THE PLANET HANDBOOK
(version 1.01)
written by Paladyne
(updated 10/27/02)
TABLE OF CONTENTS October, 2002
I. INTRODUCTION ...... 2
II. A NOTE ON GAME SERVER MODES ...... 2
III. PLANET TYPES & DESCRIPTIONS ...... 2
CLASS M, EARTH TYPE...... 3
CLASS K, DESERT WASTELAND ...... 3
CLASS O, OCEANIC ...... 4
CLASS L, MOUNTAINOUS ...... 4
CLASS C, GLACIAL ...... 4
CLASS H, VOLCANIC ...... 5
CLASS U, VAPOROUS/GASEOUS ...... 5
IV. GOLD EDITION PLANETS ...... 5
V. PLANETARY DEFENSES & CITADEL LEVELS...... 6
LEVEL 1, THE PLANETARY TREASURY ...... 6
LEVEL 2, COMBAT CONTROL COMPUTERS ...... 7
LEVEL 3, QUASAR CANNONS...... 7
LEVEL 4, PLANETARY THRUSTERS ...... 8
LEVEL 5, PLANETARY SHIELDING SYSTEM ...... 8
LEVEL 6, INTERDICTOR GENERATORS ...... 8
VI. THE PLANETARY TRANSPORTER SYSTEM ...... 8
VII. THE CITADEL ADVANCEMENT TABLES ...... 8
VIII. TIPS, TRICKS, AND CASHING IN ON PLANETS ...... 10
WHERE TO BUILD - TUNNELS AND BUBBLES ...... 10
COLONIZING TRICKS ...... 10
PLANET FARMING FOR CASH ...... 11
PLANET FARMING FOR FIGHTERS ...... 11
IX. INVADING SECTOR & PLANETARY DEFENSES ...... 12
ORDER OF EVENTS ...... 12
THE PHOTON ADVANTAGE ...... 12
BIG MOTHS, LITTLE MOTHS, FULL-SCALE WAR ...... 13
I. INTRODUCTION
Planets are major assets toward the end of any Trade Wars game. They can make or break a player or an entire corporation, and more often than not decide who wins and who loses. It is very difficult to win a game without owning at least one planet, and some games are played with planet destruction, capture, or ownership for a certain number of days the deciding factor. Where you build or hide your planets, and how far you advance them in levels, can decide how well you finish in a game.
In this chapter you will find both general and specific information on each standard planet type, citadel descriptions and advancement tables, as well as a few tips and tricks to use planets effectively and profitably. A BIG thank you to Traitor of tw-cabal.com fame for pointing out some of my errors.
In this chapter you will also find the term FOE. This doesn't refer to the enemy, but instead it refers to the trade products produced on planets and sold to and bought from ports. These products are of course Fuel Ore, Organics, and Equipment. The first letter of each product becomes F/O/E, or simply, FOE.
II. A NOTE ON GAME SERVER MODES:
Trade Wars Game Server (TWGS) can operate in 4 different modes. There are differences between how each mode operates, and what is available for the GameOp to modify. These 4 modes are identified as:
Game Mode identified as being...
------
TWGS (Gold extensions OFF) : version 3.11.xx
TWGS (Gold extensions ON) : version 3.11.xx Gold
MBBS (Gold extensions OFF) : version 3.11.xx MBBS
MBBS (Gold extensions ON) : version 3.11.xx MBBS Gold
The TWGS versions are the result of the rewrite by John Pritchett for playing Trade Wars over the Internet. The 2 versions for MBBS denote games that are similar to the Major-BBS version that made Trade Wars so popular. The Gold extensions allow the GameOp to customize the ships, planets, and/or aliens. The game mode can be identified on the [V]iew Screen from the Command prompt, and also on the title screen when you enter the game. The most recent release is version 3.11.55 (TWGS10155.EXE) and the date of release is
February 14th, 2002.
III. PLANET TYPES & DESCRIPTIONS
There are 7 types of planets when a game universe is created. Most of them have a unique characteristic that sets them apart from the others, making it desirable, while some have no purpose except to waste Genesis torpedoes.
These descriptions for the planets are taken from the Planetary Specs database on the Computer menu. The description for each planet is listed, but below each description you will also a find helpful chart for each planet type, showing the production ratios, maximum population, and maximum capacities for each product. The daily production of FOE products is based on a bell curve, so the maximum production occurs at 50% of the maximum population. The recommended levels are also shown below. Colonists below the 50% mark tend to multiply and increase, while over the 50% mark tend to die off at a proportional rate. Some fluctuation also occurs due to weather patterns and the severity of the atmosphere.
Fighters cannot be produced directly, meaning you cannot designate any colonists to produce them. Fighter production is a percentage of the total daily production of products, and the formula is shown for each planet type. For example, if you placed 1,500 colonists under Fuel Ore on a Class M planet (FOE= 3/7/13, n/10), the colonists would produce 500 units of fuel and 50 fighters per day. If you added another 700 colonists to produce Organics, you would get 500 Fuel, 100 Organics, and 60 fighters per day.
NOTE: The value for fighters under the heading of "2 produce 1" on the Planet menu shows the number of colonists required to produce one fighter with the current population and production levels. Using the above example for a Class M planet, with 1,500 colonists under Fuel Ore production, the "2 Produce 1" column shows a value of 30. When the 700 colonists are added to produce Organics, the "2 Produce 1" column shows a value of 36. This number changes with population and production level selections, so it is more of an efficiency value for tweaking fighter production.
CLASS (M) EARTH TYPE PLANETS
Thick Oxygen/Nitrogen atmosphere. Specific gravity within 0.7 to 1.3 Earth normal. Random, but mostly manageable weather patterns, with temperatures ranging from 0 to 40 degrees Celsius. Fertile soil, excellent for Organic production. Mineral deposits, very good for Equipment production. Chemical elements good for Fuel Ore. Class M planets are excellent for human colonization and promote an excellent population growth curve as well as a very good population harmony quotient. They have an above average “habitability band". Drawbacks include overpopulation problems, political unrest, and human-induced destruction of the biosphere.
Maximum for Max. Product Max on
Catagory Ratio Colonists Prod/Day Max/Day Planet
------
Fuel Ore 3 30,000 15,000 5,000 100,000
Organics 7 30,000 15,000 2,142 100,000
Equipment 13 30,000 15,000 1,153 100,000
Fighters n/10 ------829 1,000,000
CLASS (K) DESERT WASTELAND PLANETS
Thin Oxygen/Nitrogen atmosphere. Specific gravity within 0.5 to 1.5 Earth normal. Weather patterns are mostly dry and hot with temps ranging from 40 to 140 degrees Celsius. Little area of fertile soil, very bad for Organics. Very little precious metal making it bad for Equipment production. Common chemical traces making it great for Fuel Ore. Class K worlds are average for humanoid colonization but an arid and hot climate requires specialized colonists. Narrow habitability band but a generally stable political environment as the population must depend on each other to survive. Higher fatality rate than Class M worlds.
Maximum for Max. Product Max on
Catagory Ratio Colonists Prod/Day Max/Day Planet
------
Fuel Ore 2 40,000 20,000 10,000 200,000
Organics 100 40,000 20,000 200 50,000
Equipment 500 40,000 20,000 40 10,000
Fighters n/15 ------682 1,000,000
CLASS (O) OCEANIC PLANETS
Dense Oxygen/Nitrogen atmosphere. Specific gravity within 1.1 to 1.8 Earth normal. Random and occasional violent weather current patterns, with temps ranging from 20 to 50 degrees Celsius. No land mass to speak of, making mining for Ore more difficult. Organics production quite good (one of the best), but a poor environment for building Equipment. Class O planets are more challenging to habitate, but are almost as safe as class M. Good population growth curve and decent population harmony. Their entire surface is habitable with proper gear with the only drawbacks being the costs to settle and build citadels.
Maximum for Max. Product Max on
Catagory Ratio Colonists Prod/Day Max/Day Planet
------
Fuel Ore 20 200,000 100,000 5,000 100,000
Organics 2 200,000 100,000 50,000 1,000,000
Equipment 100 200,000 100,000 1,000 50,000
Fighters n/15 ------3,733 1,000,000
CLASS (L) MOUNTAINOUS PLANETS
Thin Oxygen/Nitrogen atmosphere. Specific gravity between 1.0 to 2.2 Earth normal. Weather patterns are wet with temperatures ranging anywhere from -30 to 50 degrees Celsius depending on the width of the habitability band. Excellent Mineral and Ore deposits but harsh conditions only permit avg to below avg Equipment production. Soil is excellent, providing higher than normal organics production. Colonist specialization is necessary to maintain population. Good - very good population harmony quotient. Above average "habitability band" but only medium population growth. Drawbacks include hazards to equipment and occasional severe weather conditions.
Maximum for Max. Product Max on
Catagory Ratio Colonists Prod/Day Max/Day Planet
------
Fuel Ore 2 40,000 20,000 10,000 200,000
Organics 5 40,000 20,000 4,000 200,000
Equipment 20 40,000 20,000 1,000 200,000
Fighters n/12 ------1,250 1,000,000
CLASS (C) GLACIAL PLANETS
Extremely thin Oxygen-Nitrogen atmosphere. Specific gravity from 0.5 to 1.7 Earth normal. Meteorologically unstable causing violent conditions. Temps range from -10 to -190 degrees Censius. Full life support necessary for colonies and death rates are high. No workable soil base so hydroponic Organics are limited. Modest mineral and chemicals exist so production of Ore and Equipment will be below average to none. Class C planets NOT recommended for colonization, their violent conditions makes it extremely hazardous. Some class C planets have been adopted by the Federation and used as prison colonies and used with very effective results.
Maximum for Max. Product Max on
Catagory Ratio Colonists Prod/Day Max/Day Planet
------
Fuel Ore 50 100,000 50,000 1,000 20,000
Organics 100 100,000 50,000 500 50,000
Equipment 500 100,000 50,000 100 10,000
Fighters n/25 ------64 1,000,000
CLASS (H) VOLCANIC PLANETS
Extremely thin Oxygen / Nitrogen atmospheres. Specific gravities are within 0.8 to 2.6 Earth normal. Climate patterns are violent with temperatures from 45 to 400 degrees Celsius. Full life support required for colonization. Zero workable soil and harsh conditions make Organics production impossible. Good trace elements for equip but conditions make production a gamble at best. Excellent Ore production possibilities as material is often ejected by volcanic activity and found on the surface. Very dangerous for colony growth as unstable planetary crusts often lead to the complete loss of a colony. The Federation has been known to use Class H planets for defense of key sectors due to their large Ore base.
Maximum for Max. Product Max on
Catagory Ratio Colonists Prod/Day Max/Day Planet
------
Fuel Ore 1 100,000 50,000 50,000 1,000,000
Organics ------10,000
Equipment 500 100,000 50,000 100 100,000
Fighters n/50 ------1,002 1,000,000
CLASS (U) VAPOROUS/GASEOUS PLANETS
Heavy ranging to very thin atmospheres consisting of various elements, mostly comprised of helium or of hydrogen. Specific gravities can range from 0.2 to 8.0 of Earth normal. Climate patterns usually extremely violent with temps ranging from -200 to 400 degrees Celsius. Full life support required at all times. No production can sustain itself on a class U planet. Some miners have hinted at very valuable products that they have extracted from class U worlds but the Federation does not have them in its "Official Guide to Mining". Class U planets are not recommended for colonization as the environment is harsher than being in space itself.
Maximum for Max. Product Max on
Catagory Ratio Colonists Prod/Day Max/Day Planet
------
Fuel Ore - 3,000 0 0 10,000
Organics - 3,000 0 0 10,000
Equipment - 3,000 0 0 10,000
Fighters - --- - 0 1,000,000
IV. GOLD EDITION PLANETS
With the creation of the Trade Wars Game Server (TWGS) Gold Edition, planets can be completely customized. If the GameOp wants to change a class (M)Earth Type into class (E)Earth Type, they can do so. If they want to add new planets to the list, the can, or they can even delete planets from the list. They can even change the colors that are displayed for a particular type of planet, or the violent effects of weather patterns on colonists.
The game operator (GameOp) can control almost everything about a planet. They can change the values for colonists to produce a FOE unit (Fuel Ore, Organics, or Equipment) or they can change the fighter production. They can change the maximum values, and they can modify the amount of goods needed or time required for each citadel level.
However, there are limits that a GameOp cannot control. For example, they cannot change the order that citadels are built. An interdictor generator is always level 6, and a Treasury is always Level 1, etc.
They CAN change all the requirements for each level, and they can also limit how advanced a planet can get. For example, a GameOp can allow a class (M)Earth Type planet to advance up to level 4 in a single day, with only 1 colonist and whatever amounts of FOE are given when the planet is created, but can also limit the planet to level 4 and not allow levels 5 and 6.
If nothing else, remember that when Gold extensions are turned on, a GameOp can modify the default settings of planets. The information given in the planet tables in section III (Planet Types & Descriptions) as well as section VI (Citadel Advancement Tables) are for when Gold extensions are turned OFF. With Gold extensions turned ON the settings can be different if the GameOp see fit to change them. Watch how each planet you create will progress to know for sure whether it has been modified or not.
V. PLANETARY DEFENSES & CITADEL LEVELS
Players can build defenses on a planet to deter or prevent another player from invading. These defense levels are referred to as Citadels and advance from 0 through 6. Each new level builds upon the previous one and adds new defensive (or offensive) capability. These Citadel levels are:
0- no defenses
1- Treasury
2- Combat Control Computer
3- Quasar cannon
4- Planetary Thrusters
5- Planetary Shielding
6- Interdictor Generator
EXAMPLE: A planet with a level 3 Citadel has a Treasury AND a Combat
Control Computer AND a Quasar Cannon.
If the GameOp turns ON new player planets, you might start with a new planet that already has a few colonists on it, along with FOE product. When you launch a Genesis Torpedo and create a new planet, it will not have colonists on it and usually no FOE product (the starting product is a setting the GameOp can modify, using the Gold-edition extensions, to help you get started). New planets always start off without defenses, though, so they are considered level 0 on the citadel scale. Once you acquire the colonists and products, you can start building a level 1 citadel.
LEVEL 1, THE TREASURY
Level 1 citadels have no defenses against invasion, but instead create a planetary Treasury for you to place credits in from trading, robbing, Tri-Cron winnings, etc. The 2nd Galactic Bank at the Stardock can only hold 500,000 credits. It is a nice start, but they also keep the interest. A planetary Treasury, however, has a maximum of 999,999,999,999,999 credits, and you earn 2% interest per day (a small percentage every second) on whatever balance you have there. You can also park your ship in the citadel and remain overnight if you so desire, but there is no safety there yet.
LEVEL 2, COMBAT CONTROL COMPUTERS
Level 2 citadels add the first defensive ability, the Combat Control computer, and the first planetary combat variable, the Military Reaction percentage. The Combat Control computer gives fighters on a planet offensive odds of 2:1 or defensive odds of 3:1 against anyone trying to land and invade or destroy your planet. The reaction level determines what percentage of the fighters on the planet are offensive. This percentage of fighters react to the invasion by attacking the invader at 2:1 odds. The fighters left behind on the planet defend it using the better 3:1 odds. An invader must survive the offensive wave of fighters, and destroy all the defensive fighters, before they can land.
LEVEL 3, QUASAR CANNONS
Level 3 citadels have the dreaded Quasar cannon, one of the nastiest weapons in the game. Powered by Fuel Ore on the planet, this weapon can fire at opponents that enter the sector, or fire a more damaging blast at anyone trying to enter the atmosphere and land. The values represented by the atmospheric cannon setting are different between the TWGS games and MBBS games. This causes a great deal of confusion by their similarity and simple appearance. Both formulas take into account the designated percentage of fuel, but they use the percentage differently. Sector shots will do 1/3 of a point of damage for each unit of fuel used, while atmospheric shots will do 2 points of damage for each unit of fuel used.
NOTE! Watch the differences between the percentage settings, the damage done, and the fuel used in the following examples. The settings for Sector fire have the same effect in both TWGS mode and MBBS mode, but the Atmospheric cannon fire is different under the TWGS mode.
SECTOR EXAMPLE: A planet has 10,000 units of Fuel Ore and a quasar cannon setting of 10% for sector fire. When an invader enters the sector, the cannon will use 1,000 units of fuel and blast the ship for 333 points of damage. This leaves 9,000 units of fuel, so a 2nd sector shot would use 900 units fuel and do 300 points damage.
ATMOSPHERIC (MBBS) EXAMPLE: After the planet above fired once in the sector shot, there was 9,000 units of fuel remaining on the planet. If an invader tried to land on the planet with the atmospheric set to 10%, the cannon will use 900 units fuel and do 1,800 points damage.