How does combat work?

Combat is real-time and formula-driven. When your ship targets an enemy, each weapon cycle calculates a hit chance based on your weapon's tracking speed vs. the target's angular velocity, your optimal range vs. actual distance, and the target's signature radius vs. your weapon's signature resolution. Hits then apply damage to the target's shield, then armor, then hull in sequence.

Yes. There are no turns or action queues. Ships orbit, approach, or kite in real time. Weapons fire on their own cycle timers. Small autocannons cycle every 2 seconds while capital beam lasers cycle every 12 seconds. You issue commands (target, orbit distance, activate modules) and your ship executes them continuously.

Can small ships beat large ships?

Absolutely, if flown well. A frigate with a 40m signature radius is extremely hard for a battleship's large turrets to track. The battleship might have 12,000 HP but land only 10% of its shots against a fast-orbiting frigate. Meanwhile, the frigate's small weapons hit the battleship's 400m signature radius almost every time. This is why fleet composition matters more than raw tonnage.

How do fleet battles work?

Fleet commanders designate a Fleet Commander (FC) who can issue broadcast targets, anchor points, and formation orders. All fleet members can align to the FC's navigation and focus fire on broadcast targets. Fleets support up to 256 members and can coordinate with allied fleets via command channels. Large battles between alliances can involve 1,000+ ships across multiple grids.

Real-Time Combat

No dice rolls. No auto-battle. Every engagement runs on deterministic formulas you can learn, exploit, and master. Fit your ship for the fight you expect, then adapt when the fight changes.

Hit Chance Formula

Every weapon cycle calculates hit probability from three factors: tracking, range, and signature. The formula rewards tactical positioning and punishes lazy engagements.

Hit Chance = 0.5 ^((Angular Velocity / Tracking Speed)^2 + (max(0, Distance - Optimal Range) / Falloff)^2) * min(1, Target Signature / Weapon Signature Resolution)

Tracking Speed: How fast your turret rotates. Small weapons track fast (0.8 rad/s), capital weapons track slowly (0.04 rad/s). If a target orbits faster than you can track, most shots miss.
Optimal Range + Falloff: Within optimal range, range contributes zero penalty. Beyond optimal, hit chance degrades through the falloff zone. At optimal + falloff, you hit ~50% before other factors.
Signature Resolution: Each weapon has a signature resolution (e.g., 400m for large turrets). If the target's signature radius is smaller than this value, hit chance is proportionally reduced. A 40m frigate is very hard for a 400m resolution weapon to hit.

Master the math in our Combat Basics Guide.

4 Damage Types

All weapon damage is divided into four types. Every defense layer has different resistances to each type, making damage selection a core strategic decision.

Kinetic

Railguns and autocannons. High raw damage, strong against armor, weak against shields. The workhorse damage type for sustained engagements.

Thermal

Beam lasers and pulse lasers. Consistent damage profile, moderate against all defense types. Preferred for its predictability and low ammo dependency.

Electromagnetic

Charged particle weapons and EMP warheads. Devastating against shields, almost useless against hull. The alpha-strike type for breaking shield tanks.

Explosive

Missiles, torpedoes, and bomb launchers. Highest burst damage, strong against hull, weak against shields. Slow travel time but ignores tracking entirely.

Shield, Armor, Hull

Every ship has three defense layers that take damage in sequence. Each layer has its own HP pool, resistance profile, and repair mechanics.

Shields

The first layer hit. Regenerates passively at ~1% per 10 seconds. Strong against EM damage, weak against Explosive. Shield extenders increase capacity; shield hardeners improve resistances. Shield-tanked ships favor staying at range to let passive regen work between volleys.

Armor

The second layer. Does not regenerate passively and must be repaired with armor repair modules (which consume capacitor) or by remote repair ships in fleet. Strong against Explosive and Kinetic, weak against Thermal. Armor plates add raw HP; armor hardeners improve resistances. Armor-tanked ships excel in sustained brawls with logistics support.

Hull

The last line of defense. Low resistances across the board and no practical repair method in combat. When hull reaches zero, the ship is destroyed and drops a portion of its fitted modules and cargo as loot. Hull tanking is generally a desperation strategy, though some specialized fits use hull reinforcement modules for surprise durability.

Fleet System

Solo combat is viable for small engagements, but the real wars are fought by fleets. The fleet system supports structured command hierarchies designed for coordinated warfare.

Fleet Commander (FC): Issues broadcast targets that appear on all fleet members' screens. Controls fleet warp so that one button warps the entire fleet to a destination.
Wing Commanders: Sub-commanders who lead divisions of up to 64 ships. Can issue independent orders within the FC's strategic framework.
Squad Leaders: Lead groups of up to 16 ships. Provide local bonuses to squad members based on their leadership skills.
Anchoring: Fleet members can "anchor" on their FC or squad leader, automatically mirroring their movement. This keeps formations tight and reduces micromanagement in large fights.

Siege Mechanics

Attacking a player-owned station or planetary base is not a quick raid. It is a siege. Structures have reinforcement timers that create a multi-phase battle spread across hours or days.

Phase 1, Shield Timer: Attackers must destroy the structure's shields. Once shields fall, a reinforcement timer starts (4-24 hours, set by the defender). The structure becomes invulnerable until the timer expires.

Phase 2, Armor Timer: After reinforcement, attackers must break armor. Another reinforcement timer activates. This gives defenders time to form fleets and call allies.

Phase 3, Hull Timer: The final fight. If hull reaches zero, the structure is destroyed. Defenders who show up in force can repair between phases, resetting the siege. This system ensures that meaningful assets cannot be destroyed while defenders are asleep.

Electronic Warfare (EWAR)

Not every ship needs guns. Electronic warfare modules disrupt enemy capabilities and swing battles without dealing direct damage.

ECM Jammers

Break the target's weapon lock, forcing them to re-acquire targets. Duration-based, chance to resist based on sensor strength.

Sensor Dampeners

Reduce the target's lock range and lock speed. Force snipers into close range or slow their target switching.

Tracking Disruptors

Degrade the target's turret tracking speed and optimal range. Turn a deadly battleship into a barely-functional platform.

Warp Scramblers

Prevent the target from warping away. Short range but absolute effect. Essential for tackling high-value targets.

Webifiers

Reduce the target's maximum speed by up to 60%. Makes fast ships trackable and prevents kiting.

Energy Neutralizers

Drain the target's capacitor, shutting down active modules like shield boosters and armor repairers.

Compare our combat systems to other browser strategy games in our Best RTS Browser Games roundup.

Frequently Asked Questions

Enter the Battlefield

Fit a ship, join a fleet, and test your tactics against real commanders. Every fight matters.

Join the Discord Read the Guide