Situations

Version

This article has been verified for the current PC version (3.4) of the game.

Situations are events that take place gradually and are trackable via the Outliner and the Situation Log. All situations offer multiple approaches to tackle them and most of the time an approach can be changed at any point.

Shortages

Shortages are situations that start if an empire's stored stockpile for a certain resource drops to 0 with negative income. Shortage situations will keep progressing for as long as the empire has negative income and will recede once a positive income is reached. Unlike most situations the aim is to prevent the situation from making progress to avoid increasing empire penalties.

If a shortage situation progresses completely the empire will become defaulted. This will refund a large amount of resources based on how many decades have passed and end all current shortage situations but also downgrade all upgraded buildings and disband all offensive armies and half of the military ships. In addition the empire will get the Empire Defaulted modifier for 10 years, imparting the following effects:

• +25% All costs
• −50% Monthly influence
• −50% Monthly unity
• −25% Ship weapons damage
• −50% Pop demotion time

Resource shortage	Minor deficit effects	Major deficit effects	Severe deficit effects	Catastrophic deficit effects	Refund per decade passed
Energy	−10% researcher output −10% Brain drone output −10% Calculator output −10% Diplomatic weight from economy −10% Mechanical pop assembly speed −10% Combat disengagement chance −20% Ship weapons damage −20% Sublight speed	−20% researcher output −20% Brain drone output −20% Calculator output −20% Diplomatic weight from economy −20% Mechanical pop assembly speed −25% Combat disengagement chance −40% Ship weapons damage −40% Sublight speed	−33% researcher output −33% Brain drone output −33% Calculator output −33% Diplomatic weight from economy −33% Mechanical pop assembly speed −50% Combat disengagement chance −60% Ship weapons damage −60% Sublight speed	−50% researcher output −50% Brain drone output −50% Calculator output −50% Diplomatic weight from economy −50% Mechanical pop assembly speed −75% Combat disengagement chance −80% Ship weapons damage −80% Sublight speed −10% Resources from jobs	1000 Energy (max 15000)
Minerals	−10% Artisan output −10% Artisan drone output −10% Metallurgist output −10% Foundry drone output −10% Fabricator output −20% Brain drone output −20% Lithoid pop growth speed −20% Lithoid pop assembly speed −10% Lithoid pop happiness	−20% Artisan output −20% Artisan drone output −20% Metallurgist output −20% Foundry drone output −20% Fabricator output −40% Brain drone output −33% Lithoid pop growth speed −33% Lithoid pop assembly speed −15% Lithoid pop happiness	−33% Artisan output −33% Artisan drone output −33% Metallurgist output −33% Foundry drone output −33% Fabricator output −60% Brain drone output −50% Lithoid pop growth speed −50% Lithoid pop assembly speed −20% Lithoid pop happiness	−50% Artisan output −50% Artisan drone output −50% Metallurgist output −50% Foundry drone output −50% Fabricator output −80% Brain drone output −75% Lithoid pop growth speed −75% Lithoid pop assembly speed −25% Lithoid pop happiness	1000 Minerals (max 15000)
Food	−10% Biological pop happiness −20% Biological pop growth speed −20% Biological pop assembly speed −10% Catalytic technician output	−15% Biological pop happiness −33% Biological pop growth speed −33% Biological pop assembly speed −20% Catalytic technician output	−20% Biological pop happiness −50% Biological pop growth speed −50% Biological pop assembly speed −33% Catalytic technician output	−25% Biological pop happiness −75% Biological pop growth speed −75% Biological pop assembly speed −50% Catalytic technician output	1000 Food (max 15000)
Consumer goods	−5% Happiness −15% Monthly unity −20% researcher output −25% Governing ethics attraction	−10% Happiness −30% Monthly unity −40% researcher output −50% Governing ethics attraction	−15% Happiness −45% Monthly unity −60% researcher output −75% Governing ethics attraction	−20% Happiness −60% Monthly unity −70% researcher output −100% Governing ethics attraction	500 Consumer goods (max 7500)
Alloys	−10% Robot output −25% Mechanical pop assembly speed +25% Pop assembly cost +10% Ship energy upkeep +10% Starbase energy upkeep −10 Stability on habitats	−20% Robot output −50% Mechanical pop assembly speed +50% Pop assembly cost +20% Ship energy upkeep +20% Starbase energy upkeep −15 Stability on habitats −33% Armor hit points −33% Ship fire rate	−30% Robot output −75% Mechanical pop assembly speed +75% Pop assembly cost +20% Ship energy upkeep +20% Starbase energy upkeep −20 Stability on habitats −66% Armor hit points −66% Ship fire rate	−50% Robot output −100% Mechanical pop assembly speed +100% Pop assembly cost +30% Ship energy upkeep +30% Starbase energy upkeep −30 Stability on habitats −99% Armor hit points −99% Ship fire rate	250 Alloys (max 3750)
Exotic gases	−5% Resources from  jobs −20% Sublight speed −20% Terraforming speed	−10% Resources from  jobs −40% Sublight speed −40% Terraforming speed	−15% Resources from  jobs −60% Sublight speed −60% Terraforming speed	−20% Resources from  jobs −80% Sublight speed −80% Terraforming speed	100 Exotic gases (max 1500)
Rare crystals	−5% Resources from  jobs −30% Energy weapons damage −1 Sensor range	−10% Resources from  jobs −50% Energy weapons damage −1 Sensor range	−15% Resources from  jobs −70% Energy weapons damage −2 Sensor range	−20% Resources from  jobs −90% Energy weapons damage −2 Sensor range	100 Rare crystals (max 1500)
Volatile motes	−5% Resources from  jobs −30% Kinetic weapons damage +20% Clear blocker cost −20% Clear blocker speed	−10% Resources from  jobs −50% Kinetic weapons damage +40% Clear blocker cost −40% Clear blocker speed	−15% Resources from  jobs −70% Kinetic weapons damage +60% Clear blocker cost −60% Clear blocker speed	−20% Resources from  jobs −90% Kinetic weapons damage +80% Clear blocker cost −80% Clear blocker speed	100 Volatile motes (max 1500)

Leviathan parade opportunities

Leviathan Parade Opportunities are situations that will take place once a guardian has been defeated. The parade will take place on the planet with the highest population in your empire that did not host a parade in the last 40 years. If no such planets are available, the planet with the largest population is chosen. Reaching the second stage of a situation brings multiple choices with various effects; finishing the situations will grant  150–2000 unity and a permanent modifier to the planet.

All Leviathan parade opportunity situations have three stages and offer three approaches:

• Do nothing: +4 situation progress and  5 unity upkeep.
• Encourage it: +6 situation progress and  25 energy upkeep.
• Discourage it: −4 situation progress until it cancels the situation.

Guardian	Stage II choices	Modifier reward
Automated Dreadnought	−40 Situation progress and −50% job energy upkeep for 2 years 50% chance of −30 situation progress and 50% chance of +20 situation progress  +350–100000 Society research	−15% Building, district and job energy upkeep
Enigmatic Fortress	200 less unity when finishing  −1 Pop −20 Situation progress,  −1 pop and  +100 unity	+15 Amenities  +15 Housing
Ether Drake	−30 Situation progress End the situation for  +20% Society research for 20 years 200 less unity when finishing	+10 Stability  +25% Immigration pull
Spectral Wraith	Nothing −40 Situation progress End the situation for the Wraith Infused Atmosphere capital modifier (−25% Orbital bombardment damage)	+10% Happiness  +15% Unity from  jobs
Stellar Devourer	+15 Situation progress End the situation for the special project to reignite the star	Enables the Consume Star operation
Scavenger Bot	−20 Situation progress and  +5000 alloys +20 Situation progress End the situation for an asteroid with a deposit of  10 alloys above the empire capital	+20% Alloys from  jobs
Tiyanki Matriarch	−20 Situation progress and  +500 food +1  Pop 200 less unity when finishing if not  some degree of Xenophile	+1 Monthly organic pop assembly  −5 Stability
Voidspawn	Water Contamination situation End the situation	+15% Habitability +10% Society research from  jobs
Shard	−30 Situation progress and  +350–100,000 Society research End the situation for the All Seeing Shard capital modifier ( +10 sensor range, +10 hyperlane detection range) −200 less unity when finishing	+5 Worker pop resource output +5 Menial drone output  +50% Authoritarian ethics attraction
Sky Dragon	−10 Situation progress 200 less unity when finishing if not  some degree of Xenophobe If not  some degree of Xenophobe, can create an asteroid with a  Living Metal deposit in the capital system	+20% Physics research from  jobs

Horrific Inverse Mass

The Worm, Dimensional Horror and Elder One all share a common situation regarding what is called Horrific Inverse Mass. Killing two or all three of them will not award another situation.

1. Once the second stage of the situation is reached, empires that are not  Materialist or  Fanatic Materialist can end the situation for  +250–1500 unity.
2. If the situation is not ended, finishing it will grant a modifier giving  +15% research from  jobs if not Spiritualist and  +15% unity from  jobs if  some degree of Spiritualist. The modifier will last for 7 or 14 years depending on the choices in the second stage.
3. Once the modifier expires the capital will be given the option to gain a second modifier giving  −20 Stability and  +25% research from  jobs if not Spiritualist, or  +25% unity from  jobs if  some degree of Spiritualist. The modifier will last for 3.5 years.
4. Once the second modifier expires, the planet will be given the option to gain  99% devastation or a third modifier giving  +100 research and  unity from  jobs,  −20 stability,  −200 immigration pull, and preventing any  governing ethics attraction. The modifier will last for 2 years. If the modifier is chosen, the outcome of the final event will be decided here.
   If you're looking to edit the save file to change the flag, find the respective planet within your save file and change the flag `black_hole_horror` to `stabilized_horror`.
5. Once the third modifier expires, there is a 66% chance to collapse the empire capital star into a black hole and a 33% chance to gain a final modifier giving  +50% research and  Unity from  jobs. Because the outcome is decided in the previous event, reloading a save at this point will not alter the result.

Event situations

Event situations have a small chance to trigger at regular intervals and can only happen once. Various events can take place during an event situation.

Situation	Approaches	Stage II effects	Stage III effects	Stage IV effects	Stage V effects
Unusual Snow	Observe it Peacefully	+5 Research from approach  −10 Unity from approach	Cannot change approach	Choice between the Living Snow Reserve planetary feature and an invasion of 6 Living Snow Warrior armies. If the invaders win and the colony is not recaptured in 5 years, it becomes a Frozen World with a deposit of  +8 physics and  society research and unlocks the  Terrestrial Sculpting technology.
	Melt it. All.	+10 Stability from approach  −10 Energy from approach	Cannot change approach	Colony is invaded by 6 Living Snow Warrior armies. If the invaders win and the colony is not recaptured in 5 years, it becomes a Frozen World with a deposit of  +8 physics and  society research and unlocks the  Terrestrial Sculpting technology.
The Mysterious Labyrinth	Explore its Interior  −5 Energy	Nothing	−10 Unity from approach	Colony gains the Space-Time Anomaly planetary feature: +1 Space-Time Anomaly Researcher/Drone job +0.04 Space-Time Anomaly Researcher/Drone job per  25 pops 50% chance to gain 4 blockers.
	Monitor it from Afar	Monitor it from Afar approach replaced with Quarantine it  −10 Energy	−10 Unity from approach	Colony gains the Space-Time Anomaly planetary feature: +1 Space-Time Anomaly Researcher/Drone job +0.04 Space-Time Anomaly Researcher/Drone job per  25 pops
	Destroy it  −10 energy	Monitor it from Afar approach replaced with Quarantine it  −10 energy	+800 Exotic gases  +800 Rare crystals  +800 Volatile motes  +200 Dark matter
Gravity Well	Retreat −10 Energy	50% chance to gain  +1000–100,000 Physics research 50% chance to gain a level 6 leader with the  Maniacal and  Field Manipulation Expertise traits
	Maintain Orbit −5 Energy	+2 Monthly dark matter +10 Monthly physics research +2 Monthly progress	+5 Monthly dark matter +15 Monthly physics research +3 Monthly progress	+10 Monthly dark matter +20 Monthly physics research +7 Monthly progress	Starbase is destroyed If  Gestalt Consciousness:  +500–100,000 Physics research 50% chance to gain +5% monthly unity (more likely with "distributed" civics) 50% chance to gain −5% monthly unity (more likely with "centralized" civics) Otherwise:  −100 Influence Influence
	Advance	+2 Monthly dark matter +10 Monthly physics research +2 Monthly progress	+5 Monthly dark matter +15 Monthly physics research +3 Monthly progress	+10 Monthly dark matter +20 Monthly physics research +7 Monthly progress
Geomagnetic Storm	Shield All Drones  −1 Energy per  pop Option to gain the Organic-Machine Interface Center planetary feature if  Rogue Servitor: +1 Bio-Assistant job +1 Bio-Assistant job per  20 pops	+250–100,000 Engineering research Gain the Radiation-Hardened Components empire modifier:  +5% research speed +5 Monthly unity If colony has the Organic-Machine Interface Center planetary feature, it is removed and can choose to gain  1000 Alloys or the Organic-Machine Interface Museum planet modifier:  +5% Unity from  Bio-Trophies
	Shield Simple Drones  −1 Energy per  menial drone −20% Complex drone output Progress scaling with number of complex drones Option to gain the Organic-Machine Interface Center planetary feature if  Rogue Servitor: +1 Bio-Assistant job +1 Bio-Assistant job per  20 pops	−30 Stability −5% Menial drone output −25% Complex drone output	−10% Monthly unity −10% Menial drone output −30% Complex drone output	Colony is destroyed
	Shield Complex Drones −1 Energy per  complex drone −20% Menial drone output Progress scaling with number of menial drones Option to gain the Organic-Machine Interface Center planetary feature if  Rogue Servitor: +1 Bio-Assistant job +1 Bio-Assistant job per  20 pops	−30 Stability −25% Menial Drone Output −5% Complex Drone Output	−60 Stability −10% Monthly Unity −30% Menial Drone Output −10% Complex Drone Output	Colony is destroyed
	No Shielding −20% Complex Drone Output −20% Menial Drone Output progress scales with number of Pops Option to gain the Organic-Machine Interface Center planetary feature if  Rogue Servitor: +1 Bio-Assistant job +1 Bio-Assistant job per  20 pops	−30 Stability −25% Menial Drone Output −25% Complex Drone Output	−60 Stability −10% Monthly Unity −30% Menial Drone Output −30% Complex Drone Output	Colony is destroyed

Planetary Revolt

Planetary Revolt is a situation that will take place on a planet that has at least 10 pops and less than  25 Stability for the following period:

• 1 year if the world was just colonized
• 3 years if the world was invaded and belonged to another empire
• 8 years if the world was invaded and belonged to a primitive civilization
• 15 years if the world previously had the same situation

Once the situation starts it will use the Maintain Current Measures approach, which has no effects. It offers the following alternative approaches:

• Distribute Amenities:  +20 Amenities and  −20 consumer goods if not  Gestalt Consciousness, or  −30 unity if  Gestalt Consciousness
• Institute a Crackdown: +50% Army and Stronghold build speed,  +3 stability from  Soldier jobs,  +1 energy upkeep from  Soldier jobs and  −30 unity

The situation makes progress at the following rate:

• +2 if another world has the Spreading Turbulence modifier
• +2 if another world in the same system has at least 5 pops and less than  25 stability
• +2 if the world has at least one species being purged
• +1 if the world has at least one species being assimilated
• +1 if the world has at least 2 unemployed pops
• +1 if the world has at least 60 pops
• +0.2 per point of  stability below 25
• −0.5 per point of  stability above 40
• −1 if the world has fewer than 30 pops
• −1 if the system contains a Citadel starbase
• −2 if another world in the same system has at least 5 pops and  40 stability

Planetary Revolt situations progress through four stages, each one granting an additional  −10 Stability.

• If the situation reaches stage II, the world will gain +100% attraction towards a random ethic.
• If the situation reaches stage III, all colonies within 6 hyperlanes of the one starting the situation that have below 35 stability will gain the Spreading Turbulence modifier for 10 years, gaining  −10 Stability.
• If the situation reaches stage IV, a random nearby empire will be asked to support the revolt. Accepting costs  100 Influence and  200 Opinion with the world's owner. If the empire refuses, another nearby empire will be asked.
• If the situation progresses completely, the planet that started the situation will take control of the system as well as every system that has a planet with the Spreading Turbulence modifier and create a rebel empire with  −100 opinion towards the previous owner. The previous owner will have the option to either declare war with the Assert Overlordship wargoal or establish a truce. If the rebellion is successful and a nearby empire supported it, the rebel empire will become a subject of the empire that supported it. The rebel empire's ethics depend on the modifier obtained in stage II.

While the situation is active, the planet that started it has a 3% chance each month to gain one of the following modifiers:

Modifier	Effects	Duration	Description
Valiant Citizens	+33% Governing ethics attraction	20 years	Despite high Unrest, Pops on this colony banded together to prevent further violence.
Terror Victims	−33% Governing ethics attraction	20 years	Unrest on this colony caused Pops to be victimized in a terror attack and lose faith in the regime.
Terror Victims (Severe)	−75% Governing ethics attraction	10 years	Unrest on this colony caused Pops to be victimized in a terror attack and lose faith in the regime.

AI-Related Incidents

AI-Related Incidents is a mid-game situation that can happen to empires enslaving artificial intelligence. It has a 30% chance to occur every 10 years after the mid-game year as long as the following requirements are met:

• The empire has researched either the  Sapient Combat Simulations or Synthetics technology
• The empire does not have the  The Flesh Is Weak ascension perk
• At least 25% or 75 of the empire's pops have the  Mechanical trait, whichever is less
• The Artificial Intelligence policy is not set to Citizen Rights

Once the situation starts, it will progress at a rate scaling with the number of  Mechanical pops in the empire as well as each time a  Mechanical pop is purged. The situation will initially use the approach Maintain Current Measures, which does not have any effects. It offers two alternative approaches, but choosing either of them is permanent.

• Outlaw Robots: Changes the Robotic Workers policy to Outlawed. This will instantly add +25% situation progress. The approach is not available to empires that are  some degree of Materialist.
• Grant Robots Citizenship: Changes the Artificial Intelligence policy to Citizen Rights and adds a significant reduction to situation progress. The approach is not available to empires that are  some degree of Spiritualist.

While the situation is active, two special projects will be available. Completing either special project will end the situation at the cost of  500 energy and  1000 unity.

• Neutralize Rampant AI: Costs  30,000 physics research. Completing it gives  −10% research speed for 20 years.
• Panicked Measures: Costs  10,000 physics research. Completing it gives  −25% research speed for 20 years.

The situation keeps track of a value of cruelty points, which increases each time a  Mechanical pop is purged and also increases or decreases with various events. If the situation progresses completely there is a chance for the machine empire to start with the  Determined Exterminator or  Driven Assimilator civic that scales with these points. When the situation first starts, the robots will ask if they possess souls. Answering no will add +1 points while answering yes will add −2 points. Empires that are  some degree of Materialist have a third answer which does not add or subtract any points. In addition, while the situation is active there is a 45% chance each month that an event will trigger, potentially further adding or subtracting points.

Event	Requirements	Choices	Effects	points
A Home of Their Own	None	Send in the laborers anyway	−1 Mechanical pops on a planet +5 Situation progress	+1
		Why would a robot lie?	−10% Monthly unity for 10 years on a planet	−1
A Silent Congregation	None	Unacceptable. Have them scrapped.	−1 Mechanical pops on a planet +500 Alloys +5 Situation progress	+1
		As long as they don't cause trouble.	−10% Unity from jobs for 10 years on a planet	−1
Production Quota Surpluses	None	Excellent.	+5% Resources from jobs for 10 years	0
Automated Work Process	At least 5  Housing on a planet	Additional laborers never hurt anybody.	+2 Mechanical pops on a planet −5% Happiness for 10 years on a planet	−1
		If they cannot be identified, have them scrapped.	+1000 Alloys +5 Situation progress	+1
Station Systems Malfunction	Any mining station	We cannot leave the station unmanned.	Mining station is destroyed	0
		A tragedy with a silver lining.	+3 Energy deposit +5 Situation progress	0
Sensor Array Power Surge	Any strategic resource technology	Interesting.	Strategic resource deposit (any that is already researched)	0
Tears of an AI	Any  researcher	Unfortunate.	−5% Society research from jobs for 5 years	0
		Launch an inquest to determine the cause.	−5% Society research from jobs for 5 years	0
Combat Control Misfire	At peace At least 2 ships if a fleet  Specialized Combat Computers technology	Unfortunate.	−2 Ships on a fleet	0

The Machine Uprising with the option to switch empires in red

If the situation progresses completely, a Machine Uprising takes place. Once that happens, a  Machine Intelligence empire is created, which takes control of 25% to 75% of the creator empire's systems (depending on the percentage of  Mechanical pops in the empire), replaces the  Mechanical trait with  Machine on the pops that have it, and instantly purges all creator pops on owned planets. The machine empire has a 23% chance to have the  Driven Assimilator civic, increased by the cruelty score. It may instead have the  Determined Exterminator civic, which is quite unlikely unless robots were purged or outlawed during the situation, the robots have the  Domestic Protocols trait, or the cruelty score is especially high. The  Machine Intelligence empire starts a war with the Machine Uprising wargoal against the creator empire. A human player will be given the option to switch to the rebel empire. The machine empire will also get:

• All of creator's technologies
•  20,000 Energy
•  20,000 Minerals
•  10,000 Alloys
•  10,000 Food
•  1,000 Exotic gases
•  1,000 Rare crystals
•  1,000 Volatile motes
•  800 influence
• 3 Hunter-Killer armies per planet (6 if  Determined Exterminator)
• 3 fleets that together use 80% of its  naval capacity (150% if  Determined Exterminator)

References

Game concepts