View source for Version 1.4.3

A pacing-and-combat-tools patch on top of 1.4.2: '''Realm 4 territory combat simulations''', '''class station-fleet speed''', a faster early game, '''Colonial Administration''' reworked to every-2-levels linking, and AvA / FCS accuracy fixes — plus ship speed, '''capital anti-fodder Rapid Fire''', and asteroid idle-growth tuning.

Class effects are in [[Player Classes]]. Expedition access and timing are in [[Expeditions]]. Territory combat lives under [[Alliance Territory]] / [[Territory Siege]]. Or open '''Settings → Quick Guides''' in-game.

== New Features ==

=== Territory Combat Simulator (Realm 4+) ===

* Simulate attacks on '''your alliance’s system centers''' with live defender composition, editable '''alliance defense research''', custom '''defender participant''' fleets, and attacker territory count for protector scaling on neutral first-conquest targets.
* Prefill from a system center you hold via the territory sim composition endpoint used by the in-game simulator.

=== Station fleet speed by class ===

* '''Guardian''' station / defend missions arrive '''+15%''' faster; '''Warlord''' '''−15%'''. Explorer and Industrialist are unchanged.
* Shown under profile '''Class Effects''' and applied to station ETAs (<code>fleetStationSpeedMultiplier</code>). Hostile attack speed is still separate and still ignored on FCS travel.

== Improvements ==

=== Early game pacing ===

* Many '''Realm 1''' research base times are roughly halved (Industrial Engineering, Construction Engineering, Energy Systems, Chemical Propulsion, Weapon Systems, Resource Protection, Defense Engineering, Shield Technology, Sensor Technology, and related early techs).
* Early hull '''build times''' are much shorter (Probe, Light Fighter, Fighter, Cargo, Recycler, Colony Ship, Cruiser, Escort, and more).
* '''Sensor Technology''' unlocks at '''Research Lab 3''' (was 4). '''Shield Technology''' needs '''Weapon Systems 2''' (was 4).
* '''Recycler''' and '''Colony Ship''' unlock at '''Shipyard 4''' (was 6); Recycler '''Salvage Operations''' gate '''3 → 2'''.
* '''Easy''' nebulas need '''Expedition Basics 1''' (was 2). Medium / hard / extreme gates unchanged.
* '''R1–R3''' fleet travel is faster via the environment speed factor: '''R1 ×3''', '''R2 ×2''', '''R3 ×1.5''' (on top of the usual production multiplier).

=== Onboarding & first expeditions ===

* Research Lab onboarding step targets '''level 3''' (was 4) to match Sensor Technology.
* Completing the Sensor Technology quest grants '''10 Probes''' earlier; the “Train Your First Probe” step no longer duplicates that reward.
* '''First Pirate Raid''' grants '''10 Recyclers''' (resource rewards trimmed). Debris onboarding copy points at Collect Debris from Galaxy / battle reports.
* Your '''first 2 completed expeditions''' each '''guarantee''' a relic or monument piece so find-item onboarding can finish (depth-1 configs without item rows still inject an epic piece).

=== Mail ===

* Mail lists can return '''compact''' report payloads for faster loading.
* '''Delete All''' requires an explicit tab / flagged scope (no accidental wipe of every mailbox) and soft-deletes in batches.

== Balance ==

=== Colonial Administration ===

* Every '''2 levels''' links '''one more planet''' Research Lab into the network ('''moons excluded''').
* Excess research-time cuts ('''+2% each''') start above '''2 × (planets − 1)''' — e.g. '''4 planets''' need level '''6''' to cover the network; '''14 planets''' need level '''26'''. Further levels still give +2% each.

=== Research & economy ===

* '''Ion Propulsion''' ship-speed bonus per level '''10% → 7%''' (fuel effects unchanged). Chemical Propulsion and Warp Technology remain '''5%''' per level from 1.4.2.
* '''Economic Empire''' production-per-planet '''0.3% → 0.4%''' per level.

=== Ships & Rapid Fire ===

* '''Recycler''' speed '''45 → 65'''.
* Mid/late hull '''base speeds''' retuned (e.g. Heavy Cruiser, Battleship, Destroyer, Carrier, Titan, Megahauler, Colossus — see catalog). Escort slightly slower; Light Fighter slightly faster.
* Rapid Fire vs '''Battleship''': Cruiser gains '''×2''', Battleship gains '''×3''', Destroyer '''×2 → ×4'''.
* '''Combat RF ceiling''' rises from '''20 → 40''' so capital anti-fodder values are not clipped.
* '''Realm 4 capitals''' get real anti-swarm Rapid Fire (OGame-style many shots, not splash). Soft screens no longer erase capital value:
** [[Battlecruiser]] — strongest everyday '''screen clearer''' (e.g. Kamikaze '''×35''', Fighter '''×30''', Corvette '''×25''', plus soft logistics).
** [[Titan]] — '''fleet breaker''': solid light RF plus the best mid-line clear (Cruiser, Destroyer, Battleship, Heavy Cruiser, Dreadnought).
** [[Colossus]] — highest light-fodder RF (Kamikaze '''×40''', Fighter '''×35''') and stronger soft-turret / logistics Rapid Fire for siege.
* [[Carrier]] screens still soften enemy RF (at most by half). Full tables and worked examples: [[Rapid Fire]].

=== Asteroids ===

* On '''Realm 2+''', idle ore growth can '''promote''' a field’s density tier (visual / size) when total ore crosses the next spawn threshold. Promotion never downgrades. '''Realm 1''' keeps spawn density (no size growth from idle ore).

== Bug Fixes ==

* '''Alliance-held AvA system centers''' — structures use '''alliance defense research''' only; System Protector '''personal''' combat research no longer pads those turrets. Stationed member fleets still use each member’s own research. Neutral first-conquest protectors still use seeded L20 + attacker-territory scaling.
* '''FCS sticky ETA''' — on '''PvP / AvA''' (real player or alliance target), a slow joiner leaving '''does not''' shrink the committed group ETA. '''PvE''' rallies (pirates, unclaimed holders, Siphon Spines, etc.) may recompute earlier from remaining natural arrivals. Joiners can still push ETA later either way.
* Scout reports, battle reports, and live fights stay aligned on protector / alliance-defense bonus handling for system centers.