## Navigation and Movement ### Topology Overview The universe is composed of **sectors** linked by warp routes that form distinct topological structures. | Feature | Minimum Size | Typical Size Range | Key Characteristics | |---------|--------------|--------------------|-----------------------| | **Bubble** | 100 sectors | Varies with universe size and GameOp settings | A large, contiguous region with limited ingress/egress points. All tunnels inside a bubble return to a single entry sector. | | **Tunnel** | 1 sector (dead‑end) | Up to 20+ sectors | A linear chain of sectors with exactly two consecutive warps (2‑warp chain). The entrance sector is called the **mouth**; exits may be one‑way (back doors) that allow leaving but not re‑entering. | | **Dead‑End** | 1 sector | — | No outward ports; often used for concealed planet placement. | > **Note:** When Gold extensions are enabled, the GameOp can disable the automatic bubble flag and manually create multiple bubbles, breaking a large universe into smaller, isolated regions. #### Tunnel Verification To ensure a tunnel is safe for hidden base construction: 1. Mark the tunnel’s entrance sector as an **avoid** sector using the Computer menu. 2. Use the Computer’s **[F]ind Route** function to plot a course **into** the tunnel. 3. If the computer cannot find an alternate path, the tunnel is **verified** (no hidden entrances). 4. Repeat the verification from several external sectors to rule out rare routing anomalies in games with short maximum course lengths. ### Major Space Lanes (MSL) Summary The MSL network serves as the low‑risk backbone for inter‑sector travel. All lanes reside in Fedspace except the **Sol ↔ Stardock** segment, which passes through the MBBS zone. | Lane | Endpoint A | Endpoint B | |--------------------------|--------------------------------|--------------------------------| | Sol ↔ Stardock | Sector 1 (SOL) | Stardock (Fedspace) | | Stardock ↔ Rylos | Stardock | Rylos (MSL) | | Stardock ↔ Alpha Centauri| Stardock | Alpha Centauri (MSL) | | Rylos ↔ Alpha Centauri | Rylos (MSL) | Alpha Centauri (MSL) | | Rylos ↔ Sol | Rylos (MSL) | Sector 1 (SOL) | | Alpha Centauri ↔ Sol | Alpha Centauri (MSL) | Sector 1 (SOL) | ### Backdoor Sectors Backdoor sectors provide a **one‑way warp** into **Class 0 ports** (Alpha Centauri and Rylos), the safest Fedspace locations for good‑aligned traders. | Characteristic | Detail | |----------------|--------| | **Entry** | Single warp from a non‑Class 0 sector into the Class 0 port | | **Exits from port**| Six outward warps | | **Inbound warps** | Seven or more inbound warps | | **Practical use** | Move into Fedspace without traversing high‑risk Stardock sectors | ### Overnight Fedspace Survival Good‑aligned players can remain in Fedspace overnight with minimal risk if two limits are observed: | Limit | Threshold | |-------|------------| | **Ships per Fedspace sector** | Must not exceed the value shown on the V‑screen; exceeding triggers an automatic tow during the Extern cleanup. | | **Fighters aboard a ship** | 99 fighters or more forces a tow. | > **Warning:** Continuously monitor the V‑screen for the current ship‑per‑sector limit and keep fighter counts below 99. ### Blind Warp Mechanics A **blind warp** is a warp to a sector without prior confirmation that the sector is empty. - **Success condition:** Destination sector contains **no ships, fighters, mines, limpet mines, or anomalies**. - **Failure condition:** Presence of any object triggers **Atomic Fusion**; the ship is destroyed and the player reappears in a pod in the origin sector. *Limpet mines are invisible on holoscans or E‑PROBE scans, and other players may move into the destination after the warp command is issued, increasing the hazard.* ### Blind TWARP Procedure Safe execution of a blind TWARP requires a quick probe check. 1. Deploy an **E‑probe** to the target sector. 2. Verify that the probe reports **no ships, fighters, mines, or anomalies**. 3. Issue the `TWARP` command **immediately** after receiving the probe response. If any hidden object is detected, abort the warp; the player pods in the origin sector. ### TWARP Drive The **TWARP** drive enables sector‑to‑sector jumps within a ship’s warp range. | Item | Purchase Cost | Fuel Consumption per sector | |--------|----------------|----------------------------| | TWARP 1| 50,000 credits (Stardock Hardware Emporium) | 3 fuel units | | TWARP 2*| 40,000 credits after TWARP 1 (or 80,000 credits if bought together) | 3 fuel units | | *TWARP 2 adds TWARP‑Tow capability. | #### Safety Rules 1. A TWARP is safe if the destination sector contains **at least one of your own personal or corporate fighters**, **or** if the sector is **completely empty**. 2. If **any object** occupies the destination sector **and you have no fighter present**, the ship fuses and you appear in a pod in the origin sector. 3. **Blind TWARPs** (without fighter presence or probe verification) are not recommended because hidden limpets and other players can cause fusion. ### Photon Torpedoes (GTORPs) and Sector Overload GTORPs can be used to disable sector defenses and subsequently overload a sector. - **Sector overload:** Any sector **except sector 1** can be overloaded by repeatedly firing GTORPs. - **Effect:** Photons disable sector defenses, allowing continued GTORP fire without first destroying those defenses. - **Result:** Overloading can destroy a high‑level planet with relatively low expense. - **Additional effect:** Firing a photon into a sector where a player is **in a citadel** forces the player’s remaining turns to drop to 0 (turns regenerate at the top of the hour). Photons also force cloaked traders to **decloak**, exposing them to attack. ### Limpet Mines Limpet mines attach to any ship that enters the sector where they are deployed. | Property | Detail | |------------------------|--------| | **Attachment** | Ships entering a sector with limpets automatically acquire them (if not already present). | | **Removal fee** | SD removes limpets for **5,000 credits** (ownership unknown). | | **Trade‑in impact** | Attached limpets **reduce the ship’s trade‑in value**. | | **Detection** | Appear as an **anomaly** with a density reading of **2** per mine. | | **Disruption** | Mine disrupters **cannot** remove deployed limpets. | | **Clearing method** | Repeatedly entering and leaving the sector eventually clears limpets from the ship. | | **Deployment restriction** | Limpet mines **cannot be deployed in Fedspace** and are removed from Major Space Lanes. | | **Interaction limit** | If any limpets (or armid mines) already occupy a sector, you cannot deploy additional limpets or armid mines there. | ### Cloaking Devices Cloaking devices hide a ship from standard scans but are subject to a configurable failure rate. | Attribute | Detail | |-----------|--------| | **Failure rate** | Sysop‑configurable; if set above 0 % a cloak can fail twice (once during Extern cleanup and once during combat). | | **Zero‑percent setting** | When the failure rate is **0 %**, cloaking never fails; this setting is not displayed on the V‑screen. | | **Combat interaction** | A cloaked ship cannot be directly attacked, but it appears as an **anomaly** on density scans. | | **Decloaking** | Firing a **photon** into the sector decloaks the ship. Limpet mines also generate anomalies; attempting to lay a mine where a cloaked ship is present fails unless a visible mine already exists. | ### Zero‑Turn Actions (ZTM) for Stardock Discovery `ZTM` (Zero‑Turn Movement) lists sectors based on warp connectivity without consuming a turn. 1. Issue `ZTM` from any sector. 2. Identify sectors that have **6 outward warps and 7 or more inbound warps**. 3. Stardock will be among those sectors. > **Note:** ZTM does not guarantee Stardock’s identity; cross‑reference sector numbers with known Stardock locations. ### Base Discovery and Invasion #### Finding a Base Early‑game base detection relies on **ZTM**, **ether probes**, and **avoid lists**. | Step | Action | |------|--------| | 1 | Perform a **complete ZTM** on day 1 to identify all sectors with **6 outward / 7+ inbound warps** (potential dead‑ends). | | 2 | Compile a list of these **dead‑end sectors**. | | 3 | Send **ether probes** to each dead‑end. Record sectors where the probe is destroyed and mark them with **avoid** entries. | | 4 | Re‑probe any avoided sector after 1‑2 turns; if a path appears within *x* hops, remove the avoid. | | 5 | For remaining unexplored dead‑ends, use a **macro** to clear enemy fighters before probing: `m<sector>**any9999**fz1*zcd^m` (where `*` denotes an Enter). | | 6 | Drop **at least one fighter** in every sector traversed during probe runs; this blocks opponents from probing the same path and expands your own fighter network. | | 7 | Prioritize sectors with **few inbound warps** (e.g., 2‑warp‑in over 5‑warp‑in) when expanding the search beyond dead‑ends. | | 8 | Continuously run a **CIM script** to capture visible ports; ports that become **blocked** often indicate a newly built enemy base. | #### Invasion Methods Three core methods exist for denying an opponent the use of a discovered base. | Method | Description | Typical Cost | Reliability | |--------|-------------|--------------|-------------| | **Direct Planet Capture** | Enter the sector, land on and claim each level 0‑1 planet after neutralizing shields and cannons. | High (fighters, fuel, possible photon usage) | Highest – guarantees ownership of captured planets. | | **Extern Collision** | Overpopulate the sector with planets **above the maximum limit** and wait for the **extern** run. Each planet beyond the limit has a **10 %** collision chance; ten excess planets guarantee a collision. | Moderate (planet building, transport) | Variable – depends on luck and opponent’s warp‑ability. | | **Blockade with Fighters/Planets** | Station personal or corporate fighters, or place shielded planets, to prevent the opponent from entering the sector. | Moderate (fighters, planet construction) | Risky – opponent may break the block if they possess sufficient resources. | #### Sector Quasar Cannon Damage When a sector’s planets are **shielded**, their atmospheric cannons fire during entry attempts. Damage is calculated as: