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Ascendancy Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Version 1.0

Introduction
“This galaxy consists of three hundred billion stars. Sixty thousand centuries
ago, there were over twenty billion life sustaining planets orbiting those
stars. Some of the life on these worlds evolved intelligence. Some species
learned to travel through space.

As they explored, they encountered one another. Wildly different cultures
competed for the same worlds. In the enormous upheaval that followed, one of
these species would gain ascendancy! “

Welcome to the Ascendancy FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions). I’ve compiled
information from a variety of sources to help you (and me!) improve our chances
at Ascendancy. The Logic Factory did an outstanding job with this, their first
commercial release, and I (in my humble opinion) feel that Ascendancy is the
best “conquer-the-galaxy” game released to date. You may disagree; I’ve seen a
lot of e-mail criticizing Ascendancy. However, you may find the information in
this FAQ useful—and maybe it’ll even change your opinion of the game.

I guess I should explain my approach with this FAQ. I never intended it to be a
strategy guide (you know, the old “do this and you’re sure to win!” stuff)—if
that’s what you want, I’m pretty sure you’ll be disappointed. What I did want
to
do was to gather the information the users’ manual and tutorials don’t tell you.
I felt that with this information, you (and I!) would be able to form your own
winning strategies.

Besides, my best score to date is 41%…I hardly think I’m qualified to preach
strategy!

So, this FAQ contains all the information I’ve been able to gather on
Ascendancy. As you’ll probably notice, I don’t have all the answers. There’s
still some questions I have—and that’s where you come in. As you use this FAQ,
if you learn something new or find an error, send me e-mail (lhutson@aol.com).
Together, we can make this the most complete and accurate FAQ on
Ascendancy…ever!

Larry J Hutson
December 2, 1995
Credit Where Credit Is Due
I’d be lying if I said I did all the legwork for this FAQ. So, thanks to the
following:

(Unfortunately, I’ve forgotten his name) - for supplying a “cleaned up” version
of the .COB files for Ascendancy. Turns out they were all that was really
needed
to put this together.

MDelPrete - For suggesting I do this and assisting. Your help’s been
invaluable,
friend.

And, of course, all you fellow Ascenders. Without your interest and support, I
wouldn’t have even bothered putting this together.
The Latest News
As of the end of November, 1995, the Logic Factory has released a new AI module
for Ascendancy. They’ve titled it the “Antagonizer” module, and, depending upon
the environment in the galaxy, it can be pretty aggressive.

According to the README file that accompanies the new module, here’s how you can
expect the Antagonizer to play:

Peaceful:
This is an even shake for the player. This is just you against the AI code,
without cheats.

Neutral:
This adds an edge in industry for the AI, and biases the AI players against the
player diplomatically.

Hostile:
AI is very biased against the player diplomatically, to the point where AI
opponents will probably all end up at war with the player. The AI players get
an
edge in both industry and research.

From the postings I’ve read on the Antagonizer, it plays a much better game of
Ascendancy. This works out for you, too, since self-managed colonies do things
a
lot more logically (i.e., building industrial structure on red squares, etc.).
I’ve heard ships in combat can be self-managed as well—and that they defend
themselves quite nicely. In short, the Antagonizer seems to be an outstanding
addition to Ascendancy.
An Ascendancy Overview for the New Player
In order to succeed in Ascendancy, you’ll need to colonize other worlds, control
entire star systems—and maintain that control. Expand too quickly, and your
defenses will be weak and easily overcome; expand too slowly, and you won’t have
the resources necessary to learn and build the technologies needed to compete
against the other races in the galaxy. Success in Ascendancy depends on how
well
you balance the following conditions:
Planetary Management
Your planets provide you with the basic resources you need to accomplish your
objectives:

Industry: Your planets must have industrial capacity in order to build
anything. You can increase the level of industry by building factories,
metropolises, and industrial megafacilities. Each planet’s industrial base is
utilized by that planet alone—there is no way to combine the industrial output
of
several planets.

Research: Your scientists must have facilities in which to conduct research.
You start the game knowing little about the exploration of space and can only
build fragile ships of limited capabilities. You can increase the level of
research by build laboratories, engineering retreats, and research campuses.
Unlike industry, all research conducted by your race is shared across planets.
You can also use research to establish (or maintain) peaceful relationships with
the other races in the galaxy.

Prosperity and Population: Without a population, you can’t establish a solid
industrial or research base for your civilization. Each world can support a
limited population—and your colonies can only support a subset of that
potential. Without prosperity, your population won’t grow. You can increase a
planet’s prosperity by building agriplots, habitats, and Logic Factories. Each
planet’s prosperity is based solely on its own structures. Also, you can’t
transplant population from one planet to another.

You manage each planet through its Planetary Screen. You can also use this
display to determine which planets to colonize—or even to spy on other races!
Conducting Research
As your race acquires knowledge, new technology becomes available. Some
technologies are military in nature, while others enhance your industry,
research, and prosperity. You tell your scientists which research to conduct by
accessing the Research Display. You can also use this screen to determine what
technologies are available to you.

There is also other ways to acquire technology. Once you’ve contacted and
secured the trust of other races, you can trade technology. You can also
colonize planets that have ancient ruins on their surface; conducting
archeological digs can result in technology that is otherwise far beyond your
grasp.
Building Ships and Colonizing Other Worlds
Your first goal in Ascendancy is to build a ship capable of colonizing worlds in
other systems. You’ll need to research the technology to build shipyards and
your first ship.

You’re allowed to build one spaceship for each system you control, with the
exception of your home system, which allows two ships. To control a system, you
must own all colonized planets in that system. (Again, your home system is the
exception to this rule.) If you lose control of a system and you’ve built all
the ships you’re allowed, you will lose a ship.

As you begin to colonize other worlds, you’ll need to build their defenses.
Planetary shields prevent alien ships from entering orbit (and invading the
planet). Surface shields defend against planetary invasions. Orbital weapon
systems allow you to destroy enemy ships before they can attack your planet.
And
cloaking devices prevent other races from determining what your planets have in
orbit or on the surface.

Remember, it’s not enough to colonize a few planets, build up their defenses,
and
attempt to hold on to them without taking additional risks. You’ll need to
continue building bigger and better ships and explore the rest of the galaxy.
It’s not necessary to conquer the entire galaxy—but excessively isolationism
leads to extinction.
Special Abilities
Each race in Ascendancy has its own special ability. Some abilities, such as
that owned by the Minions, are always available. Others, such as that owned by
the Capelons, require your race to recharge between uses. The special ability
of
your race, combined with that of the other races in the galaxy, must be
considered in your short and long term goals.
Encountering Other Races
Don’t fool yourself—regardless of how isolated your race is, you will encounter
other races. Their goals are similar to yours: to expand and ultimately be the
major race in the galaxy. You can deal with other species in the following
ways:

Diplomacy: Exploit advantages and minimize weaknesses when dealing with the
other races in the galaxy. Remember, a good bargain benefits both races—whether
it be a technology transfer, starlane information, or an alliance.

Battle: You may be the most peace-loving race in the galaxy, but others are
not. You’ll need to be ready to defend—or reclaim—your territory from
aggressors. Don’t wait until the declaration of war is made; ensure many of
your
ships are geared more for battle than for colonization.

Invasion: Again, don’t let your pacifist side delude you. There will be times
when you’ll need to invade planets—whether to re-take a conquered planet, or to
secure a strategically important system. Ensure at least some of your ships are
ready to attack and acquire occupied planets.
Ascendancy Races
There are 21 races to choose from in Ascendancy, each with its own special
abilities and history. Inevitably, the race you choose will decide the strategy
you’ll play. So, here’s a closer look at each race, including its special
ability, history, and mission at the start of the game.
A Note About Special Abilities
Some special abilities are always available, others only when you’ve acquired
enough power to use them. If you click on the Special Ability panel (on the
Galactic Display screen), it’ll tell you what your race’s special ability and if
it’s available. If not, the Special Ability panel will display how many turns
remain until your special ability is available. Ascendancy will also display an
information box telling you your special ability is available at the start of
that turn.
Minions: Supreme Planet Invaders
Minions are a mysterious group of robot creatures controlled by an unknown
extra-
galactic super force. They are hideously strong and quick.

Special Ability: The Minions are masters of invasion. Their planetary invasions
will always succeed.

History: The Minions are a species of artificial life-machines that serve the
purposes of their extra-galactic master-species. Eons ago, the master-species
seeded the ancestor-units of the Minions on a planet chosen to accelerate their
developmental programs. Their ultimate programming lay dormant throughout their
history until reawakened by their cosmic masters. No one knows anything about
the location of the masters or their purpose.

The Minions are made up of microscopic, self-maintaining machines, and they are
able to assimilate other life forms to obtain the rich mixture of elements they
need for power and self-maintenance. They are efficient and unstoppable at
taking over worlds. They are built for strength and speed, and no known species
can stand against a Minion in an unarmed confrontation. They infiltrate,
assimilate, and control worlds with great speed and have been known to take over
an entire planet and its population in hours.

Mission: Your ancient programming has been reactivated. You are the central
control unit. You must coordinate the efforts of the Minions to develop the
technology of space travel and spread throughout this galaxy.

You have detected transmissions from other stars. Analysis of these
transmissions indicates that some have an aggressive nature. Eliminate threats
to the Source World.
Snovemdomas: Builders of Nigh-Indestructible Ships
Snovemdomas are incredibly tough, and guard their territories with alarming
ferocity. They are generally uninterested in diplomacy with other species.

Special Ability: The Snovemdomas are mighty and tough. Their ships all have
double-strength hulls.

History: The Snovemdomas evolved as pack-hunting predators in woods and tundra
plains on a very high-gravity world. Snovemdomas are about the size of a bear,
and their stocky build is deceptive since they are quick and graceful in motion.
To the inhabitants of other worlds, they appear to be imposing and massive. On
their own world, the Snovemdomas preyed on much larger and tougher creatures,
bringing the prey down by overwhelming it with numbers and speed. Their bodies
evolved strength and lightness (too much mass being detrimental in high
gravity),
and their bones are made of a hollow but nearly unbreakable force-distributing
honeycomb lattice.

Because of the high-gravity environment on their home world they have always had
to allow for greater stress in designing their dwellings and machines. Their
material science is advanced and they make use of strong, light composite
materials in their construction. It is in their nature to design ships that can
withstand great force.

Mission: You are the Dovahmon. You are the leader of all the tribes of your
people, the brave Snovemdomas.

Your people have explored all of their world. You must now lead them into the
unknown. Construct vessels to take Snovemdomas to other stars, to meet the
challenge of hunting grounds on other worlds.

It is written that the Snovemdomas will one day meet thinking creatures among
the
stars.

Peaceful atmosphere message: The Prophecies tell of a day when these peoples
will look to the strength of the Snovemdomas for guidance.

Neutral atmosphere message: Heed the Song of Mandenonda, which foretells the
destruction of the unwary.

Hostile atmosphere message: Fight well against those that threaten the world of
your people, lest the Prophecy of Ending comes to pass.
Orfa: Black Square Dwellers
Orfa are from a seething, volcanic world, and they are able to subsist on raw
minerals. They are slothful but highly intelligent.

Special Ability: The Orfa are unfazed by hostile environments. They can build
on
black planet squares.

History: The Orfa are grazing animals that evolved on a hostile world. Their
bodies are very dense and tough, and they are as happy in a pool of lava as pigs
are in a wallow of filth. They prefer vegetation and a diet of complex organic
molecules but they can subsist on raw minerals. They are not harmed by the
radiation, heat, cold, chemicals, or physical buffeting of any known planetary
body, nor do they require an atmosphere.

They have no known natural enemies (nothing on their home world is able to make
a
dent in their impregnable hides) and no particular difficulty surviving in
almost
any environment. It is likely that they evolved sentience due to competition
for
mating. They have seventeen sexes, so finding sixteen mates of the appropriate
sex (so they can have one of their litters, numbering in the hundreds)is their
central preoccupation. They have unbelievably complicated and difficult
cultural
mores centering around mating competition, and an Orfa who mates successfully
usually gets to do so by outsmarting many of its peers. Thus they are very
intelligent and are able to perceive subtle causes of events and fine levels of
meaning. They are also happy to loaf once they have fulfilled their mating
imperative.

Mission: You have been chosen by all Orfa to implement The Plan. The Rituals
of
Reproduction have gotten out of hand. The Orfa need new worlds to live on with
plenty of grazing land and a decent chance to mate before growing old. The
first
phase of The Plan calls for the construction of vehicles that can cross the inky
vastness between the stars.

Those of the Orfa who study the stars have no doubt that there are other beings
in the galaxy who have intelligence and technology. Theory holds that some of
the
races from other worlds will have an inherent need to control the existence of
others through physical coercion. Guard against such beings.
Kambuchka: Clairvoyants
Kambuchka subsist by filtering the rich, soupy atmosphere of their world. A
Kambuchka's entire body is a convoluted sensory membrane.

Special Ability: The Kambuchka can sense life forms from far away. They can
see
all alien home stars.

History: The Kambuchka evolved in the dense, fog-like atmosphere of a large
planet. They see by feeling the atomic vibrations of their surroundings on
their
convoluted membrane bodies. The Kambuchka cannot move quickly in the atmosphere
of their home world, so they evolved the ability to detect faraway living
things,
both to help them find food (they feed by filtering microscopic plants from the
thick atmosphere of their world)and to help them avoid predators.

They are so sensitive to the vibrations of living things that, in the absence of
the opaque atmosphere of their home world, they are able to perceive very large
concentrations of life at interstellar distances.

Mission: Your people, the Kambuchka, look to you for direction in their attempt
to explore space. You arethe Sense-Master, possessing the most highly-tuned
senses of all Kambuchka. You are able to gather information and coordinate
actions at an interstellar distance.

Your people await your wisdom. Help them develop the technology of space
travel. Show them the way to the stars.
Hanshaks: Telepathic Diplomats
Hanshaks are an ancient race of toroidal mind-bodies. They are in tune with life
and nature, and are masters of communication.

Special Ability: The Hanshaks are telepathic communicators. They can talk to
all other races from the start of the game.

History: The Hanshaks are an ancient race of toroidal mind-bodies. The are
deeply in tune with life and nature, and can communicate telepathically with
other sentient life. The Hanshaks are few, but they are renowned for their
wisdom and intuition. After an early technological surge, they dismantled their
cities and returned their world to its natural state, developing a culture
devoted to enlightenment and living symbiotically with nature. They have
managed
to retain a knowledge of technology in their druidic society.

Mission: You are the High Shaman, the Eldest of the Hanshaks. You have existed
in your current cycle for nine thousand orbits of your world around its sun.
Your
life force has gone through more cycles than any other Hanshak's.

Your species has nurtured its world, and the time has come to commune with the
life of other worlds. The Hanshaks must discover away to reach other planets
and
encounter the vast diversity that exists in the cosmos.
Fludentri: Instant Healers
Fludentri are composed entirely of liquid, and a severely injured Fludentri
heals
in seconds. They are ambitious and unintellectual.

Special Ability: The Fludentri are resilient. They can repair all damage to
their ships.

History: The Fludentri evolved on a world covered with ocean. They are
composed
of polymerized liquid. When a Fludentri is injured it regenerates in seconds,
its fluid anatomy knitting together immediately after physical damage occurs. A
Fludentri dies only when its entire body is disrupted at once.

The Fludentri are able to make their bodies assume varying degrees of solidity.
They can wrap their tendrils quickly around prey and tighten them with ferocious
strength. They see combat as a fine art, and a Fludentri is deeply moved by a
finely-improvised combat performance between skilled and creative warriors.
They
do not respect abstract thought or communication with concepts--they see these
things as fuzzy-minded and irrelevant, and they prefer to let their bravery
inaction speak for them. A Fludentri's status and cultural power is determined
by its skill in combat.

Mission: You are First Among Warriors. Your combat artistry is unmatched.
None
can best you in the grand arena and all Fludentri obey your command. Your
people
hunger to prove themselves against the dangers of new worlds, and they hunger
for
new dominions.

The leaders of the Armorers' Cabal await your guidance in their new task: to
construct the mighty vessels that will allow the Fludentri to attain the stars.
Baliflids: Super Diplomats
Baliflids are cute little rodents. Their disarming appearance belies their
ruthless diplomatic skill.

Special Ability: The Baliflids are disarming diplomats. They can force all
aliens to make peace with them.

History: The Baliflids are cute little rodent-like organisms. They evolved on
a
hospitable but competitive world where they developed the ability to disarm and
win over their competitors. Other creatures instinctively feel protective of
Baliflids.

A Baliflid being charged by an Insatiable Strak Beast will stand, calmly staring
toward the raging, thundering predator with an expression of barely supressed
mirth. Often the predator will stop short, not knowing why but feeling a sudden
lack of aggression in the face of the Baliflid's harmless calm.

The Baliflids have a huge capacity for fun--they take nothing very seriously and
are friendly and curious. Despite their naive and harmless image, the Baliflids
are deeply intelligent and highly perceptive. They survived as a species
because
of their keen awareness of the outlook and motivations of other creatures.

Mission: The Baliflids of three generations gather around you, the Old
Storyteller--the closest thing the Baliflids have to a leader. The cavorting and
joking subsides, and the crowd waits silently for you to start.

This world is fun, but there is a whole universe to goof around in. Tell a
story, to amuse your buddies, about a bunch of three-tongued rodents who build
large impressive ships and fly around in space. It would be a supreme practical
joke on all the big humorless self-important types out there. Be careful,
though-
-it's always the cosmic drips that have the biggest fang-equivalents.
Swaparamans: Energy Doublers
Swaparamans are cosmic exiles. They were driven from their home world by the
dread Frutmaka, and survived only by finding great strength in adversity.

Special Ability: The Swaparamans produce extra power. They can double the power
of all their ships.

History: The Swaparamans evolved on the first planet of a binary star-system
(consisting of a normal star and the black hole Graveesha in orbit around each
other). The dual-star configuration (it is assumed) influenced the development
of duality-inverse-reality structures that continually build in the minds of
Swaparamans like electricity charging a capacitor. Once charged, the
Swaparamans
can release their stored potential. The Swaparamans evolved on the same world
as
the Frutmaka, and they share common ancestry. Millennia ago, The Frutmaka
betrayed the Swaparamans and drove them from their home world. A tiny number of
Swaparamans--the ancestors of all modern Swaparamans--were able to flee their
home world in space vessels that they patched together in secret. The architect
of this bold escape was Tanandanam, a wise and determined leader whose name is
now sacred to Swaparamans.

The Swaparamans survived the dangerous passage through space by using their
energy storage ability. As a result of the ordeal, the Swaparamans with the
strongest ability tended to survive, and their energy storage ability is now
highly developed.

Mission: The Swaparamans have thrived on their new planetary home since their
incredible escape but have lost the knowledge of space travel. Swaparamans
remember their history and they are filled with the worry that their existence
on
a single planet is too precarious.

You are the latest of the successors to Tanandanam. You must follow the example
Tanandanam set and secure the future of your people.
Frutmaka: Teleporters
Frutmaka share a common home world and ancestry with the Swaparamans. Their
black-hole god, Graveesha, has given them the ability to warp space.

Special Ability: The Frutmaka are able to repel. They can warp alien ships out
of their colonies' stars.

History: The Frutmaka evolved near a black hole--their beloved god
Graveesha--on
the same planet that gave birth to the Swaparamans. Long ago they drove the
Swaparamans from their mutual home world--they saw the Swaparamans as a threat
to
their beliefs and their way of life. The Frutmaka move with glacial slowness.
They are near-sessile fungal animals that obtained high intelligence early in
their evolution. Their frustration at being fully aware and helpless while they
were eaten alive by predators gave way to the development of a latent
telekinetic
ability. No one knows when it was that a Frutmaka first lashed out with its
mind
at its tormentors, but modern Frutmaka have a formidable ability to teleport
objects with the force of their wills. They are able to combine their ability,
and when massed together they can teleport large objects across huge distances.
The Frutmaka believe that Graveesha gave them the power to teleport objects for
the purpose of making sacrifices. They will occasionally teleport enemies to
Graveesha to maintain harmony with their god. It is not known precisely what
happens to the victims of Graveesha.

Mission: You are the High Prelate of Graveesha. It is Graveesha's will that
the
Frutmaka spread to the stars. You must guide the Frutmaka to form ships, to
cause
the substance of your planet to coalesce and shape itself into space vessels.
Do
not let your guard down. The universe is full of those in aimless motion, those
who take action with the crude, repugnant grasp of their bodily parts. History
has proven that the Frutmaka cannot trust these. Only the Frutmaka live in
enlightenment. Only the Frutmaka truly follow Graveesha's example of perfect
stillness. Only the Frutmaka bear the gift of pure action.
Shevar: Energy Sappers
Shevar are a non-organic lifeform, and masters of the dark forces of the
universe. They harness arcane powers that sap and oppose all life.

Special Ability: The Shevar are power-sappers. They can wipe out the power of
all alien ships in systems they occupy.

History: Little is known of the Shevar. They are sorcerers, masters of dark
forces from another universe. They are an inorganic lifeform—they follow most
definitions of life but are composed entirely of inorganic substances. They are
able to harness an anti-energy that draws in and consumes energy and life force.
It is believed that the Shevar came from another universe with different
physical
laws. They experimented with their arcane arts until they opened a way into
this
universe, and the pathway they opened led to a planet teeming with life. This
was an unimagined bounty to the Shevar and many of them came across to settle
the
world they found. They utterly devastated this world, destroying all other life
on the planet by feeding on its life force. They aren't purposely hostile or
evil, but their values are incomprehensible and they do not recognize the
creatures of this universe as living beings.

Mission: Know, O Sorcerer, that this world the Shevar found so long ago is not
unique in this universe. The points of light in the sky are huge balls of
superheated plasma and around many of them are worlds such as this one.

The Shevar follow your will. They must build arcane engines with which they can
find these other worlds. This universe teems with energy-food, ready for the
Shevar to absorb.
Govorom: Planet Nurturers
Govorom are spirits of nature. They transformed their once-barren home world
into a lush paradise. They are guarded but trustworthy.

Special Ability: The Govorom are nature-goddesses. You can turn your least
populated colony into a rich world.

History: The Govorom evolved on a barren desert planet. In order to survive,
they learned to preserve and nurture the scant resources of their world. They do
not have an organized society; they live apart from each other, each being a
caretaker of a small region of the planet. The regions they care for are ever-
changing and are not agreed upon but handled purely by intuition--each Govorom
knows instinctively where its region lies. Their powers grew over time until
much of their planet teemed with life. Given an already-hospitable planet, they
are able to transform it into a paradise.

Mission: Our people, the Govorom, sense the wonderful truth--that the galaxy
teems with life in a beautiful, endless variety of forms. The Govorom must
reach
the stars. There are misguided species, life forms out of balance, that pose a
threat to other life. The youngest generation of Govorom is far larger than any
previous generation. Most of these young Govorom pine for the other worlds
where, they feel in the core of their being, their duty of protection lies.
Ungooma: Travel Disruptors
Ungooma are brain parasites. Their mind-control can leave a victim uncertain of
which memories are real and which were implanted.

Special Ability: The Ungooma are mischievous. They can bump all ships in star
lanes backward to their stars of origin.

History: The Ungooma are a species of adaptive-intelligence beings that evolved
as thought-parasites and later developed their own means of thinking. Before
they became sentient they would take control of the higher animals on their
world, using the bodies and minds of their hosts for their own needs. They are
tiny, and their intellect is derived from the combined thought impulses of large
numbers of Ungooma. There are trillions of Ungooma and their combined thoughts
form many thousands of distinct composite personalities. Ungooma no longer
possess the ability to take over a host, but they retain the vestigial ability
to
exert a limited form of mind control ata distance. They are able to control
other species for brief periods, and their victims often wake up not knowing how
they came to be where they are.

Mission: The Ungooma are an intensely curious people. In recent times their
naturally high caution has given way to a growing need to let go of their
collective fear of the unknown and explore the universe around them. You are
one
of the greatest Ungooma minds, consisting of an unusually large number of
individual Ungooma. The other Ungooma collective minds look to you for
guidance.
Dubtaks: Unsportsmanlike Scientists
Dubtaks practice science in a most unsportsmanlike fashion. Nearly all of their
knowledge is stolen.

Special Ability: The Dubtaks are unsportsmanlike scientists. They can steal
any
technology known by at least two other races.

History: The Dubtaks evolved on a world full of aggressive, competitive life.
If a Bengal tiger, raging bull elephant, or adult male gorilla were set down
anywhere on this planet, it would be consumed in seconds. Although they are not
especially aggressive themselves, they survived by excelling at hiding and
watching. Their senses cover a vast spectrum of phenomena, so they can tell
that
something is headed their way when it is still far away. They move like the
wind
and their flexible bodies can fit in small holes and cracks easily.

Their history is full of covert wars of information and espionage. Their
natural
abilities and their love of technological gadgetry make them supreme stealers of
research.

Mission: Our spies report that some scientists on the Great Southern Continent
have discovered the signs of technologically advanced species on other worlds.

If our stealth masters could infiltrate the research centers of the Polar Island
and acquire their construction technology, we could combine it with our own
secret knowledge and be the first tribe of Dubtaks to contact the otherworlders.
With the exclusive knowledge of alien technological secrets, our tribe could
ensure its security. However, be cautious of the otherworlders--some of them
could be more a threat than a source of information.
Capelons: Planet Camouflagers
Capelons are adept at camouflage, self-protection, and survival. They keep
their
motives hidden and are cunning diplomats.

Special Ability: The Capelons are self-preserving. They can make all their
colonies invincible for one day.

History: The Capelons are masses of flowing fibers who can rearrange their
bodies quickly to assume any shape. They evolved on a highly predatory world
where their camouflage and shape-shifting were useful for catching their scarce,
elusive prey before competing predators could. They eventually developed the
power to repel competing predators and other threats as a telepathic extension
to
their camouflage ability. They make themselves so unnoticeable that the
threatening being forgets what it was thinking about, allowing the Capelon to
bring down its prey and make an escape. The Capelons can combine their
individual powers. A planetary population of Capelons can hide their entire
planet from notice.

Mission: You are the Hunt Leader of the Capelons. Your people have been so
successful on their own world that their numbers have swelled and prey grows
scarce. You must lead the hunt to the stars and find new worlds for Capelons to
roam. As on the home world, so must it be elsewhere. There are surely races of
hunters from other worlds, and they will threaten to leave the Capelons nothing
if you are not quicker and more cunning.
Mebes: Rapid Reproducers
Mebes are large single-celled creatures that reproduce at will. They are
extremely expansionistic and communication with them is difficult.

Special Ability: The Mebes are good at populating. They can increase the
maximum population of all their colonies.

History: The Mebes are large single-celled creatures that evolved on a warm,
sunny world. They roll around collecting food on their surfaces and absorbing
it
into their bodies. They breed rapidly by sexual reproduction. Two Mebes
exchange genetic material, then each divides to produce a new Mebe that contains
a combination of genes from each parent. Although this method of reproduction
is
quick and the offspring are immediately self-sufficient, the Mebes are very
attached to their young ones. Despite their alarming appearance, they are a
sentimental species.

Mission: You are the Great Parent. Most of the Mebes are your descendants, and
all Mebes look to you for your ancient wisdom. A sickness has been growing
amidst your people, a viral disease that ruthlessly strikes down children before
they have reached their first century. For the sake of the children, your
species must find another home. You must undertake a vast project: to escape
the
plague by spreading from your home world to the rest of the cosmos.
Oculons: Super Astronomers
Oculons are a chivalrous race of astronomers and mystics. They are fierce
enemies
and loyal friends.

Special Ability: The Oculons are ancient astronomers. They can see all star
lanes.

History: The Oculons have only the extremely acute sense of sight. They
evolved
on a thin-atmosphere planet orbiting a bright sun. Their culture is strongly
astronomical (they are essentially living telescopes) and they have amassed a
great deal of knowledge about the galaxy. They are more mystical than
intellectual, and are considered superstitious by other species. They are
endlessly fascinated with space and with other forms of life. Without yet
achieving space travel they have managed to communicate with other technological
species from remote stars in this galaxy. The average Oculon is obsessed with
nobility of action and thought, and lives by a ritualistic code of honor.

Mission: You are the Jhitan, the Far Seer of the Oculons. The fulfillment of
the Oculons' ancient longing is within grasp. From their long-distance
communication with the civilizations of other worlds, your people now know that
it is theoretically possible to construct vehicles that can explore space. No
Oculon is immune to the poetry of the stars, and your people are now obsessed
with exploring space and seeing its wonders up close. You must guide them to
develop the advances necessary to construct space ships. The wondrous sights
and
fantastic creatures of the universe await your people.
Arbryls: System Isolators
Arbryls are a gangly tree-people. They are respectful of other life, but want
more than anything to be left alone.

Special Ability: The Arbryls can disrupt the flow of space. They can block all
star lanes entering their colonized systems.

History: The Arbryls are tree-people who evolved on a huge eden planet
containing only plant life. They are peaceful, slow-moving, and highly
intelligent. They are unused to conflict and their philosophy is isolationist.
They can usually be found standing perfectly motionless for huge amounts of
time,
thinking their tree-thoughts, pondering the world. At times they conduct a
planet-wide ritual, including every Arbryl, to tune their mystic energy
vibrations to resonance. This ritual is exhausting and cathartic to them, and it
restores the balance and calm they treasure. As a side effect, their ritual of
mystic resonance sends out a spherical ripple in space and time. This ripple
expands hugely, distorting gravitational fields on an interstellar scale and
causing star lanes to contract and close.

Mission: All Arbryls have agreed. It would be good to see other worlds. It
would be good to learn about the universe. Arbryls have no experience with the
engineering needed to build space vessels, but they have incredible focus and
concentration. An Arbryl can ponder the same question for years without cease.
Many Arbryls have already anchored themselves and stand pondering the path to
space.
Marmosians: Hostility Diverters
Marmosians are territorial insects. They use complex pheromone signals to
manipulate other creatures into protecting their territory for them.

Special Ability: The Marmosians can create hatred. They can cause alien
species
to strongly dislike any species at war with them.

History: The Marmosians are territorial insect-like creatures from the inner
world of a hot sun. Their mating pheromones evolved into a general purpose
array
of complex mood-altering scent molecules that allow them to manipulate the base
emotions of other creatures. They learned to use the predators of their world
to
protect their territories, and they tend to repel attacks by causing their
enemies to fight each other. They are intellectually active but physically
lazy,
preferring to rely on the efforts of those they control.

Mission: Your species and your planet need relief from the endless territorial
bickerings that have kept your home world in a state of pandemonium for as long
as Marmosian history records. You must accomplish the daunting task of uniting
the Marmosians for the first time in their history. The alternative is
stagnation and a gradual decline into extinction. You must provide them a
common
purpose and a new beginning. The only answer is to find new homes on other
planets, to leave the legacy of your home planet behind.
Chronomyst: Lane Travelers
Chronomyst are jewel-like water creatures. Their brains are organic optical
computers, making them lightning-quick.

Special Ability: The Chronomyst can change the rate of time passage. They can
move quickly through star lanes.

History: The Chronomyst are a deeply religious and philosophical race who spend
much of their time in trance-like meditations exploring the inner space. When
one with their god, Chronos, the Chronomyst float through time and space at a
different rate than that experienced by those not ascended. They have
discovered
a way to use this to access star lanes and accelerate through them. The
Chronomyst are largely composed of organic optical components, and their
intelligence consists of light rays bending and bouncing through their internal
lenses and mirrors. Bright light heightens their mental acuity and allows them
to
focus more deeply in their communion with Chronos. Chronomyst society is
unstructured. There is a never-ending gathering called The Conclave where
individual Chronomyst come and go, reflecting light rays, defining and
communicating the evolution of their culture and beliefs. The Conclave of the
Chronomyst is one of the wondrous sights of the universe: a never-ending,
intricate dance of colored light that every Chronomyst joins for some part of
its
lifetime.

Mission: At The Conclave it becomes obvious that the Chronomyst have developed
a
strong need to follow the light of the stars. The will of Chronos is clear and
bright. Your light shines vividly at The Conclave. Guide the Chronomyst in
their quest.
Chamachies: Determined Researchers
Chamachies are six-legged reptilians. They are fascinated with technology and
gadgets, and produce brilliant engineers and fleet captains.

Special Ability: The Chamachies are brilliant scientists. They can immediately
achieve any discovery they are pursuing.

History: The Chamachies love gadgets and technology. They are able to discover
major breakthroughs quickly when under duress--stress heightens their scientific
abilities and amplifies their determination, much like adrenalin heightens
physical ability. In the recent past a huge, highly advanced alien vessel
passed
through the Chamachie system. The aliens discovered that the star lane entry
points in that system had drifted over time into an unstable configuration.
They
told the Chamachies that they could not predict when the cataclysm would occur,
but they were sure that the forces released would destroy the star and the
planets orbiting it. The knowledge of this danger sent Chamachie society into a
frenzy of scientific and technological advancement. The Chamachie stress-
response of heightened mental capability went into full force, and they have
gone
in a few decades from a pre-technological civilization to a society on the brink
of space travel.

Mission: You are the Emperor of the Chamachies. Your hereditary line has ruled
from the City of Enlightenment for centuries.

Your rule has only been strengthened by the anticipation of The Cataclysm. Your
people now stand ready to implement your plans for escape from this star system.
Nimbuloids: Expert Builders
Nimbuloids are composed of dense, cohesive gases. Their abilities to form tools
of any shape and fit into small spaces make them marvelous builders.

Special Ability: The Nimbuloids are extremely productive. They can boost the
progress on all their colonies' projects.

History: The Nimbuloids arose on a planet with a thick, reactive atmosphere.
They are composed entirely of dense, cohesive gases and move through the
atmosphere by chemically attracting and repelling the molecules of the gases in
their environment. They see reality in terms of the intersecting flow of what
they call currents: the karmic forces that, they believe, determine destiny.
With great effort, a Nimbuloid can transform matter from solidity to a greatly
expanded gaseous state and back. They are able to herd around clumps of
transformed matter and cause the clumps to coalesce into arbitrary shapes. When
a skilled Nimbuloid expends the needed energy, it can shape large, intricate
structures with awesome speed.

Mission: Your way is strong among Nimbuloids and many follow you. The currents
to the stars grow stronger and few now doubt that the way of all Nimbuloids
follows these currents. Guide your species. Show the Nimbuloids the currents
that will take them to their destiny.
System and Planet Information
Every game of Ascendancy is unique. You play—and play against—different races
each game. You can change the “atmosphere” of each game—from peaceful
coexistence to outright hostility. You can even change the number of stars in
the galaxy. However, the one thing that ensures each game is unique is the
galaxy you play in. No two will ever be the same. The planetary system that
had
three Cathedral planets last game probably won’t this time.

Some things don’t change, though. And it’s this knowledge you need to really
get
the most out of each system and planet.
System Characteristics
Ascendancy has 100 possible system names, generic labels used for each system in
the galaxy. They are:

Aglarond Ajax Albireo Algol Almaviva
Alpheratz Amoroso Aquila Arcturus Arvedui
Atropos Barataria Bindacia Binomer Bob
Bodkin Bosporus Brilliance Buntrusol Burphee
Byzantium Cambria Chippendale Chloros Corncob
Corpuscle Crell Crimea Delphinius Discordia
Drollwell Elwyssen Ephemera Eumenides Feculon
Flammifer Fletcher Fomalhaut Freblinsee Gasball
Gravitus Gridsor Hannibal Highbeam Hope
Hurble Icarus Ignatius Intransigent Lanesend
Liberty Luxor Masticon Menthol Millitrin
Mira Mukwonago Nougat Oslo Panacea
Paragon Parsimony Pendulon Philadelphia Phoebe
Pindentry Primula Pulveran Quercus Rhovid
Ribulon Sagitta Sarsaparilla Sentril Shlupp
Sirverei Smorgasbord Sophia Stavern Stella
Synthos Syntor Syzygifer Tensoric Terpsichore
Tonklinus Tonsberg Trovaricon Ungridge Unterwelt
Vega Verithil Vernunft Vishnu Wattsenfax
Willy Xerxes Yorbins Zilker Zoroaster

Each system is centered around a star. The types of stars you’ll encounter are:

Blue Giant Pink-Red Giant Red Giant Orange Giant
Blue Medium White Medium Yellow Medium Light Yellow Medium
Orange Medium Pink-Red Medium Blue Dwarf White Dwarf
Red Dwarf

The type of star in a system seems to affect the number and types of planets and
star lanes. However, I have yet to figure out this relationship.
Planetary Characteristics
There are several classes of planets in Ascendancy. These range from the barren
husk planets to the valuable—and extremely rare—cornucopia planets. Each planet
is divided into a number of squares, which can be one of five colors:

White squares are habitable squares; you can build structures on them. These
squares offer no benefit or penalty for structures built on them.

Black squares are uninhabitable. Initially, the only structures you can build
on
them are tunnels to connect other, habitable squares. Later in the game, you
can
terraform black squares, turning them into white squares.

Red squares increase the effectiveness of industry-producing structures such as
factories, metropolises, and industrial megafacilities.

Blue squares increase the effectiveness of research-producing structures such as
laboratories and research parks.

Green squares increase the effectiveness of prosperity-producing structures such
as agriplots, habitats, and the Logic Factory.

The number of each square type on a given planet depends solely on the planet’s
class and size, as shown below:

Percentage of Square Type
Planet Class Black Red Green Blue
Husk 100 0 0 0
Primordial 50 2 2 2
Congenial 20 3 5 3
Eden 0 3 20 3
Mineral 40 10 2 2
Supermineral 20 20 2 2
Chapel 40 2 2 10
Cathedral 20 3 3 20
Special 40 10 10 10
Tycoon 20 15 15 15
Cornucopia 0 33 34 33
Research
Research is the backbone of your civilization in Ascendancy. Fail to conduct
enough—or the right type—of research, and you’ll find your race outgunned and
outpaced by the other races in the galaxy…

There are 65 research topics in Ascendancy. Most tend to result in more
powerful
weapons, but others will allow you to increase your industrial output, your
research potential, or even your prosperity. The research you conduct should be
driven by your goals—for example, if your goal is military conquest, your
research should (usually) result in more powerful weaponry. However, don’t
overlook the benefits of those research topics that don’t directly relate to
your
goal! (In Ascendancy, it’s possible to have a race that’s happy—and prosperous—
under a military dictatorship!)

Remember, you can’t conduct any research until after you build your first
laboratory! And if you get tired of managing research, you can press the ‘M’
key
when in the Research Screen. Your scientists will choose new research topics
automatically until you return to the Research Screen and press the ‘M’ key
again.

The following table contains the research you can conduct in Ascendancy. The
cost for each topic is given in research points. For example, if your race is
producing 120 research points each turn, you can obtain the benefits of Action
At
A Distance in just one turn!

Research Topic Prerequisites Cost Results
Accelerated Energy Replenishment NanopropulsionMegagraph Theory 120
Action At A Distance Teleinfiltration Megagraph Theory 120 moving
parts exploiter (SP)
Advanced Chemistry Environmental Encapsulation 100 ion banger (SE)
artificial hydroponifier (PS)
Advanced Exploration Mass Phasing 230 large ship hullstar lane
hyperdrive (SP)
Advanced Fun Techniques Diplomatics 90 endless party (PA)logic factory
(PS)
Advanced Interferometry Spectral Analysis 90 invasion module (SP)
subspace phase array (SC)
Advanced Planetary Armaments Coherent Photonics Large Scale Construction
120 surface mega shield (PS)long range orbital whopper (OS)
Cloaking Advanced Interferometry 180 cloaker (SP)orbital
cloaker (OS)surface cloaker (PS)
Coherent Photonics Energy Redirection 140 ueberlaser (SW)
cannibalizer (SP)
Diplomatics Hyperlogic 100 alien hospitality (PA)observation
installation (PS)
Doom Mechanization Teleinfiltration Hyperwave Emission Control 400
disintegrator (?)self destructotron (?)
Ecosphere Phase Control Hypergeometry Planetary Replenishment 110
fertilization plant (PS)
EM Field Coupling Gravimetrics 150 electromagnetic pulser (SW)aural
cloud constructor (SC)
Energy Redirection Hyperradiation 110 deactotron (SS)recaller (SP)
sacrificial orb (SP)
Energy Focusing Coherent PhotonicsMurgatroyd’s Hypothesis 90 myrmidic
carbonizer (SP)accutron (SP)
Environmental Encapsulation Xenobiology 50 colonizer (SP)ion wrap
(SS)colony base (PS)
Fergnatz’s Last Theorem Scientific Sorcery 160 Fergnatz lens (SW)
gizmogrifier (SP)
Gravimetric Combustion Positron Guidance 100 toroidal blaster (SP)
gravimetric projector (SE)
Gravimetrics Gravity Control 110 molecular tie down (SP)orbital
docks (OS)
Gravity Control Spacetime Surfing 140 quantum singularity launcher (SW)
Gravity Flow Control Nanopropulsion 120
Hyperdrive Technology Starlane Anatomy Teleinfiltration 110 lane
megatron (SP)
Hypergeometry Fergnatz’s Last Theorem 170 hypersphere driver (SW)
hyperswapper (SP)
Hyperlogic Advanced Interferometry 140 x-ray megaglasses (SP)
intellect scrambler (SP)research campus (PS)
Hyperradiation EM Field Coupling Momentum Reflection 140 hyperwave typanum
(SC)Van Creeg hypersplicer (SG)
Hyperwave Emission Control Hyperwave Technology 110 backfirer (SP)
Hyperwave Technology HyperradiationEnergy Focusing 110 orbital mega
shield (OS)hyperwave nullifier (SS)
Illusory Machinations NanofocusingAccelerated Energy Replenishment 300
Inertial Control Matter Duplication Starlane Anatomy 140 inertial
negator (SE)
Interplanetary Travel Orbital Structures 50 proton shaver (SG)small &
medium ship hulls
Large Scale Construction Advanced Exploration Gravimetric Combustion
100 metroplex (PS)gigantic ship hulls
Level Logic Hyperlogic 75 scientist takeover (PA)
Light Bending Gravity Control 160 replenisher (SP)wave scatterer
(SS)
Mass Phasing Gravimetrics 100 gravimetric catapult (SP)
Matter Duplication Momentum Reflection Superstring Compression 90
cloning plant (PS)disarmer (SP)
Megagraph Technology Fergnatz’s Last Theorem 120 internet (PS)
Microbotics Matter Duplication 110 automation
Molecular Explosives Power Conversion Spectral Analysis 120 mass
condenser (SP)phase bomb (SP)
Momentum Deconservation Spacetime Surfing 140 concussion shield (SS)
Momentum Reflection Momentum Deconservation 130 gravity distorter
(SP)
Murgatroyd’s Hypothesis Level Logic Superstring Compression 110 short
range orbital whopper (OS)Murgatroyd’s Knower (SC)gyro-inductor (SP)
Nanoenergons Fegnatz’s Last Theorem Hyperwave Technology 170 nanowave
decoupling net (SC)nanotwirler (SG)
Nanodeflection Inertial ControlNanofocusing 240
Nanofocusing Nanoenergons 240
Nanopropulsion NanoenergonsHyperdrive Technology 200
Orbital Structures 50 shipyard (OS)orbital shield (OS)
Planetary Replenishment Environmental Encapsulation Gravimetric Combustion 80
habitat (PS)terraforming
Plasmatics Subatomics 150 plasmatron (SW)plasma coupler (SP)
Positron Guidance Molecular Explosives 100 positron bouncer (SP)
industrial megafacility (PS)
Power Conversion Spacetime Surfing 100 subatomic scoop (SG)
orbital missile base (OS)
Repulsion Beam Technology Energy Focusing 110 fleet disperser (SP)
Scientific Sorcery Murgatroyd’s Hypothesis 90 smart bomb (SP)
containment device (SP)
Self Modifying Structures Hyperdrive TechnologyNanofocusing 120
Snooping Hyperwave Emission Control Thought Analysis 120 lane
endoscope (SP)
Spacetime Surfing Tonklin DiaryInterplanetary Travel 90 star lane
drives (SP)
Spectral Analysis Tonklin Diary 120 Fourier missiles (SW)
Starlane Anatomy Plasmatics Energy Redirection 75 lane blocker (SP)
lane destabilizer (SP)
Stasis Field Science Hyperradiation 75 tractor beam (PS)brunswik
dissipator (SP)tractor beam (SP)
Strong Force Weakening Power Conversion 70 molecular disassociator
(SW)
Subatomics Positron Guidance 110 quark express (SG)hyperpower
plant (PS)
Superconductivity Tonklin Diary 100 mass barrage gun (SW)surface
shield (PS)
Superstring Compression Plasmatics 70 hyperfuel (SP)
Teleinfiltration Megagraph TheoryThought Analysis 110 shield
blaster (SP)specialty blaster (SP)
Thought Analysis Level Logic 110 engineering retreat (PS)
Tonklin Diary 50 Tonklin motor (SE)Tonklin frequency analyzer (SC)
Xenobiology 90 xeno archeological dig (PS)

The symbols used in the results column tell what type of result was obtained, as
follows:

(PS) planetary structure (OS) orbital structure (PA) planetary activity
(PW) planetary weapon (SC) ship scanner
(SW) ship weapon (SG) ship generator (SP) ship special (SS) ship
shield (SE) ship engine
Gizmos and Structures
Unfortunately, Ascendancy doesn’t supply much hard data on the gizmos and
structures you can build. However, all of the devices from the game are listed,
along with their specifications
and the associated descriptive text in the .COB files. Here are the
descriptions
and statistics for the ship gizmos and planetary structures in Ascendancy.

Unfortunately, the .COB files give two rows of information for many items. (I
suspect the second row are statistics for devices when used by computer players,
but haven’t been able to prove it yet.) I’ve included both rows—if you
determine
when the second row comes into play, please let me know!
Gizmo Nomenclature
Each item is displayed as follows:

Name
Cat Power Range Level NumUses Industry Special1 Special2
Description

Cat is the category the item belongs to, as follows:

Weapon 0
Shield 1
Drive 2
Scanner 3
Generator 4
Special 5

The other numbers are interpreted according to the context of the category
(specials will have various uses for these parameters, and it is up to the
special case code that drives that gizmo to use the parameters as needed):

Power: For weapons, shields, drives, scanners, and most specials, this is the
cost of operating the device. For generators, this is the power supplied by the
generator.

Range: The maximum range of weapons and scanners.

Level: For weapons, damage. For shields, strength. For scanners, range per
turn. For drives, the maximum distance that can be traveled.

NumUses: The number of times an item can be used per turn. Zero indicates that
there is no limitation to the number of times an item can be used.

Industry: The cost in industry points to build the item. For ship gizmos, this
is added to the overall cost for building the ship.

Special1: For future use. Entirely context dependent.

Special2: For future use. Entirely context dependent.
Ship Gizmos
You’ve spent time developing the technology for the lane endoscope…now, what
does
it do? What’s its effective range? How powerful is it? The following
information should give you the information you need to plan your attacks and
outfit your ships with the devices you’ll find most useful for your goals…
Mass Barrage Gun
Cat Power Range Level NumUses Industry Special1 Special2
0 1 25 1 1 10 0 0
0 1 25 1 1 15 0 0

The Mass Barrage Gun launches a spray of projectiles from its electromagnetic
accelerators. It is cheap to build and uses little power—the projectiles are
low-
tech spheres of solid metal that rely on kinetic energy to do damage. It is
easy
to deflect, slow to reload, and has a short range.
Fourier Missiles
Cat Power Range Level NumUses Industry Special1 Special2
0 1 40 2 1 20 0 0
0 1 40 2 1 25 0 0

Fourier Missiles use image recognition to identify vulnerable areas of a ship.
They require little power to fire, but they reload slowly and don't do much
damage.
Quantum Singularity Launcher
Cat Power Range Level NumUses Industry Special1 Special2
0 2 25 4 1 30 0 0
0 2 25 4 1 40 0 0

The Quantum Singularity Launcher generates and fires tiny black
holes--infinitely
small but incredibly massive objects that easily punch through an Ion Wrap
field. The disadvantages of this weapon are its short range and long recharge
time.
Molecular Disassociator
Cat Power Range Level NumUses Industry Special1 Special2
0 2 50 4 1 40 0 0
0 2 50 4 1 50 0 0

The Molecular Disassociator generates a cloud that weakens the molecular bonds
in
matter. This tends to corrode the target rapidly. Its main drawback is that it
takes a long time to form a fully charged cloud.
Electromagnetic Pulser
Cat Power Range Level NumUses Industry Special1 Special2
0 1 50 1 5 50 0 0
0 1 50 1 5 60 0 0

The Electromagnetic Pulser produces electromagnetic pulses that disrupt delicate
technological equipment. It does little structural damage but it strobes very
quickly, producing many pulses in a short time that can overload and destroy the
target ship.
Plasmatron
Cat Power Range Level NumUses Industry Special1 Special2
0 2 100 4 1 50 0 0
0 2 100 4 1 70 0 0

The Plasmatron fires extremely long range bolts of super-heated plasma. It
takes
a long time to recharge.
Ueberlaser
Cat Power Range Level NumUses Industry Special1 Special2
0 3 50 6 2 70 0 0

The Ueberlaser is a high-power pulse laser that cuts instantly through an
unshielded ship hull. It uses a lot of power but does heavy damage.
Fergnatz Lens
Cat Power Range Level NumUses Industry Special1 Special2
0 0 35 4 2 50 0 0
0 0 35 4 2 70 0 0

The Fergnatz Lens passively collects and focuses cosmic energies at its target.
It requires no power to operate.
Hypersphere Driver
Cat Power Range Level NumUses Industry Special1 Special2
0 6 75 10 2 100 0 0

The Hypersphere Driver creates unstable bubbles in spacetime that extend into
higher dimensions. When these bubbles intersect normal matter they collapse,
pinching off the matter inside another dimension. They have a very long range
and inflict massive damage. This weapon is extremely expensive to produce and
gobbles power.
Nanomanipulator
Cat Power Range Level NumUses Industry Special1 Special2
0 6 50 13 3 100 0 0

The Nanomanipulator fires bursts of highly focused nanoenergon flux. The flux
induces a chaotic nanowave upon impact that rips through the target,
destructively jumbling alternate realities together. It is hugely destructive,
fires in quick bursts, and uses a lot of power.
Ion Wrap
Cat Power Range Level NumUses Industry Special1 Special2
1 1 0 1 0 10 0 0

The Ion Wrap is a low-grade particle defense shield. Like most shields, it only
consumes power when it is active.
Concussion Shield
Cat Power Range Level NumUses Industry Special1 Special2
1 2 0 4 0 30 0 0
1 2 0 2 0 30 0 0

The Concussion Shield surrounds a ship with a flexible energy barrier that
absorbs kinetic impulses and spreads them over its entire surface. Like most
shields, it only consumes power when it is active.
Wave Scatterer
Cat Power Range Level NumUses Industry Special1 Special2
1 0 0 2 0 50 0 0
1 0 0 1 0 50 0 0

The Wave Scatterer is an energy dispersion mechanism that passively diffracts
and
scatters energy waves as they make contact with a ship's hull. The Wave
Scatterer
is a weak defense, but unlike most shields it consumes no power.
Deactotron
Cat Power Range Level NumUses Industry Special1 Special2
1 3 0 10 0 50 0 0
1 2 0 3 0 60 0 0

The Deactotron is a high-tech active defense module. When it detects the
approach of particle or energy projectiles, it reacts by ejecting an appropriate
countermeasure. Like most shields, it only consumes power when it is active.
Hyperwave Nullifier
Cat Power Range Level NumUses Industry Special1 Special2
1 6 0 13 0 100 0 0
1 4 0 4 0 100 0 0

The Hyperwave Nullifier surrounds a ship with a space-distorting hyperwave
field. The field causes incoming projectiles to slide around the hull of their
target and miss it completely. Like most shields, the Hyperwave Nullifier only
consumes power when it is active.
Nanoshell
Cat Power Range Level NumUses Industry Special1 Special2
1 3 0 15 0 200 0 0
1 3 0 5 0 200 0 0

The Nanoshell simply creates a dense barrier of Nanoenergons around a ship. Few
weapons are able to penetrate it. Like most shields, it only consumes power
when
it is active.
Tonklin Motor
Cat Power Range Level NumUses Industry Special1 Special2
2 1 0 2 0 10 0 0

The Tonklin Motor is a weak engine based on an elegant quirk of momentum theory.
It is very inexpensive to construct.
Ion Banger
Cat Power Range Level NumUses Industry Special1 Special2
2 1 0 4 0 30 0 0

The Ion Banger sucks in ions from surrounding space and smashes them into each
other at high speeds, creating a propulsive force. It is significantly more
powerful than the Tonklin Motor.
Graviton Projector
Cat Power Range Level NumUses Industry Special1 Special2
2 3 0 6 0 40 0 0

The Graviton Projector sprays a gravity field in front of a ship, pulling it
perpetually forward. The Graviton Projector is more powerful than the Ion
Banger.
Inertia Negator
Cat Power Range Level NumUses Industry Special1 Special2
2 0 0 2 0 20 0 0
2 1 0 6 0 20 0 0

The Inertia Negator generates an anti-mass field that allows a ship to float
lightly through space. It is about as strong as the Graviton Projector, but it
consumes much less power.
Nanowave Space Bender
Cat Power Range Level NumUses Industry Special1 Special2
2 5 0 10 0 80 0 0

The Nanowave Space Bender projects a wide-band field of nanoenergy that warps
the
space around a ship, allowing it to slide rapidly in any direction. It is a
very
powerful engine.
Tonklin Frequency Analyzer
Cat Power Range Level NumUses Industry Special1 Special2
3 0 25 3 0 20 0 0
3 0 25 1 0 20 0 0

The Tonklin Frequency Analyzer scans energy leakages from a ship to determine
information about its status. Its range is relatively short. It is always
active and consumes no power.
Subspace Phase Array
Cat Power Range Level NumUses Industry Special1 Special2
3 0 50 3 0 40 0 0
3 0 50 1 0 40 0 0

The Subspace Phase Array detects subtle variations in the space flow around a
ship. It is able to detect a ship's status information at short to medium
range. It is always active and consumes no power.
Aural Cloud Constructor
Cat Power Range Level NumUses Industry Special1 Special2
3 0 75 3 0 60 0 0
3 0 75 2 0 60 0 0

The Aural Cloud Constructor is a medium range scanner that projects an aural
cloud through surrounding space, observing vibrations in the cloud to detect the
status of other ships. It is always active and consumes no power.
Hyperwave Tympanum
Cat Power Range Level NumUses Industry Special1 Special2
3 0 100 3 0 80 0 0

The Hyperwave Tympanum is a long range scanner that is able to detect the
minutest variations in the hyperwave ether and analyze them to obtain status
information about other ships. It is always active and consumes no power.
Murgatroyd's Knower
Cat Power Range Level NumUses Industry Special1 Special2
3 0 200 3 0 100 0 0
3 0 200 4 0 100 0 0

Murgatroyd's Knower is a very long range scanner that uses a combination of
advanced technologies to determine the status of other ships. It is always
active and consumes no power.
Nanowave Decoupling Net
Cat Power Range Level NumUses Industry Special1 Special2
3 0 1000 3 0 200 0 0

The Nanowave Decoupling Net harvests coupled nanowaves from surrounding space
and
analyzes them to learn the status of other ships. Its range is practically
unlimited. It is always active and consumes no power.
Proton Shaver
Cat Power Range Level NumUses Industry Special1 Special2
4 2 0 1 0 20 0 0

The Proton Shaver is a power generator that operates by extracting small
quantities of protons from heavy atomic nuclei and converting them to energy.
It
is inexpensive but produces little power.
Subatomic Scoop
Cat Power Range Level NumUses Industry Special1 Special2
4 4 0 2 0 35 0 0

The Subatomic Scoop sucks subatomic particles from surrounding space and
converts
them to energy. It is a stronger generator than the Proton Shaver.
Quark Express
Cat Power Range Level NumUses Industry Special1 Special2
4 6 0 3 0 60 0 0

The Quark Express uses a little-understood technology to squeeze energy from
various sub-subatomic particles. It is a powerful generator.
Van Creeg Hypersplicer
Cat Power Range Level NumUses Industry Special1 Special2
4 8 0 4 0 80 0 0

The Van Creeg Hypersplicer merges mixed-frequency hyperwaves and collects the
energy bleed-off. It is a very powerful generator.
Nanotwirler
Cat Power Range Level NumUses Industry Special1 Special2
4 10 0 5 0 100 0 0

The Nanotwirler puts a stream of Nanoenergons into sympathetic resonant motion,
and channels off the energy they release from each other. It generates even
more
power than the Van Creeg Hypersplicer.
Lane Blocker
Cat Power Range Level NumUses Industry Special1 Special2
5 3 40 0 1 30 0 0
5 3 40 0 1 30 0 0

The Lane Blocker is fired into a star lane opening where it sits, elevating the
inherent gravitational turbulence of the opening to the point where Star Lane
Drives and Star Lane Hyperdrives can no longer overcome it.
Molecular Tie Down
Cat Power Range Level NumUses Industry Special1 Special2
5 7 25 0 1 20 0 0
5 7 50 0 1 20 0 0

When fired at a ship, the Molecular Tie Down temporarily immobilizes it by
damping the reactions powering its engines. This affects all known normal
engines--even the powerful Nanowave Space Bender.
Intellect Scrambler
Cat Power Range Level NumUses Industry Special1 Special2
5 7 25 0 1 20 0 0
5 7 50 0 1 20 0 0

When fired at a ship, the Intellect Scrambler partially wipes the minds of that
ship's crew, eradicating their skills and memory of the recent past. It can
turn
an experienced crew into a group of bumbling rookies.
Brunswik Dissipator
Cat Power Range Level NumUses Industry Special1 Special2
5 15 25 0 1 100 0 0
5 15 50 0 1 100 0 0

When the Brunswik Dissipator is fired at a ship, it temporarily drains the
target
ship's generators, leaving it powerless. It is costly to construct and power
hungry.
Recaller
Cat Power Range Level NumUses Industry Special1 Special2
5 7 0 0 0 40 0 0

The Recaller creates an unstable shunt through star lane space to a ship's home
system. The ship using the Recaller moves instantly into the shunt and arrives
immediately at its home system.
Disarmer
Cat Power Range Level NumUses Industry Special1 Special2
5 5 40 0 1 30 0 0
5 5 60 0 1 30 0 0

The Disarmer was first designed as a weapon of peace--it selectively destroys
weapons without causing other damage. It uses visual pattern recognition and
analysis of energy output to identify a weapon on the target ship, then it
causes
that weapon to overload and destroy itself.
Smart Bomb
Cat Power Range Level NumUses Industry Special1 Special2
5 7 0 7 0 30 15 0

The Smart Bomb uses advanced empathic biosensor technology to determine the
relationships between the ship using it and the other ships present in the star
system. Once activated, it fires in multiple directions at every ship it has
determined to be hostile, doing heavy damage comparable to that of an
Ueberlaser. One use expends it.
Gravity Distorter
Cat Power Range Level NumUses Industry Special1 Special2
5 4 0 0 1 20 30 0
5 4 0 0 1 20 65 0

The Gravity Distorter creates a gravitational wave front that emanates from the
ship using the device. This pushes small objects, such as space vessels, away
from the ship that used the Distorter.
Fleet Disperser
Cat Power Range Level NumUses Industry Special1 Special2
5 5 100 0 1 30 5 0
5 5 120 0 1 30 45 0

The Fleet Disperser is fired at another ship. Its effect is similar to that of
the Gravity Distorter in that it creates a gravitational ripple that repels
other
ships away from its target. It has an extremely long range.
X Ray Megaglasses
Cat Power Range Level NumUses Industry Special1 Special2
5 7 50 0 0 100 0 0
5 3 120 0 0 30 0 0

Passive. always in effect, takes no power. The X Ray Megaglasses allow you to
view the contents of any ship you are able to scan. They require no power to
maintain but are fairly expensive to build. Used in conjunction with powerful
scanners, they can be very informative.
Cloaker
Cat Power Range Level NumUses Industry Special1 Special2
5 0 0 0 0 30 0 0
5 3 0 0 0 30 0 0

The vibrating crystals of the Cloaker produce a broad spectrum of noise and
interference that blocks all sensors from gathering information about the
cloaked
ship. The device requires no power and is always in effect once it is added to
a
ship.
Star Lane Drive
Cat Power Range Level NumUses Industry Special1 Special2
5 0 0 1 0 25 0 0

The Star Lane Drive is the key to interstellar exploration. This device is
activated by the energies emanating from the opening to a star lane, and
requires
no power to operate. It allows the ship to overcome the barrier of
gravitational
turbulence at the opening and slip into star lane space. The more Star Lane
Drives a ship contains, the faster it will slide through star lane space.
Star Lane Hyperdrive
Cat Power Range Level NumUses Industry Special1 Special2
5 0 0 2 0 50 0 0

The Star Lane Hyperdrive is a more powerful version of the Star Lane Drive that
improves speed through star lane space. Although regular Star Lane Drives allow
slow travel through red links, the Hyperdrive makes the use of red links
practical. Star Lane Hyperdrives are much more costly to produce than Star Lane
Drives.
Positron Bouncer
Cat Power Range Level NumUses Industry Special1 Special2
5 2 60 0 1 10 15 0
5 2 60 0 1 10 100 0

The accelerators inside the Positron Bouncer produce a high-momentum blob of
particles. When fired at a ship, the particles impart their momentum to the
ship, buffeting it away without damaging it. The
Positron Bouncer consumes little power and is cheap to build.
Gravimetric Catapult
Cat Power Range Level NumUses Industry Special1 Special2
5 3 0 0 1 15 0 0
5 3 0 0 1 15 0 0

The Gravimetric Catapult causes the ship using it to experience temporarily
exaggerated gravitational force. The ship is pulled toward the strongest
gravity
well in the vicinity--the nearest sun. The ship whips past the sun, stopping
opposite its previous position when it has run out of momentum.
Myrmidonic Carbonizer
Cat Power Range Level NumUses Industry Special1 Special2
5 4 40 20 1 70 20 0
5 4 40 20 1 70 20 0

The Myrmidonic Carbonizer fires a burst of energy that grows in strength for a
while then dissipates. There is an ideal range for the Carbonizer, at which it
is the most powerful weapon known. It is a complex and expensive piece of
machinery.
Containment Device
Cat Power Range Level NumUses Industry Special1 Special2
5 5 40 0 1 50 0 0
5 5 50 0 1 50 0 0

The Containment Device destroys one colonizer or invasion module, just as the
Disarmer destroys one weapon. It is intended to be a peaceful weapon—like the
Disarmer, it only causes harm to machinery—used to protect planets from
invasion.
Shield Blaster
Cat Power Range Level NumUses Industry Special1 Special2
5 7 25 0 1 30 0 0
5 7 50 0 1 30 0 0

The Shield Blaster temporarily shuts down the defensive systems of the target
ship, leaving it vulnerable to attack.
Backfirer
Cat Power Range Level NumUses Industry Special1 Special2
5 10 25 0 1 60 0 0
5 10 50 0 1 60 0 0

The Backfirer causes all the weapons aboard the target ship to simultaneously
unleash their destructive potential--unaimed, uncontrolled, and chaotically.
The
more weapons the target ship carries, the more it is damaged by its own weapons.
Lane Destabilizer
Cat Power Range Level NumUses Industry Special1 Special2
5 7 25 0 1 40 0 0
5 7 40 0 1 40 0 0

When fired at a star lane or red link opening, the Lane Destabilizer induces
gravity waves at the resonant frequency of the star lane. This causes the ships
inside the star lane to be thrown quickly toward their destination point. The
Lane Destabilizer itself is destroyed in the process.
Tractor Beam
Cat Power Range Level NumUses Industry Special1 Special2
5 3 100 0 1 30 0 0
5 3 120 0 1 30 65 0

The Tractor Beam allows a ship to pull another ship toward it. It has a very
long range and uses little power.
Cannibalizer
Cat Power Range Level NumUses Industry Special1 Special2
5 0 0 0 1 20 0 0
5 0 0 0 1 20 5 20

The Cannibalizer is an emergency device that allows a ship to convert some of
the
mass of its own hull into an energy reserve. This is destructive to the ship,
so
it is usually used only in a last ditch effort to survive.
Moving Part Exploiter
Cat Power Range Level NumUses Industry Special1 Special2
5 10 25 0 1 60 0 0
5 10 50 0 1 60 0 0

Through a combination of ultrasonic vibration, spacetime micro-distortion, and
luck destabilization magitechnology, the Moving Part Exploiter causes devices to
break down explosively. The more intricate and advanced the equipment on the
target ship, the more internal damage it suffers from equipment malfunction.
This device is costly to build and consumes a lot of power.
Hyperswapper
Cat Power Range Level NumUses Industry Special1 Special2
5 3 100 0 1 20 0 0
5 3 120 0 1 20 0 0

The Hyperswapper creates a standing hyperwave field between a ship and its
target, producing a massive space disturbance that causes them to swap
positions. It operates at an extremely long range, uses little power, and is
cheap to produce.
Gravimetric Condensor
Cat Power Range Level NumUses Industry Special1 Special2
5 5 0 0 1 30 15 10
5 5 0 0 1 30 65 10

The Gravimetric Condensor momentarily increases the gravitational field strength
of a star, causing all the ships in the system to be pulled toward the star with
great force.
Accutron
Cat Power Range Level NumUses Industry Special1 Special2
5 7 0 0 1 60 0 0
5 7 0 0 1 60 0 0

The Accutron is a massive space analysis and targeting system that increases the
effective range of all the weapons on a ship. It is fairly costly to build, but
can provide a strong advantage in battle.
Remote Repair Facility
Cat Power Range Level NumUses Industry Special1 Special2
5 10 0 0 0 70 5 0
5 30 0 0 0 70 5 0

The Remote Repair Facility allows a ship to repair damage without having to
enter
Orbital Docks. It consists of automated systems spreading throughout the ship,
engineered so finely that the repair process resembles organic healing. It uses
a lot of power when activated, and adding it to a ship is an
expensive project.
Sacrificial Orb
Cat Power Range Level NumUses Industry Special1 Special2
5 3 50 0 0 20 6 0
5 3 60 0 0 20 6 0

The Sacrificial Orb is a magitechnological device that allows a ship to repair
damage to another ship by absorbing that damage itself. It should be used with
caution--some inattentive captains have managed to scuttle their own flagships
with it!
Lane Magnetron
Cat Power Range Level NumUses Industry Special1 Special2
5 10 25 0 1 50 0 0
5 10 50 0 1 50 0 0

The Lane Magnetron frees the ship using it from the gravitational turbulence-
induced drag normally encountered in star lane space, allowing the ship to slip
through the star lane almost instantly. The Lane Magnetron uses fully as much
power as a Nanotwirler produces and can be used only once.
Disintegrator
Cat Power Range Level NumUses Industry Special1 Special2
5 25 25 0 1 150 0 0
5 25 25 0 1 150 0 0

The Disintegrator ejects a cloud of infinitesimal bubbles of alternate reality
that cause a chain reaction in the target ship, spreading it atom by atom across
infinite alternate timelines. The cloud has no substance and cannot be blocked
by normal defenses. The Disintegrator can be used only once, is extremely
expensive to build, and uses an immense amount of power. It must be used at
close range.
Lane Endoscope
Cat Power Range Level NumUses Industry Special1 Special2
5 10 25 0 0 20 0 0
5 10 50 0 0 20 0 0

The Lane Endoscope allows astronomical instruments to penetrate star lane space
and scan the system at the other end of a star lane or red link opening. It
requires a lot of power to use.
Torroidal Blaster
Cat Power Range Level NumUses Industry Special1 Special2
5 0 0 0 1 20 40 0
5 0 0 0 1 20 40 0

The Toroidal Blaster gives the ship using it a huge boost in engine performance,
but it is hard on the engines and usually damages some of them. It draws all
the
power it needs from the engines and needs no generator power.
Gizmogrifier
Cat Power Range Level NumUses Industry Special1 Special2
5 4 40 0 1 30 0 0
5 4 60 0 1 30 0 0

Like the Disarmer, the Specialty Blaster, and the Containment Device, the
Gizmogrifier is specialized to damage equipment without inflicting any other
harm. It performs a general purpose version of this concept, and it will
destroy
the first major device it locks onto.
Replenisher
Cat Power Range Level NumUses Industry Special1 Special2
5 8 0 0 1 60 0 0

The Replenisher fully recharges all of the weapons aboard a ship. Its
installation is involved and expensive, but it can be a lifesaver in an intense
battle.
Specialty Blaster
Cat Power Range Level NumUses Industry Special1 Special2
5 5 40 0 1 30 0 0
5 5 60 0 1 30 0 0

The Specialty Blaster destroys one specialized device, just as the Disarmer
destroys one weapon. Like the Disarmer, it recognizes a particular type of
device and disables it with precision and a minimum of destructive force.
Gyro-Inductor
Cat Power Range Level NumUses Industry Special1 Special2
5 0 0 0 0 20 0 0
5 0 0 0 1 20 10 0

The Gyro-Inductor allows a ship to generate power when it travels up the
gravitational gradient of a planet. When the ship leaves orbit, the Gyro-
Inductor creates power. It uses no power and takes effect
automatically.
Plasma Coupler
Cat Power Range Level NumUses Industry Special1 Special2
5 4 50 0 1 20 0 0
5 4 70 0 1 20 0 0

The Plasma Coupler allows a ship to beam some of its power to another ship
across
a long distance.
Invulnerablizer
Cat Power Range Level NumUses Industry Special1 Special2
5 20 0 0 1 60 0 0
5 20 0 0 1 60 0 0

The Invulnerablizer sets up a temporary high-magitechnology shield around the
ship using it. While it lasts, the shield will not allow the ship to come to
harm. It consumes little power but it is costly to
build and can be used only once.
Phase Bomb
Cat Power Range Level NumUses Industry Special1 Special2
5 4 25 0 1 40 0 0
5 4 25 0 1 40 0 0

The Phase Bomb is launched at a planet and destroys structures on the planet's
surface. It can be used only once and must be launched at short range.
Colonizer
Cat Power Range Level NumUses Industry Special1 Special2
5 5 0 0 0 35 0 0

The Colonizer allows a ship to create a colony on an unoccupied planet. It
carries a group of trained settlers and a prefabricated Colony Base that
provides
the tools necessary to grow a self-sufficient colony. The Colonizer is deployed
from orbit and can be used only once.
Self Destructotron
Cat Power Range Level NumUses Industry Special1 Special2
5 0 0 20 0 50 0 0
5 0 40 20 0 50 20 0

The Self Destructotron is a desperation device. It destroys the ship using it
by
converting most of the ship's mass to energy, creating a huge explosion that
greatly damages other ships nearby.
Invasion Module
Cat Power Range Level NumUses Industry Special1 Special2
5 10 0 0 0 70 0 0

The Invasion Module transports a planetary infiltration team and their
camouflaged base of operations to a planet's surface from orbit. It can be
destroyed by a planetary Surface Shield unless multiple Invasion Modules are
launched to overload the Surface Shield's tracking ability. It is expensive to
assemble and can be used only once.
Mass Condensor
Cat Power Range Level NumUses Industry Special1 Special2
5 8 100 0 1 50 20 5
5 8 120 0 1 50 50 5

The Mass Condensor operates as the Gravitational Distorter, except that it is
targeted at a ship. All ships will be attracted toward the affected ship. It
works at a long range and consumes a lot of power.
Hyperfuel
Cat Power Range Level NumUses Industry Special1 Special2
5 0 0 0 0 20 40 0
5 0 0 0 0 20 40 0

Hyperfuel is a one-time-use power reserve of great capacity. It is a cheap,
disposable source of power.
Planetary Structure Nomenclature
Each item is displayed as follows:

Name
Ind Res Pros MPop UPop Cost
Description

Ind: The amount of industry that results from the structure being built.

Res: The amount of research that results from the structure being built.

Pros: The amount of prosperity that results from the structure being built.

MPop: Number of people structure can house.

UPop: Number of people required to build and maintain the structure.

Cost: Cost (in industry points) to build the structure.
Planetary Structures
Need to know the statistics for an orbital long-range whopper? Here you go…
Factory
Ind Res Pros MPop UPop Cost
1 0 0 0 1 30

The Factory is a common structure on most colonized planets. Factories increase
a colony's industry, which helps speed the completion of planetary projects.
Agriplot
Ind Res Pros MPop UPop Cost
0 0 1 0 1 30
0 0 2 0 1 30

The Agriplot is a high-productivity farming area. Agriplots increase a colony's
prosperity, which causes its population to grow more quickly.
Laboratory
Ind Res Pros MPop UPop Cost
0 1 0 0 1 50

The Laboratory is a center for research and development. Laboratories provide
research, which allows a species to make technological discoveries.
Habitat
Ind Res Pros MPop UPop Cost
0 0 0 3 0 160
0 0 2 3 1 160

The Habitat is a high-density living and working complex with a precisely
controlled internal climate. Habitats provide a colony with prosperity, and
also
allow room for additional population.
Metroplex
Ind Res Pros MPop UPop Cost
1 1 1 1 1 90

The Metroplex is an urban center with industrial, technological, and residential
capacities.
Colony Base
Ind Res Pros MPop UPop Cost
1 0 1 2 1 120

This is the structure that is placed when you first colonize a planet. You
should not be able to build this, nor should you be able to destroy it.
Industrial Megafacility
Ind Res Pros MPop UPop Cost
3 0 0 0 2 80
3 0 0 0 1 110

The Industrial Megafacility is a huge, self-reliant production plant. Its
industrial output is greater than that of a Factory.
Artificial Hydroponifer
Ind Res Pros MPop UPop Cost
0 0 3 0 2 80
0 0 3 0 1 100

The Artificial Hydroponifer is a super-efficient nourishment production
facility. Its prosperity output is greater than that of an Agriplot.
Research Campus
Ind Res Pros MPop UPop Cost
0 3 0 0 2 150
0 3 0 0 1 160

The Research Campus is a well-equipped experimentation center. It is of more
research value than a Laboratory.
Logic Factory
Ind Res Pros MPop UPop Cost
0 1 1 0 1 80

The Logic Factory is a research complex that specializes in the entertainment
and
happiness of sentient beings. It provides both research and prosperity.
Engineering Retreat
Ind Res Pros MPop UPop Cost
1 1 0 0 1 80

The Engineering Retreat is an academized production plant where engineers devise
improvements in logistics and production methods. It provides a colony with
industry as well as research.
Surface Cloaker
Ind Res Pros MPop UPop Cost
0 0 0 0 1 40

The Surface Cloaker uses high-frequency diffraction generators to make a planet
surface practically invisible to alien ships.
Hyperpower Plant
Ind Res Pros MPop UPop Cost
0 0 0 0 1 30
0 0 0 0 1 200

The Hyperpower Plant is a marvel of high technology. By generating power for
all
of a colony's industry structures, it significantly increases the colony's
entire
industrial output. There is no need for more than one Hyperpower Plant on any
colony.
Fertilization Plant
Ind Res Pros MPop UPop Cost
0 0 0 0 1 30
0 0 0 0 1 200

The Fertilization Plant produces vast quantities of agricultural and hydroponics
supplies. It boosts the prosperity of an entire colony. There is no need for
more than one Fertilization Plant on any colony.
Internet
Ind Res Pros MPop UPop Cost
0 0 0 0 1 30
0 0 0 0 1 250

The Internet provides a colony with a high-speed information and data transfer
system. It greatly improves the progress made by a colony's research centers.
There is no need to build more than one Internet on any colony.
Cloning Plant
Ind Res Pros MPop UPop Cost
0 0 0 0 1 250

The Cloning Plant organically duplicates new members of a planet's population.
There is no need to build more than one Cloning Plant on any planet.
Observation Installation
Ind Res Pros MPop UPop Cost
0 0 0 0 1 40

0 0 0 0 1 40 20 255
The Observation Installation scans nearby alien ships. There is no need to
build
more than one Observation Installation on any planet.
Tractor Beam Element
Ind Res Pros MPop UPop Cost
0 0 0 0 1 50

The Tractor Beam generates a powerful stasis field to overcome a ship's drives
and pull it toward a planet. You can use a planet's Tractor Beam in the System
Display by selecting the planet and then selecting the Tractor Beam from its
item
list.
Surface Shield
Ind Res Pros MPop UPop Cost
0 0 0 0 1 30
0 0 0 0 1 100

The Surface Shield houses defense armaments that protect a colony against alien
invasion. Several Surface Shields may be necessary to defend against large
invasion forces.
Surface Mega Shield
Ind Res Pros MPop UPop Cost
0 0 0 0 1 100
0 0 0 0 1 180

The Surface Mega Shield is a powerful defense against alien invasion. It uses
protective ion fields to augment the endurance of its defense armaments. It is
much more valuable than the normal Surface
Shield, but certainly not invulnerable.
Outpost
Ind Res Pros MPop UPop Cost
0 0 1 1 0 120
0 0 0 1 1 120

0 0 1 1 0 120 255 255
0 0 0 1 1 120 255 6 255
The Outpost is an important structure for colonies on small or minimally
habitable planets. It provides living facilities for additional population.
Transport Tubes
Ind Res Pros MPop UPop Cost
0 0 0 0 0 10
0 0 0 0 1 10

Transport Tubes allow colony structures to spread quickly over the surface of a
planet. They are easy to produce, require no maintenance, and can even be
constructed on black squares.
Shipyard
Ind Res Pros MPop UPop Cost
1 0 0 0 2 240
1 0 0 0 1 240

The Shipyard is an enormous orbital center for the production of space ships.
Though expensive to construct, it is a necessary first step toward space
exploration. A colony must have a Shipyard in order to build ships.
Ship
Ind Res Pros MPop UPop Cost
0 0 0 0 1 20

Ships are the key to the exploration of space. Each Ship can be designed
differently, and can hold various types of equipment that allow it to do such
things as travel, engage in combat, and colonize or invade planets.
Orbital Docks
Ind Res Pros MPop UPop Cost
1 0 0 0 2 200
1 0 0 0 1 170

Orbital Docks provide a maintenance platform for the repair and refitting of
ships. Any ship orbiting a colony with Orbital Docks can be refitted. When a
ship is refitted, its contents may be changed, and its hull is repaired.
Orbital Cloaker
Ind Res Pros MPop UPop Cost
1 0 0 0 1 40
0 0 0 0 1 40

The Orbital Cloaker uses modified diffraction generators to disguise structures
orbiting a colony, rendering them invisible to alien ships.
Orbital Shields
Ind Res Pros MPop UPop Cost
1 0 0 0 1 40
0 0 0 0 1 60

Orbital Shields are a colony's primary defense against alien invasion. As long
as a colony is protected by Orbital Shields, alien ships may not enter orbit.
Orbital Mega Shields
Ind Res Pros MPop UPop Cost
1 0 0 0 1 150
0 0 0 0 1 120

Orbital Mega Shields are highly fortified planetary defenses. Much harder to
destroy than the lower-tech Orbital Shields, they prevent alien ships from
entering orbit around a colony.
Orbital Missile Base
Ind Res Pros MPop UPop Cost
1 0 0 0 1 30
0 0 0 0 1 60

The Orbital Missile Base is a potent short-range planetary weapon. Though it
may
only be used once per game day, it can severely damage nearby ships.
Short Range Orbital Whopper
Ind Res Pros MPop UPop Cost
1 0 0 0 1 30
0 0 0 0 1 90

The Short Range Orbital Whopper is a powerful planetary energy weapon with a
short range. It may be fired three times per day. Woe to the ship that runs
out
of power while in its range.
Long Range Orbital Whopper
Ind Res Pros MPop UPop Cost
1 0 0 0 1 80
0 0 0 0 1 180

The Long Range Orbital Whopper is the elite of planetary weaponry. Its focused
energy beams achieve a long range, and its reusability makes it dauntingly
powerful.
Alien Hospitality
Ind Res Pros MPop UPop Cost
0 0 0 0 0 1
0 0 0 0 0 1

Alien Hospitality is not an individual structure, but rather an overall
planetary
project. While a colony dedicates its industry to Alien Hospitality, it helps
improve diplomatic relations with alien species.
Endless Party
Ind Res Pros MPop UPop Cost
0 0 0 0 0 1
0 0 0 0 0 1

The Endless Party is not an individual structure, but rather an overall
planetary
project. While a colony's project is set to Endless Party, its prosperity
increases by an amount proportional to its industrial output.
Scientist Takeover
Ind Res Pros MPop UPop Cost
0 0 0 0 0 1
0 0 0 0 0 1

The Scientist Takeover is not an individual structure, but rather an overall
planetary project. While a colony's project is set to Scientist Takeover, its
research progress increases by an amount proportional to its industrial output.
Automation
Ind Res Pros MPop UPop Cost
0 0 0 0 0 1
0 0 0 0 1 1

Automation is a process by which the personnel maintaining a structure are
replaced by robotic equipment. When a structure has been fully automated, its
personnel are freed for use elsewhere on the colony.
Terraforming
Ind Res Pros MPop UPop Cost
0 0 0 0 0 50
0 0 0 0 1 50

Terraforming is an important project for colonies on minimally habitable
planets. When a black surface square is terraformed, it becomes a white square,
and the colony may then build structures on it.
Lush Growth Bomb
Ind Res Pros MPop UPop Cost
0 0 0 0 0 200
0 0 0 0 1 200

The Lush Growth Bomb combines chaos technology with organic synthesis equipment
to make a planet surface significantly more habitable. Only one Lush Growth
Bomb
is of noticeable value on any planet.
Xeno Archeological Dig
Ind Res Pros MPop UPop Cost
0 0 0 0 0 50
0 0 0 0 1 50

The Xeno Archeological Dig allows a colony to uncover and analyze the ruins of
ancient civilizations. When unearthed, these ruins very often provide the key
to
the discovery of advanced technologies.
Winning The Game
There are several ways to win at Ascendancy, and each method has its own scale.
This section discusses each victory condition, gives the scale (starting with
the
lowest title you can earn in each category), and the congratulatory text that’s
displayed when you win the game.
Capture All Home Worlds
You have cleverly managed to capture the home systems of all alien species,
controlling their governments and achieving galactic domination.

Home Wrecker.
Megalomaniac.
Master Invader.
Hypercosmic Saboteur.
Lord of Subversion.
Interstellar Coup Master.
Insurrection Champion.
Galactic Infiltrator.
Supreme Invader.
Ascendant Invader.

Many and varied will be the historians' accounts of your daring subjugation of
the galaxy. Most will call you a farsighted leader and a wily general, but
others will denounce you as a traitor and a megalomaniac. One thing is certain,
however. You are now the master of all sentient species. By controlling their
home systems, you have control of their governments. All people must now do
your
bidding. Will your reign be benevolent, or terrible? The galaxy must wait and
see.
Control Over Two-Thirds of the Galaxy
Congratulations! Your massive empire spans over two-thirds of the galaxy. Your
dominion is assured.

Ambitious Beginner.
Imperialist.
Interstellar Warrior.
Interstellar Subjugator.
Galactic Powermonger.
Hyper-Conqueror.
Cosmic Dictator.
Imperial Overlord.
Galactic Emperor.
Ascendant Emperor.

After a long and weary struggle, your species has gained control of more than
two-
thirds of the stars in the galaxy. Though the other species may continue to
bicker over the stars that remain, you are now the undisputed galactic leader.
You should feel proud of your great accomplishment, but you have little time for
revelry--many difficult but rewarding tasks lie ahead of you. May your reign be
long and fruitful!
Destroy Other Races
Your ferocity has no limits. You have destroyed the last vestiges of alien
civilization, and now rule the entire galaxy.

Unrighteous Neighbor.
Xenophobe.
Galactic Villain.
Interstellar Death-Dealer.
Supreme Killing Machine.
Techno-Annihilator.
Cosmic Devastator.
Lord High Executioner.
Overlord of Cosmic Night.
Ascendant Destroyer.

You have shown yourself to be a brilliant ruler and a fierce, desperate warrior.
All other sentient species have fallen prey to your mighty weapons of war.
Though you can now enjoy the remainder of your existence as the uncontested
master of the galaxy, you wonder whether the course you have chosen is the best
one. Could your species have been enriched by a peaceful coexistence with the
aliens? Perhaps. Unfortunately, you will never know.
Galaxy United Under One Alliance
Your strong and benevolent leadership has culminated in galactic unification.
You are hailed by all species as ruler of the galaxy.

Hyper-Explorer.
Mover and Shaker.
Master of Diplomacy.
Interstellar Victor.
Galactic Unifier.
Cosmic Harmonizer.
Lord of Tranquility.
High King of Serenity.
Ascendant Overlord.
Supreme Master of Ascendancy.

You deserve great praise indeed! Your species has risen from one small planet
to
unify the entire galaxy. All sentient species may now work together in harmony,
each using its strengths to bring further order and prosperity to the cosmos.
Without your strong leadership, the galaxy might have remained a jumbled,
discordant collection of endlessly bickering enemies. But your patience and
determination have finally been rewarded. All hail you and your people! You
are
true finders of Ascendancy.

And, of course, there’s one way to lose the game…
Player Extinct
The hostile forces of the universe have annihilated your species. Many mourn
the
passing of your people into the cosmic night.

Interstellar Pushover.
Space History.
Galactic Exile.
Cosmic Martyr.
Cosmic Ultra-Martyr.
Lord of Self-Sacrifice.
Existential Transcender.
Master of the Void.
Ultimate Scoremaster.
Ascendant Hyper-Cheater.

The people of your species have been driven from their planetary homes, but it
is
unlikely that none remain. There will always be forces of peace and harmony
hiding within the universe, however weakened they may be. The darkness that has
fallen over this galaxy cannot last forever—it is the nature of things to go
through cycles, and the tiny remnants of your species may one day flourish,
prevail, and bring their hard-won wisdom to the cosmos.
Frequently Asked Questions
This wouldn’t really be an FAQ if there weren’t any frequently asked questions
in
it, so…

Q: How do I find out what the various technologies do?

A: Usually, you can hold down the shift key and left-click (shift-click) on
almost any element of any screen to obtain information about an item. However,
this doesn’t work in the Research Tree. If you want information about a
planetary structure that’s now available due to some research, go to the
Planetary Screen and shift-click on an item from the list of available
structures. (Don’t click on structures that have been built on the planet’s
surface.) If it’s a ship gizmo you’re interested in, go to either the Ship
Building Screen or a system that contains one of your ships. Shift-click on the
item from the list at the right portion of the screen.

Q: My ship has used up its colonizers. How do I get more?

A: You can refit your ship, but only after you’ve developed the technology for
Orbital Docks. Any of your planets which has an orbital dock can refit your
ship. It’s much less costly to refit an existing ship than to build one from
scratch.

You can also use orbital docks to upgrade the shields, weapons, generators,
engines, scanners, and other devices on any of your existing ships. Just select
the upgrade item from the right side of the screen, and click over the item to
be
replaced.

Q: Why can’t I invade an enemy’s planet?

A: First of all, you must have at least one invasion module on your ship.
Second, if the enemy planet has a ring around it, it has an orbital shield which
prevents you from entering orbit around that planet. To destroy the shield(s),
you must fire your weapons at the planet until the ring disappears. This may
take several shots—and several days—since each shield can withstand multiple
strikes. Once the ring disappears, you can enter orbit, click on your ship, and
choose “Invade”.

Your invasion will be successful only if you have one more invasion module than
the planet has surface shields. If you have less, the enemy’s surface shields
will be reduced by the number of invasion modules, but the planet will still
belong to them. You’ll need to bring another invasion ship into orbit to finish
them off.

Q: I’ve traded research with another race, but no new nodes appear in my
Research Tree. Why?

A: Sometimes the race you’re trading with has nothing to offer—you’ve
researched
all the nodes they have. If they do have one or more nodes that you haven’t
researched, you’ll receive a node.

A good way to determine whether or not to trade is to look at the Intelligence
Screen and see how advanced the other race’s research is. If they appear to be
behind in research, you probably don’t want to trade. Certain races
(Chamachies,
Dubtaks) are better at researching than others, so trading with them is usually
a
good idea.

Q: My ships are suddenly sent back to the beginning of the starlanes they were
in; once, they got sent back to my home system. Is this a bug?

No. Some races have irritating special powers—such as the Ungooma, who can send
ships back to the beginning of a starlane. Use the information contained in
this
FAQ to determine the powers you’ll be facing each game—and adjust your strategy
accordingly.
Game Cheats
This is one area where the Logic Factory really showed a lot of restraint. So
far, I’ve only seen (or heard of) a single cheat you can use as you try to win
this game. I’d wager the AI players have a lot more than that to draw upon…
Infinite Orbital Shields
One of your prime planets is under attack—and just lost its last orbital shield.
Reinforcements are on the way, but they won’t reach the system until next turn.
That hostile ship has power left—and you’re pretty sure it’s got invasion
modules
as well. What do you do?

Well, if you don’t cheat, you’ll probably lose the planet (depending on the
ratio
of surface shields to invasion modules). However, if you follow these steps
each
time your planet loses its last orbital shield you can hold off an invader
indefinitely:

1. As soon as you lose your last orbital shield, double-click on the
planet. You’ll be taken to the planetary display.

2. Suspend whatever structure the planet was building, and begin developing
another orbital shield.

That’s it! When you leave the planetary screen, your planet will have a shield
around it. Of course, it’ll be destroyed the next time your planet is attacked…
and this strategy doesn’t work against multiple invaders. Your best bet is to
ensure your planets on the frontier are well-defended with a combination of
orbital shields, surface shields, and ships.
Questions Still To Be Answered
Like I said before, I don’t have all the answers. In fact, I have questions
that
I’d like answered. So, if you know or learn the answers to the following
questions, e-mail me. I’ll incorporate your information into the next version
of
this FAQ…and, of course, acknowledge your invaluable help!
Research
The Ascendancy .COB files list the following research topics; are they
available? If so, what prerequisites does each require? What are the results of
this research?

Information Systems Bio Research Ion Power
Advanced Power Distribution Celestrial Arms

What information needs to go in the blank slots in the research table?
System/Planetary Information
What exactly is the relationship between a system’s star and the number/class of
planets and star lanes in that system?
Combat Information
How many invasion modules does a surface mega-shield destroy?
Gizmos/Planetary Structures
Why do some items have two rows of information? When does each row come into
play?
Winning The Game
How is the score (percentage) calculated?

What titles correspond to what range of scores?