-efficient. 

===[[Jump Engines]]===

'''Jump Drive efficiency'''
Ranges from 3-25; increase via research.

'''Max Jump Squadron Size'''
The number of ships without a jump engine that can follow a ship equipped with this jump engine through a jump point. Ranges from 3-12 squadron size; increases jump engine size.

'''Jump Point Distance'''
This is useful if you are planning on jumping into an enemy system where the enemy could be waiting for you on the other side.  It allows you to jump and be further from the jump point; it slightly increases jump engine size.

'''Size'''
Increases the HullSize the component takes up but also increases the maximum size of the ship it can jump.  The Max Ship Size has to be greater than the ship's total hull size; this includes the jump engine itself, so remember when designing a jump engine that you need to account for both the size of the ship + the jump engine's considerable mass.

Please note, that when jumping multiple ships in a fleet, no jump engine can jump a ship larger than the ship it is mounted on, even if the Max Ship Size can accommodate both ships.  If the accompanying ship is smaller than the ship equipped with the jump engine, both ships can pass through normally.

'''Jump Drive Type'''
Military jump engines are smaller in size and suffer no penalty to max jump squadron size, with more efficient use of size.

Civilian jump drives are less efficient per unit of size and significantly larger overall, but can jump larger ships than military version (10x higher Max Ship Size than military).  Civilian drives are less costly, but their max jump squadron size is penalized by one. 

Civilian jump engines cannot open jump points for military vessels. In VB6, military jump drives cannot open jump points for civilian vessels either. 

===[[Magazine]]===
A magazine is used to store [[missiles]], so that you can reload your missile launchers. 

'''Feed Efficiency'''
This is the percentage of the magazine's size that can be used to actually store missiles. Capacity = [magazine size - armor size] * feed efficiency * 20 (since missile sizes are 20x smaller than hull sizes). 

'''Neutralization System'''
This reduces the chance of a magazine's contents exploding if the magazine is hit. 

'''Extra HTK'''
A magazine can be made more durable, to better resist incoming damage. 

'''Armour'''
The armor used to increase the magazine's HTK. Higher-tech armour is lighter per unit of protection, as normal. 

'''Size'''
The total size of the magazine, as installed on a ship. 

===[[Power Plants]]===
Power plants are used to recharge the capacitors of energy weapons. Their power output is the total amount of capacitor recharge they can offer to energy weapons on the ship. 

'''Tech Level'''
Higher tech levels produce more power. 

'''Boost'''
The output of a power plant can be boosted further, at the cost of making it more likely to explode if damaged in battle. 

'''Size'''
The size of a power plant multiplies its output. Larger plants are slightly more efficient. 

===[[New Species]] (C# only)===
With sufficient skill at genetic engineering, a species can be modified to a new form. This can be used to take better advantage of worlds with harsh environments, by reducing the [[colony cost]] penalties. 

'''Base Species'''
This determines which basic species you're starting with. Using default settings, this will always be Human. 

'''Temperature Range'''
How wide a range of temperatures the species can handle. 

'''Base Temperature'''
What the centre of their comfortable temperature range is. 

'''Oxygen Level'''
How much oxygen they need in the atmosphere. 

'''Gravity'''
What level of gravity they prefer. 

===[[Miscellaneous Components]] (C# only)===
Miscellaneous components have no game effect, and exist to be used for roleplay purposes. The size can be chosen freely. 

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