Frequently asked questions

Can I play right now?

A singleplayer skirmish is playable today against AI opponents. Multiplayer is in preview and friends-only at launch. There’s no public release date — see the roadmap for what’s shipping next.

How long is a typical game?

Roughly 60–120 turns for a small map (about 1–3 hours of play), 200+ turns for a large map. Async multiplayer games run over days or weeks of real time, but each individual turn takes minutes.

Can I save mid-game?

Yes. Singleplayer auto-saves at the end of every turn, and you can name and save snapshots manually. Multiplayer saves are managed centrally; your turn submission is your “save.”

Do I have to commit to a victory path at the start?

No. Pick a faction whose flavour appeals to you, play your strengths, and let the path emerge from the game. Most factions can pursue any victory path; some are easier on one path than another. See How to win for guidance.

What’s the best faction for beginners?

The Terran Directorate. Their bonuses are forgiving (more income, cheaper colonies), they have a balanced starting fleet, and their playstyle rewards simple decisions: build, expand, defend. The other three factions reward more specialised play.

How do I avoid running out of resources?

Three rules:

1. Don’t over-build. A new colony or fleet costs upfront and ongoing — make sure your stockpile can absorb both.
2. Watch the maintenance bar. If maintenance crosses income, you have a few turns before stockpiles drain. Demolish a building, mothball a fleet, or pause production.
3. Specialise. Generalist colonies waste production. See Colonies for specialisation patterns.

My fleet is stuck in a nebula — what happened?

Nebulae have higher movement cost than deep space. Your fleet probably ran out of movement budget mid-traversal. Wait one turn; movement refills at the start of each turn.

If you’re Vanguard Nomads, nebulae cost the same as deep space. Otherwise, plan routes that avoid them or budget extra turns.

Can I attack a colony directly?

You can attack the system the colony is in. Combat resolves between your fleet and the defenders (garrison plus any stationed friendly fleets). If you win, you can occupy the colony — see Colonies → Defending colonies.

What’s the difference between Patrol Frigate and Assault Destroyer?

Frigates are line ships — backbone warships, decent armour, reliable damage. Destroyers are strike craft — fast, fragile, deal +50% damage to line ships. A pure-frigate fleet loses to a same-cost destroyer fleet. A mixed fleet beats both. See Ship classes.

How does fog of war work in multiplayer?

Each player sees only what their own fleets and colonies have line-of-sight on. Two players can be in the same galaxy and have completely different mental maps of where the threats are. See Exploration.

Is there a tutorial in-game?

A tutorial is on the roadmap. For now, Your first game walks you through a complete turn so you can play without one.

Where do I report bugs or suggest features?

The game is in early development and feedback channels will open with the public release. For now, this site is the primary surface — check the roadmap to see if your concern is already on the list.