Space Station

A space station (previously called a space city, or city) is a large-scale space station that is a major focus of game play. The exact role played by any given space station depends on various factors including the station's size and the exact type of system/server in which it is located. Generally speaking, space stations are intended to be **occupied** by player unions.

* Additional details: Phases and servers

All space stations are surrounded by a **box**, and usually is surrounded by and/or contains a number of Docking points, trading posts, and/or Trojite drop off points or Data Receiving Stations. Some cities also contain resource nodes. The docking points and resource nodes that are located **inside** a station can only be used by players belonging to the union that owns the city.

## Ownership

Ownership of a space station can roughly be determined by the color in which it is rendered.

* Yellow stations are owned by neutral NPC factions; this is the most common state at the opening of a system
* Red stations are owned by hostile NPC faction, privateers, or other unions that have been marked as enemies
* Orange stations are owned by other unions that have not been marked as enemies or allies
* Teal stations are owned by a union that has been marked as an ally
* Blue stations are owned by the player's union

## Types

There are two main categories of space stations in the game: stand-alone stations and composite stations. In systems where ratings are based on **occupancy**, only composite space stations count towards occupancy.

In Trojite systems, some composite space stations are located in Trojite rich areas and produce rating points for whichever union or galactic faction controls the space station. Rating points are not produced when the system opens - the ability to mine Trojite develops as the space station is "built". For stations that are producing Trojite, the rating points are awarded at 0000UTC each day. Rating points, once awarded, belong permanently to the faction or union to which they are awarded. In the accompanying image, third, fourth, and fifth place are occupied by NPC factions.

### Stand-Alone Space Stations

A stand-alone station will have a single station. Stand-alone stations are smaller and generally do not contribute to any of the game victory conditions, but taking them gives unions a chance to practice their attack tactics in preparation for taking larger space stations.

### Composite Space Stations

Composite space stations consist of a **main station** (the name shown on the map) and 2 or more sub-stations. It is **not possible** to attack the main station of a composite station. In order to occupy the main station, the union must simultaneously occupy **all** of the sub-stations first. The ownership of the main station only changes when a single union gains simultaneous control of all the sub-stations.

In systems/servers where the Lagrange Gate, Space Exploration Beacon, or other Lagrange Gate related devices is located inside of a composite space station, then the ownership of that device goes to whichever union or faction owns the main station.

## Sizes

Space stations come in seven different sizes. Ownership of any size of type of station gives the owning union resources and bragging rights.

The largest space station in any given region is the **capital** and capture of the capital station causes the player's union name to be prominently displayed on the map.

* Level 2: The smallest stations, always stand-alone
* Level 3: Also always stand alone; in the player starting regions, the capital station is often a level 3
* Level 5: Can be stand alone or can be a sub-station of a level 6
* Level 6: Always the main space station of a composite station with two or more level 5 sub-stations as its components
* Level 7: Always part of a composite station; the main station and the sub-stations are all level 7
* Level 9: Always part of a composite station where the main station is a level 10
* Level 10: Every system has only one level 10 space station

## Introduction

Space stations are important settlements in the galaxy, fulfilling residential, trading, industrial, and even military needs.

Its main purpose is to provide ships, weapons, equipment, and supplies for military activities and meet basic residential and research needs. In the early days of galactic exploration, fewer buildings were built for military purposes. However, since the establishment of the Empire, military needs have surged, and military space buildings were gradually built, taking up a high percentage of space buildings today.