Colony events

Version

This article has been verified for the current PC version (3.5) of the game.

Random events

Events

Colony events

Envoy events

Pre-sapients coexistence events

Terraforming events

Tomb world events

Marauder neighbor events

Caravan events

Caravaneer neighbor events

Colony events can trigger 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5 years after a planet or ring world is colonized. Each colony can only get one colony event, and planets that have been  Terraformed are blocked from getting any event except for ones guaranteed by a  Planet Modifier. Most events are limited to once per empire, although some are limited to once per game and some have lighter or no limits.

Generic colony event triggers

The following trigger conditions apply to all colony events, unless otherwise noted:

• Planet owner
  • Planet is owned by the original owner
  • Planet owner is not AI
• Planet
  • Planet hasn't had a colony event
  • Planet hasn't been terraformed
  • Colony isn't a Habitat
  • Planet isn't a species homeworld
  • Planet isn't an empire's capital
  • Planet doesn't have ground combat and isn't occupied
  • Colony has at least one Pop

Guaranteed events

Certain  planet modifiers or planetary features will trigger a guaranteed colony event, usually when the colony turns one year old.

Planet modifier events table

Event	Planet modifier	Notes
What Happened Here?	Irradiated	Planets can't get this modifier, so this event can never trigger. (Unless the game is modded.)
Titanic Life	Titanic Life
Earthquake!	Unstable Tectonics
Comet Sighted Through Belt	Asteroid Belt
Crackdown	Atmospheric Hallucinogen
Magnetic Miracle	Strong Magnetic Field	Both events have a 50% chance to trigger.
Magnetic Disruption

Planetary feature events table

Event	Planetary feature	Notes
An Unexpected Friend	Enigmatic Robot Can't be found on artificial worlds ×3 on Relic Worlds	Event triggers when the colony turns 2 years old.  Gestalt Consciousness empires can't get the anomaly that creates the feature, but they can still get the event if they're the first empire to colonize the planet it's on.

Random events

If a colony doesn't get a guaranteed event when it's one year old, it's eligible to start rolling for a random colony event when it reaches two years old.  Continental Worlds are the only class of planet with access to every single existing colony event that isn't  Tomb World exclusive, and  Desert Worlds are the only class of planet that only has access to colony events that are also available to every other regular planet class.

Because terraforming prevents colony events, you can't use it to try to get events that are restricted to certain planet classes. Additionally, if you want to have a chance to get any colony event, and aren't also looking for one of the terraforming events that can only trigger on uninhabited planets, you should always colonize planets that don't have a planet modifier that gives a guaranteed event before terraforming them and then wait to terraform them until they either get a colony event or reach five years old.

It may be worth considering which restricted colony events your guaranteed habitable worlds will have access to when selected your species' climate preference.

 Habitats can't get colony events.

Colony event trigger table

Event																Other Restrictions
Universal colony events (available to all planet classes)
Asteroid Sighted																Less than 50 years have passed
Ancient Drones																Has an uninhabitable moon
A Change of Heart																Spiritualist or Materialist ethics A pop with the opposite ethic At least 4 sapient pops (unlikely to happen within 5 years without resettling)
Odd Factory
What Separates Us																Main species pop with the  Xenophobe ethic A free non-robotic pop of a different species
Lost to Bureaucracy																Has a building
The Mysterious Moon of Root.GetName																Has an uninhabitable moon
The Doorway
Impossible Corrie																A pop has the Miner or Mining Drone job
Regular colony events (available to all regular planet classes)
Subterranean Civilization
Abandoned Terraforming Equipment																Different planet class than main species preference
Mushroom Picking																Doesn't require pops
Insidious Ophidians
Dancing Plague																A main species pop
Restricted colony events (not available to all regular planet classes)
Migrating Forests
Mharin Kharin
Trouble in Paradise																Militarist or Pacifist ethics
From Beneath the Waves																Destroyers technology
Feral Overload
Unsteady Ground
Tomb World colony events
Underground Vault																Planet wasn't made into a Tomb World by primitives nuking themselves
Nuclear Bomb
Ruined Particle Accelerator
Surviving Infrastructure
Derelict Space Station																Planet wasn't made into a Tomb World by primitives nuking themselves
Wasteland Radiation
Pacifist Movement																Colony has a free pop that isn't mechanical or pacifist
Orbital Debris																Planet wasn't made into a Tomb World by primitives nuking themselves
Archaeology Site colony events
Fossils Discovered on Root.GetName																Ancient Relics DLC is enabled  No Archaeology Site
Message in the Canopy																No Archaeology Site
Situation colony events
Mysterious Labyrinth																Can be rolled but can't trigger
Living Snow																Can be rolled but can't trigger

Event chances

When the colony is 1 year old, certain planet modifiers will trigger a guaranteed event. At 2 and 3 years old, there are a large variety of possible random events, while there is a much shorter list of possible events when the colony is 4 or 5 years old. The odds of any specific event triggering is equal to that event's weight divided by the total weight of no event plus all potential events for that colony age.

Random colony event weights table

Event	2 Years	3 Years	4 Years	5 Years	Limit
No event	150	150	150	150	–
Migrating Forests	3	2	–	–	Once per game
Subterranean Civilization	3	2	–	–	Once per game
Ancient Drones	3	2	–	–	Once per empire
Mharin Kharin	3	2	–	–	Once per game
Feral Overload	–	10	–	–	Once per empire
Abandoned Terraforming Equipment	15	10	–	–	Once per empire
Asteroid Sighted	6	6	–	–	Once per empire
Trouble in Paradise	3	10	1		Special
From Beneath the Waves	15	10	–	–	Once per empire
A Change of Heart	–	10	1	3	Special
Odd Factory	15	10	–	–	Once per empire
What Separates Us	15	10	–	–	No limit
Lost to Bureaucracy	–	10	–	–	No limit
The Mysterious Moon of Root.GetName	10	10	–	–	Once per empire
The Doorway	8	5	–	–	Once per empire
Unsteady Ground	8	–	–	–	Once per game
Mushroom Picking	15	–	–	–	Once per game
Insidious Ophidians	15	–	–	–	Once per game
Tomb World colony events	2 Years	3 Years	4 Years	5 Years	Limit
Any tomb world colony event	525-600	350-400	–	–
Underground Vault	75	50	–	–	Once per game
Nuclear Bomb	75	50	–	–	Once per empire
Ruined Particle Accelerator	75	50	–	–	Once per empire
Surviving Infrastructure	75	50	–	–	Once per empire
Derelict Space Station	75	50	–	–	Once per empire
Wasteland Radiation	75	50	–	–	Once per empire
Pacifist Movement	75	50	–	–	Once per empire
Orbital Debris	75	50	–	–	Once per empire
	2 Years	3 Years	4 Years	5 Years	Limit
Impossible Corrie	3	4	–	–	Once per empire
Dancing Plague	–	–	3	3	Once per empire
Archaeology Site colony events	2 Years	3 Years	4 Years	5 Years	Limit
Fossils Discovered on Root.GetName	3	3	3	3	Once per game
Message in the Canopy	3	–	–	–	Once per game
Situation colony events	2 Years	3 Years	4 Years	5 Years	Limit
Mysterious Labyrinth	–	–	3	3	Once per game
Living Snow	–	–	6	6	Once per game

Ethics divergence events

These colony events involve changing the ethics of some pops to the opposing ethic. They have no limit on how many times they can happen, but they share a limit on how often an event in this category can happen. An empire can't get any ethics divergence colony event more then once every five years.

Trouble in Paradise

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Local political drama on [Root.GetName] has resulted in increased support among a small group of rebels, opposed to our underlying ethics. Their increased support have enabled them to gain more power in the region and vote for their own causes with limited success.

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Trigger conditions: Generic colony event triggers  Not Gestalt Consciousness Empire is some degree of Militarist or Pacifist Planet is a Continental, Tropical, or Gaia World Empire hasn't had an ethics divergence event within the last 5 years

Is triggered only by: The colony turning 2, 3, or 4 years old

Option conditions  Enabled if: Empire is some degree of Militarist We stand divided. Three random pops that aren't non-sapient robots or already Pacifist change their ethic to Pacifist  Enabled if: Empire is some degree of Pacifist We stand divided. Three random pops that aren't non-sapient robots or already Militarist change their ethic to Militarist  Enabled if: Empire isn't Fanatic Egalitarian or any degree of Pacifist Suppress the opposition! One random pop that isn't a non-sapient robot or already Pacifist changes their ethic to pacifist Suppressed Opposition modifier added for 120 months, with the following effects:  Happiness −15%  Enabled if: Empire isn't Fanatic Egalitarian or any degree of Militarist Suppress the opposition! One random pop that isn't a non-sapient robot or already Militarist changes their ethic to Militarist Suppressed Opposition modifier added for 120 months, with the following effects:  Happiness −15%

A Change of Heart

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The below description is one of several available for this event.
As we have grown our roots on [Root.GetName] certain individuals have begun to stray from our beaten path. That is to be expected, but these have supporters. The group feels our spiritualistic view of the universe is not leading us forward fast enough - assured that a more materialistic view of the cosmos is the answer.

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Trigger conditions: Either: Empire is some degree of Spiritualist and colony has a Materialist pop Empire is some degree of Materialist and colony has a Spiritualist pop Colony has at least 4 pops that aren't non-sapient robots Empire hasn't had an ethics divergence event within the last 5 years

Is triggered only by: The colony turning 3, 4, or 5 years old

Option conditions  Enabled if: Empire is some degree of Materialist They are no threat to our pursuits. All Spiritualist pops on the colony gain the Opinions Respected pop modifier for 20 years, with the following effects:  Happiness +15% Spiritualist Attraction planet modifier added for 20 years, with the following effects: Spiritualist Ethics Attraction +100%  Enabled if: Empire is some degree of Spiritualist Leave them be to find their own way. All Materialist pops on the colony gain the Opinions Respected pop modifier for 20 years, with the following effects:  Happiness +15% Materialist Attraction planet modifier added for 20 years, with the following effects: Materialist Ethics Attraction +100%  Enabled if: Empire has at least 100 energy and 100 minerals Bribe their leaders.  −100 energy and  −100 minerals  Enabled if: Empire is some degree of Spiritualist Have spiritual guides re-direct them. (Hidden) 40% chance: The event A Change of Heart (colony.2011) happens in 160 days (Hidden) 60% chance: The event A Change of Heart (colony.2012) happens in 160 days  Enabled if: Empire is some degree of Materialist Spread propaganda to oppose them. (Hidden) 40% chance: The event A Change of Heart (colony.2011) happens in 160 days (Hidden) 60% chance: The event A Change of Heart (colony.2012) happens in 160 days

A Change of Heart (colony.2011)

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The below description is one of several available for this event.
Our attempts at re-directing the parts of the population prone to oppose our core ideals have finally paid off.

Thanks to the tireless efforts of our spiritual leaders we have finally turned the tide, and are bringing more and more faithless into the fold. Not only materialists, but people of all persuasions have seen the light and are casting away their former beliefs. Pray they will never stray from the righteous path again.

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Trigger conditions: None	Is triggered only by: Choosing the "Spread propaganda to oppose them." or "Have spiritual guides re-direct them." option during for the A Change of Heart event (40% chance)
Immediate effects: If the "Spread propaganda to oppose them." option was chosen for the A Change of Heart event: Every pop on the colony with the Spiritualist ethic changes to Materialist Materialist Attraction planet modifier added for 20 years, with the following effects: Materialist Ethics Attraction +100% If the "Have spiritual guides re-direct them." option was chosen for the A Change of Heart event: Every pop on the colony with the Materialist ethic changes to Spiritualist Spiritualist Attraction planet modifier added for 20 years, with the following effects: Spiritualist Ethics Attraction +100%
Option conditions  Enabled if: Empire is some degree of Spiritualist The "Have spiritual guides re-direct them." option was chosen for the A Change of Heart event Blessed be the divine! None  Enabled if: Empire is some degree of Spiritualist The "Spread propaganda to oppose them." option was chosen for the A Change of Heart event Oops... None  Enabled if: Empire is some degree of Materialist The "Have spiritual guides re-direct them." option was chosen for the A Change of Heart event Oops... None  Enabled if: Empire is some degree of Materialist The "Spread propaganda to oppose them." option was chosen for the A Change of Heart event Excellent. None

A Change of Heart (colony.2012)

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Our attempts to change the minds of our people on [Root.GetName] have backfired horribly. By banding together over our subjugation attempts they have gained even more followers, making them stronger than ever.

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Trigger conditions: None	Is triggered only by: Choosing the "Spread propaganda to oppose them." or "Have spiritual guides re-direct them." option during for the A Change of Heart event (60% chance)
Immediate effects: If empire is some degree of Materialist: Spiritualist Attraction planet modifier added for 20 years, with the following effects: Spiritualist Ethics Attraction +100% All Spiritualist pops on the colony gain the Opinions Disrespected pop modifier for 20 years, with the following effects:  Happiness −20% If empire is some degree of Spiritualist: Materialist Attraction planet modifier added for 20 years, with the following effects: Materialist Ethics Attraction +100% All Spiritualist pops on the colony gain the Opinions Disrespected pop modifier for 20 years, with the following effects:  Happiness −20%
Option conditions  Enabled if: Empire is some degree of Spiritualist The divine be damned! None  Enabled if: Empire isn't any degree of Spiritualist Curses! None

Repeatable events

These colony events have no limit on how many times or how often they can trigger.

What Separates Us

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The below description is one of several available for this event.
Having other species living with our people has caused some friction on [Root.GetName]. Be it cultural differences, xenophobia or a common misunderstanding is hard to tell, but what is sure is that these small encounters could turn to the worse if we do not intervene.

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Trigger conditions: Generic colony event triggers  Not Gestalt Consciousness Colony has a free non-robotic alien Pop Colony has a main species pop with the  Xenophobe ethic

Is triggered only by: The colony turning 2 or 3 years old

Option conditions  Enabled if: Neither Xenophile nor Xenophobe Distract the angry mob. All main species pops on the colony with the  Xenophobe ethic gain the Enraged pop modifier for 2 years, with the following effects:  –25% Happiness –25%  Worker,  Specialist, and  Ruler output (Hidden) Protecting Minorities empire modifier added for 2 years, with the following effects: +25% Monthly Influence –5% Energy Credits from Jobs (Hidden) Tier 2 Influence reward: Gain 80-175 Influence  Enabled if: Empire is some degree of Xenophobe Isolate the xenos from the mob. All main species pops on the colony with the  Xenophobe ethic gain the Enraged pop modifier for 2 years Protecting Minorities empire modifier added for 2 years Tier 2 Influence reward: Gain 80-175 Influence  Enabled if: Empire is some degree of Xenophile Protect the minority at any cost. Protecting Minorities empire modifier added for 2 years Tier 2 Influence reward: Gain 80-175 Influence All main species pops on the colony with the  Xenophobe ethic gain the Enraged pop modifier for 2 years All alien and  Xenophile pops on the colony gain the Pleased modifier for 1 year, with the following effects:  +25% Happiness +25%  Worker,  Specialist, and  Ruler output  Enabled if: Empire isn't Fanatic Militarist or any degree of Xenophobe Do not get involved. A random non-main species Pop on the colony dies All alien and  Xenophile pops on the colony gain the Enraged modifier for 1 year  Enabled if: Empire is Fanatic Militarist or some degree of Xenophobe Let the xenos fight their own fight. A random alien pop on the colony dies All aliens and  Xenophile pops on the colony gain the Enraged modifier for 1 year

Lost to Bureaucracy

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Due to a major clerical error parts of [colony name] has fallen behind in infrastructure maintenance and accommodation services. The people live in rather bleak conditions and will not tolerate it for long. Remedying these problems will cost us time and effort.

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Trigger conditions: Generic colony event triggers  Not Gestalt Consciousness Colony has a building

Is triggered only by: The colony turning 3 years old

Option conditions  Always enabled: Unfortunate. A Sprawling Slums blocker is added to the planet An Industrial Wasteland blocker is added to the colony  Enabled if: At least 500 Energy At least 100 Influence Empire isn't any degree of Authoritarian We must invest in this area. –500 Energy –100 Influence Tier 2 Unity reward: Gain 150-1000 Unity  Enabled if: At least 250 Energy At least 50 Influence Empire is some degree of Authoritarian We have a strong community, help them recover. –250 Energy –50 Influence Tier 2 Unity reward: Minimum and maximum unity gain are undefined!  Enabled if: Empire has one of the following Government Types: : Military Commissariat, Citizen Republic /: Megacorporation : Constitutional Dictatorship, Totalitarian Regime, Military Dictatorship : Despotic Empire, Feudal Empire, Despotic Hegemony, Star Empire Throw out the inhabitants and raze the area. Tier 2 Influence reward: Gain 80-175 Influence +20 Devastation Two random pops gain the Enraged pop modifier for 7300 days, with the following effects:  –25% Happiness –25%  Worker,  Specialist, and  Ruler output

Archaeology site events

These colony events create archaeology sites.

Fossils Discovered on [Root.GetName]

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Fossilized remains from several different species that do not appear to have been indigenous to §H[Root.GetName]§! have been found in a large and secluded valley on the [Root.GetPlanetMoon]. They all date from roughly the same time period, within the span of a few centuries some 3.6 million years ago.

Each of these species seems to have evolved in its own unique biosphere, and all appear to have been sapient. Strangely, every fossilized individual found so far shows signs of having met a violent end.

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Trigger conditions: Generic colony event triggers  Ancient Relics DLC is active Any regular habitable planet class No Archaeology Site Can only happen once per game	Is triggered only by: The colony turning 2, 3, 4, or 5 years old
Curious. The Fossilized Remains dig site is added to the planet

Message in the Canopy

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Our scientists have discovered something unusual on [From.Planet.GetName]. A tropical world, much of the planet's surface is covered with dense jungle: massive, thousand year old trees erupt from the canopy, their leafy crowns towering over the landscape.

At first glance, the distribution of these giants appears random. However, further analysis indicates that the trees are arranged with mathematical precision, and it seems likely they were planted by some long-vanished civilization. What's more, the team leader believes the distribution pattern may comprise a set of coordinates, one that points to an unexplored location deep within the jungle.

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Trigger conditions: Generic colony event triggers Tropical, Continental, or Gaia World No Archaeology Site Can only happen once per game	Is triggered only by: The colony turning 2 years old
Curious. The Message in the Canopy dig site is added to the planet

Tomb world events

These colony events can only occur on tomb worlds. They have their own page here.

Planet modifier events

 Planet Modifier colony events are guaranteed to trigger when the colony is reaches 1 year old, as long as the planet has the triggering planet modifier. Unlike other colony events, they aren't prevented if the planet has been terraformed. They have their own page here.

References

Game concepts