It's far easier and quicker to take someone elses planet than it is to build up one of your own! There are two types of Military units:
- Fleets are produced at Machineworlds. They cost ^5 per turn in upkeep, and cost another ^5 to attack another player. To produce a Fleet, a player must pay 50^ and 50 Alloys up-front, and spend 35 Effort. Effort is labor by Pops on a Machineworld. Instead of turning Alloys into Karats, they will instead produce Effort on a Fleet's construction, denoted by (#/35 Fleet) after the planet's name. Each fed Pop will increase the Effort by 1, up to 35 (Effort over 35 will only carry over if you begin construction on a new Fleet that turn). For example, a 10[10]M world will take 3 turns to produce 1 Fleet (10 * 1.2 = 12, and 35/12 = 3), but a 14[14]M world would only take 2 turns (14 * 1.3 = 18, 35/18 = 2). Multiple Machineworlds can not combine Effort. Pausing construction on a Fleet does not decrease the Effort already contributed. Fleets allow you to move any number of Pops and Armies for ^1 each, and unfreeze Pops.
- Armies are produced at Refineryworlds. They cost ^1 per turn in upkeep, and cost another ^1 to move between planets. To produce an Army, a player must pay 10^, 10 Alloys, and 10 Food, and 1 Pop on the planet will be converted to an Army. They require a Fleet to move, and may only land on enemy planets if that player does not own a Fleet. Armies do not count against Pop count or planet Size. You may produce an unlimited number of Armies per turn.
A player may choose to decommission a Fleet or Army at any time, but does not receive any refund in return.
Bombardment occurs when a player who owns a Fleet declares an enemy planet to bombard - so long as the defending player does not own a Fleet themselves. A bombardment may happen the same turn space combat occurs, if the attacking player declared they were attempting a bombardment. Bombardment happens before ground combat. 1 Fleet may bombard 1 planet each turn. Multiple Fleets may bombard the same planet.
When a planet is bombarded, one Pop or Army is randomly destroyed. The selection is proportional to the number of Armies and Pops on the planet. For example, a bombarded 2[2] world with 1 Army has a 2/3 chance that one Pop will be killed and a 1/3 chance that the Army will be killed.
Combat occurs when a player declares they are attacking another player with either a number of Fleets or a number of Armies. Combat is the same for both Fleets and Armies.
Each side rolls 1D6 + number of units. The loser has one Army or Fleet destroyed. Nothing happens on ties. Combat repeats until the
total number of units in the combat is half (rounding down). Once this point is reached, Fleets return home and Armies pause in their conquest. A planet with an enemy Army on the surface may not produce goods, Effort, Armies, or taxes until it is fully under control again.
Players may Defend other Houses with their Fleets. Simply list which Houses you are Defending in your character sheet, and your ships will move to protect them if they are attacked. Defending does not require money beyond normal maintenance. After attacking, Fleets return home and may defend against other attacks - players can not be caught with their "ships away from home".
Example:
House Red (4 Fleets) attacks House Black (3 Fleets). They pay 20^ to move their Fleets into Black's territory and combat begins.
House Red rolls 1D6+4 = 6 (2+4). House Black rolls 1D6+3 = 5 (2+3). House Black loses one Fleet. The combat continues thus:
Red 1D6+4 = 7 | Black 1D6+2 = 8
Red 1D6+3 = 6 | Black 1D6+2 = 6
Red 1D6+3 = 6 | Black 1D6+2 = 3
Red 1D6+3 = 4 | Black 1D6+1 = 7
Combat now pauses as there are only 3 Fleets left between the two sides (7/2 rounded down is 3). Red's two remaining Fleets return home. Armies, however, would remain on the enemy's planet, and combat would continue next turn unless one side chooses to leave (leaving requires a Fleet).
Combat between players occurs in order of Priority. The Oldest Houses have their combats decided first.
A player may not Freeze or move Pops on a planet being attacked.