Move action catalogue

Section titled “Move action catalogue”

The move action catalogue DIM_MoveAction defines every action a move order can carry. Each row names the destination types that offer the action, the capability it requires and the flags that shape its parameters. Every catalogue row appears by ID and description in the tables on this page. The worked examples are constructed cases that follow from the game rules, not readings of a saved game.

The standing order catalogue and the condition catalogue, with the rules that queue move orders from them, have their own page. That page also covers waypoints as destinations. The order fields, the sort order and the Lagrange point shortcut that queuing an order adds are covered under order construction and execution priority. Delays, partial timers, repeats and cycling are covered under order queues, delays, repeats and conditional rules.

The table names all 120 DIM_MoveAction rows. Columns from Completed to StationaryAction copy the catalogue flags. The game database as shipped stores StationaryAction as “FALSE” or 1, shown here as 0 or 1. “Destinations” lists the destination flags with one letter each. The letters are J for WarpPoint (jump point), B for SystemBody, U for SurveyLocation, F for Fleet, W for Waypoint, C for Contact, P for Lifepod, K for Wreck, L for LagrangePoint, H for Wormhole and D for DeepSpaceLocation. Requirement tests explains each MoveRequirementID, destination item lists explains each DestinationItemType, and executor by action says what each action does on arrival and while arrived.

ID Description Completed MoveRequirementID DestinationItemType TransitOrder MinDistanceOption SpecifyQuanitity NoOrderChange MinQuantity LoadGroundUnit NoGasGiants ReserveLevel DesignModeOnly StationaryAction Destinations DisplayOrder
1 Standard Transit 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 JA 100
2 Move to Location 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 JBUFWCPKLHAD 300
3 Join Fleet 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 F 500
4 Load Colonists 1 38 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 B 1700
5 Join & Refuel Target Fleet 1 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 F 800
6 Unload Colonists 1 43 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 B 1750
7 Refuel from Colony 1 57 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 B 550
8 Divide Fleet into Single Ships 1 20 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 JBUFWLHAD 1400
9 Geological Survey 1 6 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 B 1500
10 Join Fleet and Begin Overhaul 1 21 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 F 502
12 Gravitational Survey 1 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 U 1600
30 Refuel from own Tankers 1 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 JBUFWKLHAD 900
33 Load Ordnance from Colony 1 63 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 B 1000
37 Squadron Transit 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 J 200
38 Land on Assigned Mothership / Squadron 1 24 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 F 600
39 Follow 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 BFCD 400
62 Load All Minerals 1 68 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 BD 3700
63 Unload All Minerals 1 68 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 BD 3725
64 Stabilise Jump Point 1 14 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 J 6100
67 Transfer Fuel to Colony 1 58 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 B 701
69 Activate Shields 1 9 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 JBUFWCKLHAD 3755
70 Deactivate Shields 1 9 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 JBUFWCKLHAD 3756
85 Drop Off Commander 1 47 8 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 B 1870
86 Load Ground Unit 1 77 3 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 B 1880
87 Unload Ground Unit 1 44 5 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 B 1890
88 Unload All Ground Units from Transport Bay 1 77 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 B 1895
94 Transit and Divide Fleet 1 20 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 J 150
95 Detach Non-Survey Ships 1 12 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 JBUFWLHAD 1410
96 Unload All Installations 1 68 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 B 3650
97 Rescue Survivors 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 P 50
98 Unload Prisoners 1 28 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 B 6200
99 Deploy Escorts 0 15 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 JBUFWCLHAD 670
100 Detach Tankers 1 2 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 JBUFWLHAD 1420
101 Detach Colliers 1 7 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 JBUFWLHAD 1425
102 Active Sensors On 1 16 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 JBUFWCLHAD 3757
103 Active Sensors Off 1 16 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 JBUFWCLHAD 3758
107 Salvage 1 18 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 K 1625
108 Salvage Intact Ship 1 18 10 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 1 0 F 1626
112 Send Message 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 JBUFWCPKLHAD 625
118 Begin Overhaul (rewind clock) 1 21 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 B 1901
121 Absorb 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 F 505
122 Activate Transponder - Friendly 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 JBUFWCKLHAD 3759
123 Deactivate Transponder 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 JBUFWCKLHAD 3761
124 Intra-system Jump 1 0 13 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 L 210
125 Resupply from Colony 1 76 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 B 575
128 Resupply from own Supply Ships 1 25 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 JBUFWKLHAD 920
129 Transfer Maint Supplies to Colony 1 25 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 B 930
132 Extended Orbit 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 B 450
133 Launch Ready Ordnance 1 27 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 JBUFWCPKLAD 3761
136 Load Trade Goods 1 68 24 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 1 0 B 3600
137 Unload Trade Goods 1 68 24 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 1 0 B 3601
140 Load Ship Component 1 52 15 0 0 1 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 B 2475
141 Unload Ship Component 1 54 21 0 0 1 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 BF 3625
145 Attempt Boarding Action All Formations 1 74 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 C 1893
146 Attempt Boarding Action 1 74 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 C 1892
156 Unload Ordnance to Colony 1 63 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 B 1002
157 Land on Specified Mothership (No Assign) 1 30 12 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 F 605
158 Land on Specified Mothership (+ Assign) 1 30 12 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 F 603
159 Tractor Specified Ship 1 31 10 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 F 1300
160 Tractor Inactive Shipyard 1 32 18 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 B 1301
161 Release Tractored Ships 1 45 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 JBUFWCPKLHAD 1300
162 Release Tractored Shipyards 1 46 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 B 1301
165 Load/Unload Minerals to Reserve Level 1 68 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 BD 3703
168 Add Replacement Crew 1 33 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 B 980
176 Load Installation 1 37 2 0 0 1 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 B 1950
177 Unload Installation 1 41 19 0 0 1 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 B 2800
178 Load Mineral Type 1 68 1 0 0 1 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 BD 3701
179 Unload Mineral Type 1 42 20 0 0 1 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 BD 3726
180 Load Mineral when X available 1 68 1 0 0 1 1 1 0 1 0 0 0 BD 3702
182 Join as Sub-Fleet 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 F 501
183 Squadron Transit by Sub-Fleet 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 J 201
184 Join & Refuel Target Sub-Fleet 1 60 23 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 F 801
185 Join Sub-Fleet 1 59 23 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 F 501
188 Detach Supply Ships 1 25 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 JBUFWLHAD 1427
189 Unload All Ship Components 1 54 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 BF 3626
191 Load from Ordnance Transfer Hub 1 61 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 F 570
192 Unload to Ordnance Transfer Hub 1 61 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 F 703
193 Replace Ordnance at Colony 1 63 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 B 1001
194 Replace At Ordnance Transfer Hub 1 61 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 F 572
195 Join and Add Ordnance to Fleet 1 7 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 F 810
196 Join and Add Ordnance to Sub-Fleet 1 64 23 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 F 811
197 Join and Replace Ordnance in Fleet 1 7 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 F 812
198 Join and Replace Ordnance in Sub-Fleet 1 64 23 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 F 813
199 Join and Remove Ordnance from Fleet 1 7 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 F 814
200 Join and Remove Ordnance from Sub-Fleet 1 64 23 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 F 815
201 Orbital Drop Ground Unit 1 29 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 B 1898
203 Orbital Drop All Ground Units 1 29 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 B 1899
204 Join & Resupply Target Fleet 1 25 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 F 915
205 Join & Resupply Target Sub-Fleet 1 25 23 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 F 916
206 Refuel and Resupply from Colony 1 57 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 B 580
207 Refuel, Resupply, Load Ordnance from Colony 1 69 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 B 1003
208 Join, Refuel and Resupply Target Fleet 1 70 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 F 917
209 Join, Refuel, Resupply, Add Ordnance to Target Fleet 1 71 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 F 918
210 Refuel from Stationary Tankers 1 8 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 F 554
211 Provide Ground Support 1 72 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 B 1340
212 Provide Ground CAP 1 80 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 B 1342
213 Planetary Search and Destroy 1 80 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 B 1344
214 Planetary Flak Suppression 1 80 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 B 1346
215 Provide Orbital Bombardment Support 1 73 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 B 1348
216 Attempt to Ram 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 FC 400
217 Stabilise Lagrange Point 1 75 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 B 6150
218 Load Ground Unit from Stationary Fleet 1 10 4 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 F 1885
219 Salvage Installations 1 37 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 1 0 B 1627
220 Tractor Any Ship in Fleet 1 31 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 F 1301
221 Activate Transponder - All 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 JBUFWCKLHAD 3760
222 Land on Assigned Mothership as Sub-Fleet 1 24 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 F 604
223 Load All Minerals Until Full 1 68 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 BD 3701
224 Resupply from Stationary Supply Ship 1 26 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 F 560
225 Transfer All Installations 1 81 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 F 3651
226 Transfer All Minerals 1 81 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 F 3726
227 Transfer Installation 1 82 19 0 0 1 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 F 1951
228 Land on Specified Mothership as Squadron 1 30 12 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 F 601
229 Land and Join Specified Squadron 1 30 25 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 F 602
230 Refuel Stationary Fleet 1 2 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 F 552
231 Resupply Stationary Fleet 1 25 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 F 561
232 Load Assigned Ground Templates 1 77 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 B 1881
233 Refuel Stationary Fleet to Minimum 1 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 F 553
234 Refuel to Minimum from Stationary Tankers 1 8 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 F 555
235 Transfer Prisoners to Ship 1 0 10 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 F 6201
236 Create Fleet Waypoint 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 JBUFWCPKLHAD 3800

The game defines six more actions that have no catalogue row. They are enter hyper speed, leave hyper speed, equalise maintenance supplies, move to wreck, move to mineral site and receive cargo. None of them has any arrival or while-arrived work. The action list and the order list in the Naval Organization window show the catalogue Description. Four descriptions differ from the game’s internal action names, and in play these actions do the following. Action 98 “Unload Prisoners” is offered when a ship carries survivors and unloads every ship’s prisoners at the population. Action 133 “Launch Ready Ordnance” launches missiles at the fleet’s assigned targets. Action 160 “Tractor Inactive Shipyard” tractors a shipyard chosen from those at the population that have no task. Action 217 “Stabilise Lagrange Point” creates a new Lagrange point at the body.

The game reads each flag as follows.

  • Completed are not read when a game loads.
  • MoveRequirementID selects the requirement test that the Naval Organization window applies.
  • DestinationItemType decides whether the Naval Organization window shows an item list and what the list holds. Queuing the order copies the item type to the order and stores the chosen item’s ID in DestinationItemID.
  • TransitOrder makes the queued order store the destination’s next system and the linked jump point. When a jump point becomes restricted to military traffic, the game uses this flag to find the race’s shipping-line fleets with an order through that jump point. It clears every order of each such fleet and empties its ships’ installation, trade good, component and mineral cargo.
  • MinDistanceOption, SpecifyQuanitity and MinQuantity show the minimum distance, maximum items and minimum available boxes in the Naval Organization window.
  • LoadGroundUnit shows the “load all sub-units” box. The list of formations carried by the fleet also includes the formations that queued orders with this flag will pick up, so they count as already carried.
  • NoGasGiants removes the action from a gas giant destination, and DesignModeOnly removes it from every destination. A gas giant destination is a gas giant or superjovian body chosen as a body. A population destination never counts as a gas giant.
  • StationaryAction decides whether a fleet with queued orders still acts as a tanker or supply source. The fleet offers no tankers and no supply ships when the first order in its queue is not a stationary action. An empty queue passes.
  • NoOrderChange, ReserveLevel and Wormhole are read when a game loads and no other rule described here uses them.
  • DisplayOrder sorts the candidate actions for each destination type.

Move action availability and parameters

Section titled “Move action availability and parameters”

When the player selects a destination, the Naval Organization window builds the action list in three steps.

  1. It takes the catalogue actions whose destination flag matches the destination type, sorted by DisplayOrder. A list exists for jump point, system body, survey location, waypoint, contact, lifepod, wreck, fleet, Lagrange point and deep space population destinations.
  2. It refreshes the fleet’s met requirements and keeps the candidates whose requirement holds.
  3. It removes the gas giant exclusions and the design-mode actions.

For each capability it finds, the refresh adds the matching requirement to the fleet’s record of capabilities it has had. Fleet-wide tests cover active sensors, missile launchers, beam weapons, more than one ship, a ship with an assigned mothership it is not docked on, survivors, tractored ships and shipyards, a transported commander, ground support and an all-fighter fleet. Per-ship tests cover class capacities and flags. Standard cargo capacity needs CargoCapacity of at least 25,000, while “any cargo” passes at CargoCapacity of 0 or more, which every ship with a non-negative capacity meets. The combined tanker plus supply ship requirement (70) and the tanker plus supply ship plus collier requirement (71) are met once their parts are met. The record is never cleared, so a capability the fleet once had stays met for that fleet until the game is reloaded.

Requirements without a special test pass when the action needs nothing or the fleet already has what it needs. The special tests check the destination as well. Examples are a refuelling point capacity of at least 1 at the population for requirement 57, cargo of the right type or a queued load for the unload requirements, and a planet or moon of Mass at least 0.25 with no Lagrange point yet for requirement 75. The queued-load test looks for an order in the fleet’s queue that carries that catalogue action. No rule ever marks requirement 15 as met, so “Deploy Escorts” is never offered.

The design-mode removal keeps six actions out of the Naval Organization window, and other game rules still queue five of them. Freighters queue “Load Trade Goods” and “Unload Trade Goods” when they plan a trade good transfer. Three automated ordering steps queue “Attempt to Ram”. No other rule described here queues “Extended Orbit”, and the Naval Organization window cannot offer it.

Selecting an action in the list shows the item list and the input boxes that its flags call for. “Extended Orbit” also shows an orbital distance box. Adding the order is refused for a fleet with ships in a shipyard, an active mobile shipyard task, a civilian function or an order to transit an unexplored jump point. Default actions apply when the player double-clicks a destination with “use default actions” checked and no action selected. The window then picks the first matching row of this table, testing the rows in order.

Destination Default action
Jump point Standard Transit
Deep space population Move to Location
Any destination with a population Refuel and Resupply from Colony
Contact Follow
Fleet Join Fleet
Other system body Geological Survey
Survey location Gravitational Survey
Wreck Salvage
Waypoint Move to Location
Lifepod Rescue Survivors

An action with a destination item type needs a selected item. Without one the window shows “Please select the target of the order”. The window then reads the visible boxes and queues the order. The order fields, the sort order and the Lagrange point shortcut that queuing adds are covered under order construction and execution priority.

Requirement tests

Section titled “Requirement tests”

Several terms recur in the table below.

  • Cargo is the “any cargo” capability, which every ship meets.
  • Shuttle access for cargo means the destination population has cargo shuttle capacity of at least 1, or a ship in the fleet has CargoShuttleStrength above 0 or Size of 10 or less.
  • Shuttle access for unloading cargo is shuttle access for cargo or an all-fighter fleet.
  • Shuttle access for colonists means the destination population has cargo shuttle capacity of at least 1, a ship has both ColonistCapacity and CargoShuttleStrength above 0, or the fleet is all fighters.
  • All fighters means no ship in the fleet has Size above 10.
  • Ground support capability needs an all-fighter fleet that carries a fighter pod bay or whose every ship has missile launchers and carries missiles with ground damage above 0.
  • Magazine capacity means a ship in the fleet has magazine capacity above 0.
MoveRequirementID Offered when
0 Always, subject to the destination flag and the removals.
2 A ship’s class has FuelTanker 1.
5 A ship’s class has GravSurvey above 0.
6 A ship’s class has GeoSurvey above 0.
7 A ship’s class has Collier 1.
8 The destination fleet has a tanker that can refuel this fleet. A tanker counts when its class has FuelTanker 1, it has an undamaged refuelling system and it is not docked on a mothership. Such tankers refuel any fleet when one of them has RefuellingRate of at least 20,000, and otherwise only a fleet whose largest ship has Size 20 or less.
9 A ship’s class has ShieldStrength above 0.
10 A ship’s class has TroopCapacity above 0.
12 A ship’s class has GravSurvey or GeoSurvey above 0.
14 A ship’s class has JGConstructionTime above 0.
15 Never. No rule marks it as met.
16 The fleet has an undamaged active search sensor.
18 A ship’s class has SalvageRate above 0.
20 The fleet has more than one ship.
21 A population destination with maintenance facility capacity of at least 1, or with assigned fleets that carry an undamaged maintenance module. A fleet destination passes when its assigned population has maintenance facility capacity of at least 1.
24 A ship has an assigned mothership and is not docked on it.
25 A ship’s class has SupplyShip 1.
26 The destination fleet holds a ship whose class has SupplyShip 1.
27 The fleet has an undamaged missile launcher.
28 A ship carries survivors, and the destination population has a total population above 1 million and the Imperial Population status (DIM_PopPoliticalStatus row 1).
29 A population destination, a ship with troop capacity and dropship troop transport equipment, and ground units aboard or a queued “Load Ground Unit” order.
30 The destination fleet has hangar deck or commercial hangar deck capacity.
31 A ship’s class has STSTractor above 0.
32 Requirement 31, and the destination population has at least one shipyard.
33 A ship has fewer crew than its class Crew, and the destination population has a total population above 1 million.
37 Cargo, a destination population with at least one installation, and shuttle access for cargo.
38 A ship’s class has ColonistCapacity above 0, the destination population has colonists, and shuttle access for colonists.
41 Cargo, a population destination, installations aboard or a queued “Load Installation” order, and shuttle access for unloading cargo.
42 Cargo, a population destination, minerals aboard or a queued “Load Mineral Type”, “Load All Minerals” or “Load All Minerals Until Full” order, and shuttle access for unloading cargo.
43 Colonist capacity, a population destination, colonists aboard or a queued “Load Colonists” order, and shuttle access for colonists.
44 Troop capacity, a population destination, and ground units aboard or a queued “Load Ground Unit” order.
45 Requirement 31, and a ship already tractoring a ship or a queued “Tractor Specified Ship” or “Tractor Any Ship in Fleet” order.
46 Requirement 31, and a ship already tractoring a shipyard or a queued “Tractor Inactive Shipyard” order.
47 A commander travels aboard one of the fleet’s ships.
52 Cargo, a destination population with stored ship components, and shuttle access for cargo.
54 Cargo, a population destination, components aboard or a queued “Load Ship Component” order, and shuttle access for unloading cargo.
57 The destination population has refuelling point capacity of at least 1.
58 The destination population has refuelling point capacity of at least 1, and the fleet has an undocked tanker with an undamaged refuelling system.
59 The destination fleet has at least one sub-fleet.
60 The destination fleet has at least one sub-fleet, and this fleet’s own tankers pass the requirement 8 refuelling test against this fleet.
61 The destination fleet has a ship with an undamaged ordnance transfer hub, and this fleet has magazine capacity.
63 The destination population has ordnance transfer point capacity of at least 1, and the fleet has magazine capacity.
64 The destination fleet has at least one sub-fleet, and this fleet has a collier with an undamaged ordnance transfer system.
68 Cargo, a population destination, and shuttle access for cargo.
69 The destination population has ordnance transfer point and refuelling point capacity of at least 1 each, and the fleet has magazine capacity.
70 Requirements 2 and 25.
71 Requirements 2, 25 and 7.
72 Ground support capability and a population destination.
73 The fleet has beam weapons and the destination is a population.
74 A ship with troop capacity and boarding troop transport equipment, and a ship contact destination.
75 Requirement 14, and a planet or moon destination of Mass at least 0.25 with no Lagrange point yet.
76 A population destination with maintenance facility or cargo shuttle capacity of at least 1. Without either, a fleet with a ship of CargoShuttleStrength above 0 or an all-fighter fleet passes, and any other fleet passes when fleets assigned to the population carry an undamaged maintenance module.
77 Troop capacity and a population destination.
80 Ground support capability. The destination is not tested.
81 Cargo, and the destination fleet has cargo hold capacity.
82 Installations aboard or a queued “Load Installation” order, and the destination fleet has cargo hold capacity.

Destination item lists

Section titled “Destination item lists”

A list that needs a population, a fleet or a Lagrange point shows “Destination is not a population”, “Destination is not a fleet” or “Destination is not a Lagrange Point” when the destination is of another type.

DestinationItemType The item list holds
0 No item list.
1 The minerals stockpiled at the destination population.
2 The installation types at the destination population, with their cargo size.
3 The ground formations at the destination population.
4 The ground formations carried by the destination fleet.
5 The formations carried by this fleet, plus the formations its queued ground unit loads will pick up.
8 The commanding officers of this fleet’s ships.
10 The ships of the destination fleet.
12 The ships of the destination fleet with an undamaged hangar deck or commercial hangar deck.
13 The other Lagrange points of the system.
15 The ship components stored at the destination population.
18 The shipyards at the destination population that have no task.
19 The installations carried by this fleet, plus those its queued “Load Installation” orders will pick up.
20 The minerals carried by this fleet. A queued “Load All Minerals”, “Load All Minerals Until Full” or “Load/Unload Minerals to Reserve Level” order adds every mineral. Otherwise the minerals selected in queued mineral loads are added.
21 The ship components carried by this fleet, plus those its queued “Load Ship Component” orders will pick up.
23 The sub-fleets of the destination fleet.
24 Nothing. The list stays empty.
25 The squadrons of the destination fleet.

Executor dispatch by action family

Section titled “Executor dispatch by action family”

During each sub-pulse the fleet movement step walks each fleet’s orders in sort order. An order that has not yet arrived travels toward its destination and, once there, runs its arrival work. An order that has already arrived (Arrived set) runs its while-arrived work on later passes. A completed order adds a fleet history line with the order description and, when the fleet cycles its orders, a copy of the order for the next cycle. The movement page covers partial timers and the rule that a timed action finishes only on a strictly positive remainder. The families below say which work runs where.

Two phrases recur in the executor table. “Takes station” means the fleet’s assigned population becomes the order’s population, and its orbit body becomes the destination body or the destination fleet’s orbit body. “Ends the sub-pulse” means the fleet does no more order work until the next sub-pulse. The event names in the table are rows of DIM_EventType: Orders Not Possible (42), Orders Completed (45), Fleet Message (107) and Illegal Order (140).

  • Immediate on arrival. The arrival work runs and the order completes. Examples are “Move to Location”, which sets the fleet’s assigned population and orbit body, the shield, sensor and transponder actions, “Drop Off Commander”, the divide and detach actions, “Rescue Survivors”, “Send Message”, “Absorb”, “Launch Ready Ordnance”, the boarding actions, the landing actions, tractor and release, “Add Replacement Crew”, “Transfer Prisoners to Ship” and “Create Fleet Waypoint”. “Begin Overhaul (rewind clock)”, the divide actions, the landing actions and the join family also end the sub-pulse.
  • Join family. The 16 join actions share one join step. A join with the fleet itself logs Illegal Order and completes without moving any ship. Otherwise the setting the action calls for is applied first. It sets tanker, supply ship or collier status, starts an overhaul, builds a top-level sub-fleet, or assigns the ships to a named sub-fleet. All ships then transfer to the target fleet, this fleet is marked for deletion, the order completes and the sub-pulse ends.
  • Timed after arrival. The arrival work sets the time required (TimeRequired) and marks the order arrived. The while-arrived work counts the time down and then finishes the job. Loads use the load operation time. Unloads and fleet transfers use the unload or transfer operation time, as cargo operation timing describes. Jump point stabilisation uses the fleet’s jump gate construction time. Wreck salvage and intact ship salvage use their own salvage times, covered on the salvage page. Lagrange point stabilisation uses the stabilisation time for the body with commander bonuses applied. For these four actions a time of 0 means no capable ship, so the arrival work logs Orders Completed and completes the order. The tactical map takes the first order in the fleet’s queue with a positive TimeRequired and gives a fleet with such an order a separate label slot.
  • Progressive after arrival. The arrival work only takes station and marks the order arrived. The while-arrived work runs a transfer that returns the unused seconds and completes the order on a positive remainder. Examples are refuelling, colony ordnance and the stationary fleet transfers. A stationary fleet transfer cancels all of the fleet’s orders with Orders Not Possible when the destination fleet is gone, is moving or holds orders. Survey actions spend survey points each pass. Survey points per hour equal the fleet’s geological or gravitational survey sensor capacity, times the survey bonus of the fleet’s admin command for the system, times SurveySpeed from FCT_Game divided by 100. The gravitational rate is recalculated only while the fleet’s stored rate is 0. Each pass spends the points per hour times the remaining seconds divided by 3,600. When the points still required exceed that amount, the order spends them and the sub-pulse ends. Otherwise the unused fraction of the seconds carries on to the next order. Orbital work timing and completion covers the survey results.
  • Persistent. “Follow” ends the sub-pulse without completing. The five ground support actions mark the order arrived and never complete. Ground combat reads them from the queue. A ship assigned to an attacking formation supports it only when the ship’s fleet orbits the formation’s body and holds a “Provide Ground Support” order, and the same holds for “Provide Orbital Bombardment Support”. “Attempt to Ram” tries to ram the target fleet and ends the sub-pulse without completing. The ramming section covers the outcome.
  • Transit. “Squadron Transit by Sub-Fleet” detaches the sub-fleets and jumps each one. It removes the fleet when no ship is left. “Intra-system Jump” completes by jumping the fleet to the selected Lagrange point. “Standard Transit”, “Squadron Transit” and “Transit and Divide Fleet” attempt the jump transit, which completes the order on success. The jump modes section covers the transit rules.
  • No executor. “Deploy Escorts” has no arrival or while-arrived work. “Extended Orbit” only lowers the destination Y coordinate by OrbDistance during travel and in the distance and ETA text. It has no arrival work, so no rule described here completes it. “Replace At Ordnance Transfer Hub” also has no arrival work, although the Naval Organization window offers it under requirement 61. Nothing marks it arrived, so its while-arrived work never runs for an order queued in play. Loading a saved order with the Arrived flag set is the only other way an order becomes arrived. These consequences follow from the rules above and are the same for this action, “Extended Orbit” and “Deploy Escorts”. The fleet returns to travel because the order is not complete. The fleet already sits at the destination, so the distance falls below 1 km and counts as 0, and the travel step uses 0 seconds. The remaining seconds therefore never reach 0 on their own after arrival. Only a pending interrupt sets them to 0, which ends the fleet’s pass.

Executor by action

Section titled “Executor by action”

“After the time runs out” means the countdown of a timed action has reached its end with seconds to spare. “Each pass, completes when seconds remain after the transfer” describes a progressive action.

ID Description On arrival While arrived
1 Standard Transit On reaching the jump point, attempts the jump transit, completes on success. None.
2 Move to Location Sets the assigned population and orbit body from the order, completes. None.
3 Join Fleet Join step. None.
4 Load Colonists Takes station, sets the load time, marks arrived. After the time runs out, loads colonists from the population up to the maximum items, completes.
5 Join & Refuel Target Fleet Join step. First sets the tankers to refuel the target fleet. None.
6 Unload Colonists Takes station, sets the unload or transfer time, marks arrived. After the time runs out, unloads colonists to the population, completes.
7 Refuel from Colony Takes station, marks arrived. Refuels from the colony each pass, completes when seconds remain after the transfer.
8 Divide Fleet into Single Ships Splits the fleet into single-ship fleets, marks the original fleet for deletion, logs Orders Completed, completes, ends the sub-pulse. None.
9 Geological Survey Takes station, marks arrived. Spends geological survey points each pass. When the body’s points are spent, surveys the body, reports minerals, ruins, ground survey potential, completes.
10 Join Fleet and Begin Overhaul Join step. First begins an overhaul for independent ships when the target fleet’s assigned population has maintenance facility capacity of at least 1, and logs Illegal Order when that population has less. None.
12 Gravitational Survey Takes station, marks arrived. Spends gravitational survey points each pass. When the location’s points are spent, records the survey, charts any jump points it reveals, completes.
30 Refuel from own Tankers Sets every tanker in the fleet to refuel the fleet, completes. None.
33 Load Ordnance from Colony Takes station, marks arrived. Loads ordnance from the colony each pass, completes when seconds remain after the transfer.
37 Squadron Transit On reaching the jump point, attempts the jump transit, completes on success. None.
38 Land on Assigned Mothership / Squadron Lands the ships on their assigned motherships, completes, ends the sub-pulse. None.
39 Follow Ends the sub-pulse without completing, so the fleet keeps following. None.
62 Load All Minerals Takes station, sets the load time, marks arrived. After the time runs out, loads all minerals from the population, with a failure message when none load, completes.
63 Unload All Minerals Takes station, sets the unload or transfer time, marks arrived. After the time runs out, unloads all minerals to the population, completes.
64 Stabilise Jump Point Sets the time from the fleet’s jump gate construction time. Zero logs Orders Completed and completes. Otherwise marks arrived. Completes with an Orders Completed message when no ship has an undamaged stabilisation module. After the time runs out, stabilises the jump point, completes.
67 Transfer Fuel to Colony Takes station, marks arrived. Transfers tanker fuel to the colony each pass, completes when seconds remain after the transfer.
69 Activate Shields Raises the fleet’s shields, completes. None.
70 Deactivate Shields Lowers the fleet’s shields, completes. None.
85 Drop Off Commander Clears the selected commander’s assignment, completes. None.
86 Load Ground Unit Takes station, sets the load time, marks arrived. After the time runs out, loads the selected formation into the troop transports, completes.
87 Unload Ground Unit Takes station, sets the unload or transfer time, marks arrived. After the time runs out, unloads the selected formation from the transport bays, completes.
88 Unload All Ground Units from Transport Bay Takes station, sets the unload or transfer time, marks arrived. After the time runs out, unloads every formation from the transport bays, completes.
94 Transit and Divide Fleet On reaching the jump point, attempts the jump transit, completes on success. Then splits into single-ship fleets as action 8 does. None.
95 Detach Non-Survey Ships Moves the ships without survey sensors into a new fleet named after this fleet plus “ - Non-Survey Ship Detachment”, completes. None.
96 Unload All Installations Takes station, sets the unload or transfer time, marks arrived. After the time runs out, unloads all installations to the population, completes.
97 Rescue Survivors Rescues the survivors from the lifepod, completes. None.
98 Unload Prisoners Unloads every ship’s prisoners at the population, completes. None.
99 Deploy Escorts None. None.
100 Detach Tankers Moves the tankers into a new fleet named after this fleet plus “ - Tanker Detachment”, completes. None.
101 Detach Colliers Moves the colliers into a new fleet named after this fleet plus “ - Collier Detachment”, completes. None.
102 Active Sensors On Switches the fleet’s active sensors on, completes. None.
103 Active Sensors Off Switches the fleet’s active sensors off, completes. None.
107 Salvage Sets the wreck salvage time. Zero logs Orders Completed and completes. Otherwise marks arrived and takes the wreck’s orbit body. Completes with an Orders Completed message when the fleet’s salvage rate is 0. After the time runs out, finishes the wreck salvage, completes.
108 Salvage Intact Ship Sets the intact ship salvage time. Zero logs Orders Completed and completes. Otherwise marks arrived. After the time runs out, salvages the selected ship if it still exists, completes.
112 Send Message Logs the order’s message text as a Fleet Message event, completes. None.
118 Begin Overhaul (rewind clock) Sets the assigned population and orbit body, begins an overhaul for independent ships, completes, ends the sub-pulse. None.
121 Absorb Absorbs the target fleet if it still exists, completes. None.
122 Activate Transponder - Friendly Sets every ship’s transponder to friendly, completes. None.
123 Deactivate Transponder Switches every ship’s transponder off, completes. None.
124 Intra-system Jump On reaching the Lagrange point, jumps to the selected Lagrange point, completes. None.
125 Resupply from Colony Takes station, marks arrived. Resupplies from the colony each pass, completes when seconds remain after the transfer.
128 Resupply from own Supply Ships Sets every supply ship in the fleet to resupply the fleet, completes. None.
129 Transfer Maint Supplies to Colony Takes station, marks arrived. Transfers maintenance supplies to the colony each pass, completes when seconds remain after the transfer.
132 Extended Orbit None. Travel aims at a point whose Y coordinate is OrbDistance km lower than the body’s. None.
133 Launch Ready Ordnance Launches missiles at the fleet’s assigned targets, completes. None.
136 Load Trade Goods Takes station, sets the load time, marks arrived. After the time runs out, loads the selected trade good, completes.
137 Unload Trade Goods Takes station, sets the unload or transfer time, marks arrived. After the time runs out, unloads the selected trade good, completes.
140 Load Ship Component Takes station, sets the load time, marks arrived. After the time runs out, loads the selected component up to the maximum items, completes.
141 Unload Ship Component Takes station, sets the unload or transfer time, marks arrived. After the time runs out, unloads the selected component, completes.
145 Attempt Boarding Action All Formations Sends every carried formation to board the target, completes. None.
146 Attempt Boarding Action Sends the selected formation to board the target, completes. None.
156 Unload Ordnance to Colony Takes station, marks arrived. Unloads ordnance to the colony each pass, completes when seconds remain after the transfer.
157 Land on Specified Mothership (No Assign) Lands the fleet on the selected mothership without assigning it, completes, ends the sub-pulse. None.
158 Land on Specified Mothership (+ Assign) Lands the fleet on the selected mothership and makes it the ships’ assigned mothership, completes, ends the sub-pulse. None.
159 Tractor Specified Ship Tractors the selected ship, completes. None.
160 Tractor Inactive Shipyard Tractors the selected shipyard, completes. None.
161 Release Tractored Ships Sets the assigned population and orbit body, releases the tractored ships, completes. None.
162 Release Tractored Shipyards Releases the tractored shipyards, completes. None.
165 Load/Unload Minerals to Reserve Level Takes station, sets the load time, marks arrived. After the time runs out, balances minerals against the population’s reserve levels, completes.
168 Add Replacement Crew Adds replacement crew, completes. None.
176 Load Installation Takes station, sets the load time, marks arrived. After the time runs out, loads the selected installation up to the maximum items, completes.
177 Unload Installation Takes station, sets the unload or transfer time, marks arrived. After the time runs out, unloads the selected installation up to the maximum items, completes.
178 Load Mineral Type Takes station, sets the load time, marks arrived. After the time runs out, loads the selected mineral up to the maximum items, with a failure message when none load, completes.
179 Unload Mineral Type Takes station, sets the unload or transfer time, marks arrived. After the time runs out, unloads the selected mineral up to the maximum items, completes.
180 Load Mineral when X available Takes station, sets the load time, marks arrived. Waits while the population holds less of the selected mineral than the minimum quantity. After the time runs out, loads it as action 178 does, completes.
182 Join as Sub-Fleet Join step. First creates a top-level sub-fleet in the target fleet named after this fleet, copies this fleet’s anchor, threat and guard settings to it, puts the ships without a sub-fleet in it, and moves this fleet’s sub-fleets to the target fleet, placing those that had no parent sub-fleet under the new one. None.
183 Squadron Transit by Sub-Fleet On reaching the jump point, detaches the sub-fleets and jumps each one, completes, ends the sub-pulse, removes the fleet when no ship is left. None.
184 Join & Refuel Target Sub-Fleet Join step. First sets the tankers to refuel their sub-fleet. None.
185 Join Sub-Fleet Join step. First assigns the ships to the selected sub-fleet when it still belongs to the target fleet. When that sub-fleet no longer exists, logs Illegal Order and the ships join the parent fleet only. None.
188 Detach Supply Ships Moves the supply ships into a new fleet named after this fleet plus “ - Supply Ship Detachment”, completes. None.
189 Unload All Ship Components Takes station, sets the unload or transfer time, marks arrived. After the time runs out, unloads the carried components, completes.
191 Load from Ordnance Transfer Hub Takes station, marks arrived. Cancels all of this fleet’s orders with Orders Not Possible when the destination fleet is gone, moving or holding orders. Otherwise takes its orbit body and loads ordnance from the hub each pass, completes when seconds remain after the transfer.
192 Unload to Ordnance Transfer Hub Takes station, marks arrived. Cancels all of this fleet’s orders with Orders Not Possible when the destination fleet is gone, moving or holding orders. Otherwise takes its orbit body and unloads ordnance to the hub each pass, completes when seconds remain after the transfer.
193 Replace Ordnance at Colony Takes station, marks arrived. Replaces ordnance with the colony each pass, completes when seconds remain after the transfer.
194 Replace At Ordnance Transfer Hub None. Cancels all of this fleet’s orders with Orders Not Possible when the destination fleet is gone, moving or holding orders. Otherwise takes its orbit body and replaces ordnance at the hub each pass, completes when seconds remain after the transfer. Never runs for an order queued in play.
195 Join and Add Ordnance to Fleet Join step. First sets the colliers to add ordnance to the fleet. None.
196 Join and Add Ordnance to Sub-Fleet Join step. First sets the colliers to add ordnance to the sub-fleet. None.
197 Join and Replace Ordnance in Fleet Join step. First sets the colliers to replace ordnance in the fleet. None.
198 Join and Replace Ordnance in Sub-Fleet Join step. First sets the colliers to replace ordnance in the sub-fleet. None.
199 Join and Remove Ordnance from Fleet Join step. First sets the colliers to remove ordnance from the fleet. None.
200 Join and Remove Ordnance from Sub-Fleet Join step. First sets the colliers to remove ordnance from the sub-fleet. None.
201 Orbital Drop Ground Unit Takes station, sets the unload or transfer time, marks arrived. Counts down only in an increment the fleet began at its current position, otherwise ends the sub-pulse. After the time runs out, drops the selected formation, completes.
203 Orbital Drop All Ground Units Takes station, sets the unload or transfer time, marks arrived. Counts down only in an increment the fleet began at its current position, otherwise ends the sub-pulse. After the time runs out, drops every carried formation, completes.
204 Join & Resupply Target Fleet Join step. First sets the supply ships to resupply the fleet. None.
205 Join & Resupply Target Sub-Fleet Join step. First sets the supply ships to resupply their sub-fleet. None.
206 Refuel and Resupply from Colony Takes station, marks arrived. Refuels and resupplies from the colony each pass, completes when seconds remain after the transfer. On completion an NPR fleet restores the class decoy loadout on ships with decoy capacity.
207 Refuel, Resupply, Load Ordnance from Colony Takes station, marks arrived. Refuels, resupplies and loads ordnance from the colony each pass, completes when seconds remain after the transfer.
208 Join, Refuel and Resupply Target Fleet Join step. First sets the tankers to refuel and the supply ships to resupply the fleet. None.
209 Join, Refuel, Resupply, Add Ordnance to Target Fleet Join step. First sets the tankers to refuel, the supply ships to resupply and the colliers to add ordnance to the fleet. None.
210 Refuel from Stationary Tankers Takes station, marks arrived. Cancels all of this fleet’s orders with Orders Not Possible when the destination fleet is gone, moving or holding orders. Otherwise takes its orbit body and takes fuel from the stationary tankers each pass, completes when seconds remain after the transfer.
211 Provide Ground Support Marks arrived, ends the sub-pulse. Ends the sub-pulse. Never completes.
212 Provide Ground CAP Marks arrived, ends the sub-pulse. Ends the sub-pulse. Never completes.
213 Planetary Search and Destroy Marks arrived, ends the sub-pulse. Ends the sub-pulse. Never completes.
214 Planetary Flak Suppression Marks arrived, ends the sub-pulse. Ends the sub-pulse. Never completes.
215 Provide Orbital Bombardment Support Marks arrived, ends the sub-pulse. Ends the sub-pulse. Never completes.
216 Attempt to Ram Attempts to ram the target fleet, ends the sub-pulse without completing. None.
217 Stabilise Lagrange Point Sets the Lagrange point stabilisation time for the body, with commander bonuses. Zero logs Orders Completed and completes. Otherwise marks arrived. Completes with an Orders Completed message when no ship has an undamaged stabilisation module. After the time runs out, creates a Lagrange point at the body, completes.
218 Load Ground Unit from Stationary Fleet Takes station, sets the load time, marks arrived. After the time runs out, loads the selected formation from the stationary fleet into the troop transports, completes.
219 Salvage Installations Takes station, marks arrived. Completes at once when the population no longer exists. Otherwise salvages the population’s installations each pass, completes when seconds remain.
220 Tractor Any Ship in Fleet Tractors a ship of the target fleet, completes. None.
221 Activate Transponder - All Sets every ship’s transponder to all, completes. None.
222 Land on Assigned Mothership as Sub-Fleet Lands the ships on their assigned motherships in a new top-level sub-fleet named after the fleet, completes, ends the sub-pulse. None.
223 Load All Minerals Until Full Takes station, sets the load time, marks arrived. After the time runs out, loads minerals with no failure message. Completes when the fleet has no cargo space left. Otherwise sets a new load time and waits.
224 Resupply from Stationary Supply Ship Takes station, marks arrived. Cancels all of this fleet’s orders with Orders Not Possible when the destination fleet is gone, moving or holding orders. Otherwise takes its orbit body and takes maintenance supplies from the stationary supply ship each pass, completes when seconds remain after the transfer.
225 Transfer All Installations Takes station, sets the unload or transfer time, marks arrived. After the time runs out, transfers all installations to the destination fleet, or nothing when that fleet is gone, completes.
226 Transfer All Minerals Takes station, sets the unload or transfer time, marks arrived. After the time runs out, transfers all minerals to the destination fleet, or nothing when that fleet is gone, completes.
227 Transfer Installation Takes station, sets the unload or transfer time, marks arrived. After the time runs out, transfers the selected installation up to the maximum items to the destination fleet, or nothing when that fleet is gone, completes.
228 Land on Specified Mothership as Squadron Lands the fleet on the selected mothership in a new squadron named after the fleet, makes it the ships’ assigned mothership, completes, ends the sub-pulse. None.
229 Land and Join Specified Squadron Lands the fleet in the selected squadron on its parent ship, makes that ship the assigned mothership, completes, ends the sub-pulse. None.
230 Refuel Stationary Fleet Takes station, marks arrived. Cancels all of this fleet’s orders with Orders Not Possible when the destination fleet is gone, moving or holding orders. Otherwise takes its orbit body and refuels the stationary fleet each pass, completes when seconds remain after the transfer.
231 Resupply Stationary Fleet Takes station, marks arrived. Cancels all of this fleet’s orders with Orders Not Possible when the destination fleet is gone, moving or holding orders. Otherwise takes its orbit body and resupplies the stationary fleet each pass, completes when seconds remain after the transfer.
232 Load Assigned Ground Templates Takes station, sets the load time, marks arrived. After the time runs out, loads the assigned ground templates into the troop transports, completes.
233 Refuel Stationary Fleet to Minimum Takes station, marks arrived. Cancels all of this fleet’s orders with Orders Not Possible when the destination fleet is gone, moving or holding orders. Otherwise takes its orbit body and refuels the stationary fleet to its minimum each pass, completes when seconds remain after the transfer.
234 Refuel to Minimum from Stationary Tankers Takes station, marks arrived. Cancels all of this fleet’s orders with Orders Not Possible when the destination fleet is gone, moving or holding orders. Otherwise takes its orbit body and takes fuel from the stationary tankers each pass, completes when seconds remain after the transfer. Despite its name, it targets effective fuel capacity or a positive lower MaxItems target, rather than the class minimum.
235 Transfer Prisoners to Ship Transfers prisoners to the selected ship, completes. None.
236 Create Fleet Waypoint Creates a fleet waypoint at the fleet’s position, completes. None.

Worked examples

Section titled “Worked examples”

These are constructed cases that follow from the game rules.

Extended Orbit approach. A fleet with speed 5,000 km/s, enough fuel and no dust in the system sits at (0, 0) and receives “Extended Orbit” to a body at (0, 1,050,000) with OrbDistance 300,000 km. Travel aims at (0, 750,000), because the destination Y coordinate drops by the 300,000 km of OrbDistance. With a 60-second sub-pulse the fleet can cover 5,000 x 60, or 300,000 km. The first two sub-pulses leave it 450,000 and then 150,000 km short, and each uses all of its remaining seconds. In the third, the last 150,000 km takes 60 x 150,000 / 300,000, which is 30 seconds, so 30 seconds remain. The arrival work has no step for the action, so the order is neither arrived nor completed. The fleet then returns to travel at a distance of 0, spends 0 seconds and keeps the 30 seconds until an interrupt is pending.

A requirement that outlives its ship. A player fleet of two ships, one of a class with FuelTanker 1, opens the action list for a jump point. The refresh marks requirement 20 (more than one ship) and requirement 2 (fuel tanker) as met. Neither needs a destination check, so the list offers “Divide Fleet into Single Ships” (8), “Refuel from own Tankers” (30) and “Detach Tankers” (100) beside “Standard Transit” (1), because all four carry the J flag. “Detach Tankers” moves the tanker into a new fleet named after the original fleet with “ - Tanker Detachment” appended. The one ship left behind stays in the original fleet, whose record of capabilities it has had still holds both entries, so the same three actions stay in its list until the game is reloaded.

Stationary tanker test. A tanker fleet with an empty queue passes the stationary test and offers its tankers that have an undamaged refuelling system, ordered by fuel fraction from highest to lowest. With “Refuel Stationary Fleet” (230, StationaryAction 1) as the first order in its queue, it still offers them. With “Move to Location” (2, StationaryAction 0) as the first order, it offers none, so the fleet supplies no fuel to others until that order is gone. Supply ships face the same test.

Default action on a populated body. A player double-clicks a population destination with no action selected and “use default actions” checked. The game builds a population destination as a system body with the population attached, or as a deep space population for a population on a fixed body. For the system body case the jump point and deep space tests fail, and the population test picks “Refuel and Resupply from Colony” (206) before the system body test can pick “Geological Survey”. A deep space population takes “Move to Location” instead, because its test comes first.

Persistence and reload

Section titled “Persistence and reload”

Every time a game loads, the game reads every DIM_MoveAction row into its action catalogue. The MinQuantity column controls the minimum available box, SpecifyQuanitity the maximum items box and MinDistanceOption the minimum distance box. The Completed columns are never read, and the game keeps no value for either. Those two columns are catalogue data with no effect in play.

The game reads DIM_MoveAction and never writes it, so the catalogue always comes from the table and no game saves a copy of it.

A save deletes the game’s FCT_MoveOrders rows and writes each order with its MoveActionID and Arrived flag among the other columns. The order construction section covers the other order fields. Loading reads Arrived back, so an order saved between arrival and completion resumes with its while-arrived work. Loading looks up each stored MoveActionID in the catalogue directly. A stored action ID with no catalogue row raises the error “Function #1168”, and no further move orders load.

One value is not saved and restarts on load.

  • Met requirements. The fleet’s record of capabilities it has had starts empty and refills when the action list is built.

Concept map

Section titled “Concept map”

Resources

Section titled “Resources”

Related community documentation and developer posts. These may describe a different game version.