Colonies, Part Two

Last time, in Part One, we discussed colonies. They cost a lot, but they're also money-makers. (And, as mentioned later, perhaps the only real source of income some high ranking players have.) But what do they do, exactly? Here are some more things we now know about colonies:

• Whenever you buy a colony, your fleet efficiency increases by one hundred credits per ship


• You can only have up to three colonies at one time. If you buy more, the current smallest one is replaced with your new purchase. It's not really a 'new' colony as much as it is an 'upgrade'.


• Colonies have disasters, which you handle in much the same way in the new game as in the old game. Warning: each colony will have its own set of disasters, so you can have up to three sources of disasters at one time!


• When colonists in one colony reach one hundred percent, they start moving out into your other colonies. (No word yet on what happens when all three colonies are full... time to buy a bigger one, then!)


• When you upgrade a colony, all of the colonists in the old one that you get rid of are distributed evenly among the new set of three.


• No word yet on how someone can deliberately transfer colonists between colonies. It may not be possible, but hopefully it is, somehow!


• It is possible to trade colonists between allies. No details on this yet, though.


• Just like the old game, you get so much per colonist in the census. The amount is per colonist, no matter where that colonist is at, so, say, a 6,000 citizen colony earns you exactly double a 3,000 citizen colony (assuming both are full).


• There are three types of colonies, each with its own additional benefit, as outlined below


• The class of colony that you are offered depends on your rank (fleet size), not the amount of credits you have on hand.


• Whether or not you can buy a colony depends on personal fleet size and rank. The higher the rank, the larger your personal fleet size must be.

PERSONAL FLEET REQUIREMENTS

To get a colony, your personal fleet must be at least this size for this rank...

Rank	Ships
Trade Baron	25
Broker	50
Mogul	80
Captain	300

COLONY TYPES

There are three things your colonists can specialize in, each giving you, the colony owner, a different benefit.

Mining

These colonies start out as small asteriods, but go to moon size, and eventually planet size. Their name usually tells you what sort of mineral or element is going to be mined, e.g. "Magnesium Asteriod" or "Plutonic Moon" Mining gives you credits now and then, similar to a windfall.

Research

These colonies are man-made structures in space, starting with a small "Orbital Laboratory" to the large "colony Spaceship" or "Starbase". These colonies cut your research costs. As in the old game, you can research a disaster to make it cheaper. This will cut the cost of that research for you.

Living

Yes, these colonists specialize in the fine art of living and enjoying it. To do so, they live on more hospitable worlds-- at least a "terrestiral Planetoid", up to a "Telluric Planet". As such, they have a better lifestyle, and by giving them this, you earn more in the census. In other words, the amount you get per colonist in each census goes up.



So, which is best for you? Should you specialize? You don't have to, each class has one of all three types, and you can have up to three colonies... so get all three, if you like!

And that is your basic guide to colonies. More advanced guides should come, when more advanced information becomes available! If anyone has any juicy tidbits not posted above, feel free to drop it in the comments below, or send me an IM in world!