Play – Star Cruiser Command

THE GOAL

Push deeper into unexplored space, locate and evaluate planets, then claim the world you believe is worth ending the expedition for. Claiming a planet banks your score. If the Resolute is destroyed first, the run scores zero.

Core loop

Locate Planet — this is always the first step. Planets do not appear automatically by flying through space. Tap the green LOCATE PLANET bridge button to spend Energy and map one deeper world on long-range sensors. Intercept it and begin orbital survey. The locator searches deeper Galactic Inward, not sideways or back into already surveyed layers.
Navigate. Steer toward the contact while surviving asteroids, hostile ships, anomalies and Reactor pressure.
Enter survey range. Crossing the dotted Sensor Acquire ring gives you the option to begin orbital survey; it does not force you to stop immediately. You may maneuver or finish a fight first, but the mapped planet remains your active objective.
Scan. You must complete at least one survey pass before you can resolve the planet. Survey passes reveal the planet's eight settlement factors and award Credits. A 100% scan reveals the maximum available settlement information.
Choose. After scanning, explicitly choose Continue to leave the planet behind or tap Claim & End Run twice to bank the score. You cannot locate another planet until the current mapped world is resolved. After Continue, the next locator return will always be deeper Galactic Inward.

What matters most

Galactic Depth = inward position

Depth only increases when your actual movement has an inward component toward Galactic Inward (000°). Sideways travel does not increase it; outward travel reduces it. Planet locator returns usually favor inward travel, but some worlds appear farther port or starboard and require a wider intercept while still remaining deeper Galactic Inward. Greater Depth raises the score multiplier and environmental danger. New planets are generated deeper inward so progressing from world to world naturally raises Depth.

Time in Space = enemy awareness

The mission timer advances even while stopped or scanning. Mobile enemy forces escalate with time, so waiting and farming upgrades eventually brings larger pursuit groups.

Credits = survival power

Credits buy ship upgrades during the run. Unspent Credits do not add to the final score.

Ship condition is not a score bonus

You only need to survive. A battered cruiser can claim the same planet score as a pristine one.

Information has a cost

Locating and scanning planets consumes Energy. Better Sensors make both processes more efficient.

Zoom is camera-only

Tactical zoom changes only what you can see and how large objects appear. It does not change ship speed, ranges, spawn timing, hitboxes, damage, enemy behavior or hazard mechanics.

Color language

GREEN safe / recommended next action YELLOW concern, consequence or powerful emergency action ORANGE active dangerous conditions RED projected death unless conditions change

Bridge resources

Tap the ENERGY status block during a run to open the advanced Reactor & Energy view. It shows gross generation, captain modifiers, active loads, net flow, and the potential draw of every installed system.

Hull — structure

Your final line of survival. Hull at 0 destroys the Resolute. Hull Repair is a limited damage-control action: taking Hull damage creates a repair allocation, and a repair cycle restores only part of that recent damage over time. You cannot repeatedly repair to full without sustaining new damage.

Shields — primary defense

Incoming damage is absorbed here before Hull. Shields now recharge fast enough to matter during battle as long as Energy is available. Shield Capacity raises maximum Shields; Shield Recharge separately improves passive recovery and Emergency Shields. A Shield Capacity purchase adds only the new capacity difference to your current reserve—it never refills Shields to full.

Propulsion — reactor load

Engines draw directly from Reactor Energy. At 0% thrust the reactor recovers fastest. From 1–100% thrust, propulsion progressively consumes that recovery. Above 100%, the Resolute enters overdrive up to 200%: speed rises dramatically, but reactor drain increases sharply. Use the thrust arrows to change power in 20% steps. The 100% control jumps directly to normal maximum thrust; continuing above 100% enters overdrive.

Energy — combat/system power

Energy powers propulsion, locating, scanning, repairs, Emergency Shields, weapons, and tactical-support preparation. It regenerates continuously unless EMP Pulse has locked the reactor. Energy Recharge upgrades improve recovery rate; they do not increase the normal Energy capacity. At 0% thrust, propulsion draws nothing and Reactor recovery is maximized.

Helm

Heading is not instantaneous. Port/starboard inputs set an ordered heading and the cruiser turns toward it over time. The ship, turret fields, missile launcher, collision geometry, and direction of travel all rotate with the actual heading as the maneuver develops. Turn rate naturally falls somewhat at very high thrust. Thrust is bidirectional: reverse is available below 0, 0% maximizes Reactor recovery, 100% is the normal forward limit, and 101–200% is overdrive. Galactic Inward is fixed at 000°. Moving toward 000° increases Depth fastest; sideways travel adds essentially no Depth; moving outward reduces it.

Bridge actions

Locate PlanetConsumes Energy and maps one deeper planetary contact. Approach it and enter orbital survey to begin scanning. After that world is resolved, the next search only returns a new world farther Galactic Inward.

Hull RepairBegins a timed damage-control cycle. It can restore up to 20% Hull per allocation and only repairs damage that has created repair capacity. Additional damage is required before another full repair allocation becomes available.

Emergency ShieldsA high-Energy fast-charge burst that restores roughly half of maximum Shield capacity. Shield Capacity increases the absolute amount restored; Shield Recharge improves passive recovery, burst efficiency and cooldown. It cannot be spammed because it has a substantial cooldown.

EMP PulseA last-stand system with a 90-second cooldown. It converts every point of remaining Energy into Shields at 1:1 up to maximum, drains Reactor Energy to 0, forces Engines to 0%, doubles turbolaser damage for 5 seconds, and gives all flagship weapons unlimited range for those 5 seconds. Reactor recharge is locked for the first 5 seconds after activation.

Attack WingMid-game tactical support. First unlock the hangar package for 650 Credits during the current expedition. Once unlocked, spend 32 Energy to ready the hangar. After a short preparation countdown the control turns green; press again to launch 3 interceptors and 1 bomber. They patrol inside Sensor range and automatically attack hostiles. The Credit unlock is paid only once per run; after the entire squadron is lost, a replacement can be prepared using Energy again.

Call DestroyersHeavy mid/late-game support. First authorize destroyer support for 1,000 Credits during the current expedition. Once unlocked, spend 48 Energy to call two escort destroyers. After the hyperspace solution completes the control turns green; deploy them to forward-left and forward-right support positions near the Resolute's bow. Each escort carries four laser batteries using the Resolute's current laser damage and range. They draw hostile fire and remain until destroyed. The Credit unlock is paid only once per run; another pair can be called with Energy after both escorts are lost.

Weapons & tactical support

Turbolasers

Installed from the start. Each physical turret automatically fires at threats inside its own blue range field. Laser Turrets add more batteries/targets; Laser Damage increases damage and firing cycle.

Missiles

The Resolute starts with zero Missile Cannons. Each Missile Cannon Mark installs another independent launcher and is deliberately expensive. Missile Damage is upgraded separately. Missiles home on priority threats, consume Energy, and detonate for high direct plus area-of-effect damage.

Why each upgrade matters

There is no single best build.

Offense clears threats faster, while Shield and Reactor upgrades determine how long you can sustain high-power maneuvers and emergency actions. Laser Turrets control more simultaneous threats; Laser Damage improves direct fire; Missile Cannons add independent launchers; Missile Damage strengthens warheads; Shield Capacity increases the damage buffer; Shield Recharge improves passive and emergency recovery; Sensors improve detection, scanning and weapon reach; Energy Recharge restores Reactor power faster.

Capacity upgrades do not refill systems

When Shield Capacity increases maximum Shields, only the newly added capacity is added to the current reserve. Reactor upgrades now improve recharge rate rather than maximum Energy capacity.

Upgrades

Laser TurretsBegins with one physical turret. Every Mark adds one battery and one simultaneous target, up to ten.

Laser DamageRaises turbolaser damage and slightly improves firing cycle. Captain damage modifiers are already reflected in the displayed effective values.

Missile CannonsBegins at zero. Each Mark installs one independent homing launcher, up to six. Cannon Marks are intentionally expensive because each launcher can fire on its own cooldown.

Missile DamageRequires at least one Missile Cannon. Raises warhead direct damage, splash radius and missile performance without adding launchers.

Shield CapacityRaises maximum Shields. More capacity also makes the percentage-based Emergency Shields burst restore more absolute Shield points.

Shield RechargeRaises passive Shield recovery and improves Emergency Shields: higher Marks increase the burst percentage while reducing Energy cost and cooldown.

Sensors / RangeExtends detection, Sensor Acquire, turbolaser and missile range, reduces Locate Planet Energy cost, and speeds planetary surveys.

Energy RechargeRaises Reactor recharge rate. It does not increase normal Energy capacity. This is the core upgrade for sustaining propulsion, weapons, support craft and emergency actions.

Reading the tactical map

Dotted cyan circle — Sensor AcquirePlanets become available for orbital survey and discoveries are collected when they cross this ring. Sensor upgrades expand it.

Blue circles — Turbolaser fieldsEach installed turret has its own coverage circle centered on its actual mount. Targets inside a turret's field can be engaged by that battery.

Gold circle — Missile rangeAppears after the first Missile Cannon is installed. Missiles have much greater reach than turbolasers, home toward targets, and explode for splash damage.

Predicted collision lineAsteroids and comets on a collision course draw a line to the predicted point on the Resolute's actual hull. Impact occurs when the visible object intersects the hull shape.

Ion stormsThe visible storm graphic is the danger area. Any ship touching its outer edge begins losing shields. Central overlap causes much heavier shield loss and power disruption. Storms grow and cluster deeper inward, and some late worlds may sit inside their outskirts.

Black holesScreen-scale gravity hazards. Their outskirts drain shields and power, the inner region adds heavy drain and gravitational pull, and the black core destroys any ship that reaches it.

Enemy navigationHostile ships can be hit by asteroids and comets and are affected by ion storms and black holes. They usually evade hazards, but determined pursuit craft may cross an ion storm when the Resolute is already inside it.

Captain's LogThe compact log at the bottom of the tactical view keeps expedition messages instead of letting temporary notifications fill the map. Scroll it to review earlier events.

Planet survey bannerOnce a world is mapped, its survey banner stays visible. The button turns bright green when the planet is inside Sensor Acquire range and the orbital survey can begin.

Space contacts

Planet

Your potential end goal. Planets vary in size, color, rings, moons, belts, storms and defenses. Enter Sensor Acquire range to choose when to begin a survey.

Discovery

Purple anomaly. Automatically collected at Sensor Acquire range and converted into Credits. Sensor range lets you acquire these without flying through the center.

Asteroid

May be stationary or drifting toward you. Can be destroyed for resource Credits. Large and massive collisions can be catastrophic.

Ion Storm

Charged energy region. Shield drain begins when the visible storm edge reaches the Resolute hull. If the storm center passes over the ship, shield loss increases sharply and Reactor Energy also drains. Later storms become larger and stronger.

Comet — depth 200+

Rare, large high-velocity collision threat. Sensor warnings appear well in advance and the safest response is usually avoidance. Powerful long-range weapons can destroy one for a substantial Credit reward, but a direct strike is devastating to friendly or enemy ships.

Black Hole — depth 300+

Rare lethal anomaly. The outer gravity/shear region drains Shields and Energy. Crossing the event horizon instantly destroys the Resolute regardless of upgrades.

Asteroid resources

Destroying asteroids can yield modest Credits, but doing so is primarily tactical. Deeper regions can generate full asteroid fields several rocks thick and spanning the tactical corridor; navigate around them or spend enough firepower to carve a passage.

Enemy progression by Time in Space

Class	Earliest Time	Behavior	Threat
Interceptor Fighter	0:45+	Fast closing craft, rapid laser fire, low armor.	Light alone; dangerous in numbers.
Strike Bomber	1:20+	Slower approach, long-range heavy torpedoes.	High burst damage.
Attack Corvette	2:35+	Balanced escort with more hull and sustained fire.	Medium.
Frontier Frigate	4:15+	Armored line ship with longer engagement range.	Heavy.
Outer Rim Destroyer	7:00+	Capital escort with armor and heavy weapons.	Severe.
Void Destroyer	10:00+	Major capital ship with very high hull, armor and range.	Capital.
Dread Battleship	15:00+	Fleet-anchor flagship; not normally a solo spawn.	Flagship.
Defense Station / Fortress	Planet dependent	Fixed orbital defense that can fire while you approach or survey.	Station to fortress.

Fleets and hunters

As Time in Space increases, enemy command escalates from scouts to organized mixed fleets built around an anchor ship and support craft. Pursuit continues even at 0 thrust or during orbital survey. Galactic Depth governs the environment; mission time governs how seriously mobile enemy forces treat the Resolute.

How enemy fire works

Enemy ships fire actual projectiles and damage is applied only if a projectile intersects the hull. Fighters and bombers make repeated strafing runs rather than parking at maximum range; small craft also try to form wings with one another and rally around larger warships when practical. Enemy torpedoes are slower red homing missiles, so maneuvering and destroying the launching bomber remain important defenses. Shields absorb the hit first; only overflow reaches hull.

Automatic weapons

Turbolasers automatically prioritize collision-course objects, then comets, then hostile ships. Each turret tries to reserve a different target, but extra batteries can concentrate on one target when fewer threats are available. Missiles use the same threat priorities at much greater range; they home on a target and detonate on arrival, damaging nearby threats inside the blast radius.

CLAIMING A PLANET ENDS THE RUN.

Every mapped planet must be resolved. Enter orbital survey, complete at least one scan pass, then choose Continue to leave it behind or Claim & End Run to finish the expedition. You may maneuver around the planet or resolve combat before entering survey, but simply flying past it does not let you locate another world. Every subsequent located planet is farther Galactic Inward than the previously resolved world. If you deliberately backtrack outward, the locator will not generate another planet in that already surveyed layer; return inward first.

The eight settlement factors

Atmosphere — high influence

Breathable atmospheres are strongest; toxic or corrosive atmospheres greatly reduce settlement value.

Temperature — high influence

Temperate and cool worlds are efficient to settle; extremes create major energy and infrastructure burdens.

Water — high influence

Abundant water is highly valuable for life support and agriculture.

Gravity — medium influence

Values near 1.0 G are best. Greater deviation raises health and construction costs.

Resources — high influence

Exceptional and high resources strongly improve economic settlement value.

Biosphere — medium influence

A stable biosphere is ideal. Native life can be beneficial, uncertain or dangerous depending on the result.

Geology — lower influence

Stable geology supports infrastructure; volatile geology is a concern.

Strategic Value — medium/high influence

Rewards worlds that are valuable for expansion and defense. Deeper planets are more likely to have stronger strategic value.

Unknown factors

Unknown does not mean a random hidden bonus or penalty. Every planet already has all eight real values. If you claim before revealing some of them, those actual values are disclosed on the final score screen and count normally. The risk is choosing with incomplete information.

Scanning and Sensor Marks

Sensors I–IV25% survey per completed scan pass.

Sensors V–VII50% survey per completed scan pass.

Sensors VIII–XOne scan can complete a full 100% survey.

Every stageAwards Credits. Higher Sensor Marks also complete each pass faster and draw less Energy.

100% surveyReveals the best available information for all eight settlement factors and maximizes confidence before claiming.

Final score

Settlement Value × Galactic Depth Multiplier = Final Score. Settlement Value is built from the eight factors above. Credits, remaining Energy, ship condition, and Time in Space do not directly add score. The multiplier never caps: every additional unit of Galactic Depth raises it, so moving farther inward always increases the value of the planet you eventually claim.

Depth 0×1.00 settlement multiplier

Depth 50×1.25

Depth 100×1.50

Depth 200×2.00

Depth 300×2.50

Depth 400×3.00

Depth 500×3.50

Beyond Depth 500Continues rising continuously by +0.50× per 100 Galactic Depth with no maximum.

Ship Leaders / Captain FAQ

Your captain changes the expedition, not the score formula.

Captain selection is locked when you press Begin Expedition. Starting Marks are real upgrade levels, normal upgrade prices are unchanged, and percentage modifiers are applied after normal ship calculations. Every captain can still purchase every standard upgrade.

Displayed values are captain-adjusted. Ship Upgrade cards show the effective current and next-Mark values for the selected leader, and affected cards carry a captain-colored doctrine note. Ship Actions and support abilities also show their actual modified Energy costs. Live combat readouts can still change temporarily under low-power or damage conditions.

RESOLUTE COMMANDING OFFICER

Captain Elias Mercer · The Steady Hand

Configuration: no bonuses and no penalties.

Why choose Mercer? He is the baseline Resolute experience and the best way to learn how every system works together without leaning on a specialty.

ASSAULT CAPTAIN

Captain Mara Voss · The Aggressor

Starts: Laser Turrets II, Laser Damage II. Trait: +12% Resolute weapon damage. Cost: -15% Shield capacity and recharge.

Why choose Voss? She rewards decisive combat. Destroy threats quickly, because prolonged exchanges expose the smaller, slower-recovering shield envelope.

TACTICAL OPERATIONS ADMIRAL

Admiral Cassian Rook · The Tactician

Starts: Sensors III and Attack Wing unlocked. Cost: -20% Shield capacity and recharge.

Why choose Rook? Advanced sensors, longer weapon reach and early fighter access favor controlled engagements. Keep threats at range instead of trading fire.

EXPEDITION FLEET COMMANDER

Fleet Admiral Alexander Vale · The Fleetmaster

Starts: Attack Wing and Call Destroyers unlocked with zero preparation time. Support craft have +10% Hull. Cost: -10% Shields, Resolute weapon damage, thrust, Reactor capacity and Reactor recharge; support deployments cost +25% Energy.

Why choose Vale? The flagship is deliberately less dominant, but he can field a battle group immediately. Manage Energy carefully and let the fleet share the fight.

SYSTEMS & ENGINEERING CAPTAIN

Captain Tamsin Kade · The Engineer

Starts: Reactor Recharge III, Shield Recharge II. Traits: +20% Energy recharge; Hull Repair costs 20% less Energy and completes 25% faster; Emergency Shields costs 20% less Energy. Cost: -12% Resolute weapon damage and -10% effective thrust.

Why choose Kade? She wins through power management and recovery. Her faster reactor and cheaper emergency actions make sustained high-demand combat more manageable.

DEEP-SPACE EXPLORATION CAPTAIN

Captain Jalen Strake · The Pathfinder

Starts: Sensors II. Traits: +10% effective propulsion, -20% engine Energy load, +15% planetary scan Credits, and -25% Locate Planet Energy cost. Cost: -12% Resolute weapon damage and -10% Shield capacity.

Why choose Strake? He converts Reactor Energy into movement more efficiently, maps worlds cheaply and earns more from exploration, favoring deep pushes over prolonged firefights.

Common questions

Do starting Marks count as real upgrades?Yes. Voss begins at Laser Turrets II and Laser Damage II, Rook at Sensors III, Kade at Energy Recharge III / Shield Recharge II, and Strake at Sensors II. Their next purchase is the normal next Mark.

Do captain penalties make upgrades weaker?The captain modifier applies after the normal Mark calculation, so every Mark still improves the system normally. You do not need to calculate the modifier yourself: the Ship Upgrades panel shows the final captain-adjusted values and labels the doctrine affecting that system.

Does Voss improve friendly support damage?No. Her +12% damage applies to the Resolute's turbolasers, missiles and EMP Pulse. Friendly fighters and support destroyers keep their normal technology-based damage.

Do Rook and Vale pay the Credit unlock for support?No. Their doctrine begins with the stated support package already authorized. Normal Energy deployment costs still apply, including Vale's +25% support Energy penalty.

Can I change captains mid-run?No. Captain choice is part of the expedition setup and remains locked until the run ends.

Galactic Depth — environment + reward

These numbers are Galactic Depth. Depth is your inward position, not total distance traveled. It controls the settlement multiplier and the environmental hazards in the region.

Depth 0–50 · CalmOpen space, light asteroid traffic and discoveries. Ideal for learning or maneuvering.

Depth 50–100 · FrontierMore moving asteroids and the first meaningful ion disturbances.

Depth 100–200 · CoreDenser debris, ion hazards and navigation pressure define the main exploration zone.

Depth 200–300 · DangerousHigh-velocity comets join the environment and reaction time becomes important.

Depth 300–400 · HostileRare massive black holes appear, ion storms begin clustering and dense asteroid walls can force major course changes.

Depth 400–500 · ExtremeStorm clusters, asteroid fields and occasional storm-affected planets make route planning essential. Skilled runs should still be able to push through this band.

Depth 500+ · TerminalThe true late-game ramp: enormous ion systems, overlapping debris fields, singularities and full enemy pursuit continue escalating with no hard ceiling.

Time in Space — enemy awareness

The timer starts when the expedition begins and advances while flying, stopped, fighting or scanning. Enemy escalation is driven primarily by mission time, not Galactic Depth. This prevents unlimited upgrade farming in safe space.

0:00–0:45 · QuietEnemy command has not identified the Resolute. Use the opening to establish your route.

0:45–2:00 · ScoutedLight scout contacts begin appearing.

2:00–4:00 · DetectedPatrols are redirected toward your position; bombers and corvettes enter the mix.

4:00–7:00 · TrackedOrganized pursuit groups and occasional fleets begin finding you.

7:00–10:00 · HuntedDestroyer-led pursuit becomes possible and fleet frequency rises.

10:00–15:00 · PriorityCapital ships and multiple pursuit formations may be committed. Destroyer-class and larger enemies carry rechargeable shields; half of their previous durability is now shield capacity rather than added health.

15:00+ · ExterminationMajor hostile forces continually search for the Resolute. Staying alive becomes the objective.

Bridge danger lighting

Enemy Awareness and bridge danger lighting are different. The Time in Space label shows how aggressively enemy command is searching for you. The ambient glow rising from the bridge reflects immediate survival danger from ship condition, enemies and nearby hazards: faint green/blue is stable, yellow or orange means escalating concern, and flashing red means immediate lethal pressure.

GREEN no immediate hazard YELLOW detected enemy, low reserve, possible collision or nearby hazard ORANGE active combat, imminent survivable collision, ion exposure or black-hole danger envelope RED projected lethal collision, critically close black hole or incoming fire likely to destroy the ship within seconds

Practical strategy

Use overdrive deliberately. 0% thrust maximizes Reactor recovery; 1–100% trades recharge for propulsion; 101–200% delivers exceptional speed but can drain the Reactor rapidly. Use the 100% button for normal maximum thrust, or step down to 0% for maximum Reactor recovery.
Use the thrust controls deliberately. The arrows change thrust in 20% increments and the 100% button returns immediately to normal maximum forward thrust. Step down to 0% to maximize Reactor recovery. Beyond 100%, overdrive styling warns that propulsion is drawing Energy aggressively.
Sensors are a compound upgrade. They improve discovery, weapon reach and scanning—not just planet locating.
Laser Turrets and Laser Damage solve different problems. Turrets handle more simultaneous threats and improve coverage; Laser Damage kills each target faster.
Watch projectile travel. Against bombers and heavy ships, turning after they fire can be more valuable than simply absorbing the hit.
Order turns early. The Resolute rotates gradually toward the ordered heading. Turret fields, missile launch geometry, collision shape, and travel direction follow the actual hull during the turn—not the destination heading.
Save EMP Pulse for a real crisis. It is extremely powerful, but dropping Energy to zero leaves normal systems starved after the 5-second burst and Reactor lockout.
Stopping does not stop the clock. Zero thrust helps Energy recovery, but enemy awareness continues increasing and pursuit forces can arrive while you wait or scan.
Use lateral movement intentionally. Sideways travel can buy time to hunt resources or intercept a planet without raising environmental difficulty—but the enemy timer keeps advancing.
A good run needs an exit decision. The point is not to survive forever; it is to decide when the planet in front of you is good enough to bank the run.

Current run / ship

Open The Resolute tab at any time to see live values for your current upgrades, range, scan capability and regeneration rates.

Select your ship leader.

Planet claimed.

GENERATION

ACTIVE USAGE

INSTALLED SYSTEM DEMAND