On the right side of the designer, one can select options for different subsystems of the ship. Most of them are required and it is not possible to design a ship without some version of them, but few of them are optional, having the option to install no subsystem in its slot.
A ship's reactor generates power for its other systems, and a new ship design cannot be created if it has negative power. Excess power slightly increases a ship's evasion, movement speed, and damage.
This subsystem is optional, although without an FTL drive the ship is incapable of moving between systems.
Jump drives allow the ship to make a direct jump within a limited range, indicated by a yellow dotted circle. Initiate a jump by selecting the fleet, clicking the "Initiate Jump" button and left-clicking the target. After jumping the fleet spends 200 days recharging, during which time it suffers -50% sublight speed and weapons damage.
FTL drive
Cost
Power
Jump charge time
Other
Hyper Drive I
5
10
Hyper Drive II
10
15
-25%
Hyper Drive III
15
20
-50%
Jump Drive
20
30
-70%
Can make jumps outside the hyperlane network
Psi Jump Drive
20
30
-80%
Can make jumps outside the hyperlane network with +50% greater range
This component predominantly improves fire-rate as well as various performance, like evasion, tracking, accuracy, or weapons range, depending on behavior type.
When in combat, every military ship will advance to within a certain distance of its target and fire its weapons, while staying at the intended distance. The engagement range is determined by the ship's designated role and will apply regardless of the effective range of the ship's weapons. Weapon range modifiers will also increase this range. Ships that have similar roles will typically cluster together, stay in formation with each other and attack in groups.
Swarm: The ship will charge straight into point-blank range with its target, circle around it, and attack.
Picket: The ship will move to close range (30) and attack from a position, attempting to intercept incoming enemy ships.
Line: The ship will advance to medium range (50), assume formation and then attack everything within range.
Artillery: The ship will stay at long range (80) and engage its target from far away. (Mostly applies against stationary targets, everything else is engaged as usual, i.e the ship will attack it as soon as it gets within range)
Carrier: The ship will stay at extreme range (150) and engage from long range.
Defense Platforms will reposition themselves around the starbase if other platforms are destroyed, but mostly stay in place and attack everything that gets within their range, dealing as much damage as possible.
Sensors determine the ship's detection range on the galaxy map. They also increase tracking of all weapon systems, which is related to accuracy.
Name
Cost
Power
Tracking
Sensor Range
Description
Radar System
2
5
1
A planet-bound technology adapted for use in deep space, the radar system provides basic detection and tracking capability for interstellar vessels.
Gravitic Sensors
4
10
+5
2
These sensors have been tuned to look for any gravitational changes in space, such as those produced by the presence of a starship.
Subspace Sensors
6
15
+10
3
Sensors that detect subspace fluctuations left in the wake of traveling starships. Their sensitivity and range and greater than that of a gravitic sensor array.
Tachyon Sensors
8
20
+15
4
Advanced sensors that rely on rotating tachyon beams to detect ship movements even at extreme distances.
A Titan’s defensive aura gives a buff to allied ships in the same fleet, while an offensive aura applies a debuff to all enemy ships that are in battle with the Titan's fleet. In either case, the distance from the Titan does not matter.
Meanwhile, a Juggernaut’s aura is always effective system-wide, whether its a defensive or offensive one.
Multiple instances of same aura do not stack. While optional, they do not cost anything.