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Manpower |
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Gameplay Basics
Please select a section from this submenu for more details.
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Manpower is essential for the following:
- Research
- Covert Operations and Tactical Events
- Pilots
Each of these Manpower requirements is described in greater detail below.
Manpower units are acquired through Academics research and through the construction of Mine Bases. Each
additional Academics level and each Mine Base adds ten Manpower units to your total.
Building certain mining constructions will also add to your total Available Manpower:
- A Mining Colony adds 15 Manpower units
- A Repair Base adds 20 Manpower units
- A Military Base adds 25 Manpower units
Your maximum Manpower at any given time depends upon the map that you have selected to play.
You are responsible for distributing your Manpower units among Research and Covert Operations (see below).
A certain number of Manpower units are also automatically assigned as Pilots for your ships. You can check
your Manpower distribution at a glance on the far right side of the Main Screen (On top of the
Minimap).
To distribute your Manpower units, simply click on the area to which you wish to add Manpower units. You can
do this in both the Manpower screen, or in the status panel (On top of the Minimap). You do not lose Manpower
units by distributing them; they are simply reallocated.
When you suffer casualties in combat, and when your covert operatives are exposed, you also lose any
associated Manpower units. The lost Manpower units are returned, but this process takes time. Recruits must
be trained and new scientists schooled. The recovery of one Manpower unit takes a randomly determined 2 to 25
seconds to complete. Each Academics level that you have achieved deducts two seconds from this base delay.
Thus, once you have successfully researched all five Academics levels, 10 seconds are deducted from the
Manpower unit recovery time.
Now, let’s take a closer look at the role of Manpower units.
Research
In order to perform research and create prototypes, you must assign at least 1 Manpower Unit to Research.
However, you can only transfer a limited number of Manpower Units. This limit is determined by the level
of Academics that you have researched.
At the start of the game, you can assign no more than 20% of your total Manpower Units to Research. With
the appropriate research in Academics, this limit can be raised as high as 30%. The more Manpower that you
allocate to Research, the faster new Technologies and Prototypes become available. With the maximum assigned
Manpower, you can speed up your Research by 100%. Each Academics upgrade allows you to assign an additional
2% of your Manpower Units to Research.
To research at normal speed, you will need to match your Research level to your Manpower level. For example,
use 1 Manpower unit to research Tech Level 1 at normal speed; use 5 Manpower Units to research Tech Level 5
at normal speed. The table below shows the effects of Manpower on Research speed.
Percentage of Manpower Required
to Research at Normal Speed |
Effect on Research Speed |
| 0% |
No Research possible |
| 25% |
Minus 75% Research speed |
| 50% |
Minus 50% Research speed |
| 75% |
Minus 25% Research speed |
| 100% |
Normal Research speed |
| 200% |
Plus 25% Research speed |
| 300% |
Plus 50% Research speed |
| 400% |
Plus 75% Research speed |
| 500% |
Plus 100% Research speed |
Covert Operations and Tactical Events
Ten percent of your total Manpower can be assigned to Covert Operations, a field of espionage which includes
spying on and sabotaging enemy Research, destroying enemy Manpower Units, and hindering the functioning of
enemy Covert Operations teams. In order to add Manpower to Covert Operations, you must build the “Information
Division” Academics structure. This allows you to allocate 10% of your Manpower units to spying. Additional
Academics research increases this percentage.
Each Manpower Unit that you assign to Covert Operations increases the chance that an automatic Event will
occur. Any of the following Events may occur as a result of successful Covert Operations:
- Spying: Information is revealed about the enemy, such as Research status and fleet unit data.
For example, you may receive a message stating the name of your enemy’s strongest vessel.
- Prototype Sabotage: Reduces the enemy’s current prototype status by a randomly determined
10% – 90%. Prototype Sabotage may also result in the utter destruction of a prototype. No resources
are actually lost when a prototype is sabotaged.
- Assassinate: Destroys a randomly determined number of enemy Manpower Units in the enemy’s
Research department. All assassinated units will belong to the same area of Research.
- Capture an Enemy Spy: Enemy spies – that is, units from your opponent’s Covert Operations
Department – are captured and executed.
- Steal Technology: One technology (from any area of discipline except Academics) is stolen
from the enemy.
Keep in mind that your enemy can do to you whatever you can do to him. All of the above events work both ways!
Pilots
Pilots are necessary to fly your ships. In Manpower terms, this means that from one to 50 Manpower units
will be required for a particular vessel.
The allocation of Manpower units as Pilots is carried out automatically when you build a new ship. You can
view the Pilot requirements for a vessel you wish to construct in the Build menu. Keep in mind that you must
have enough Manpower units to first build the vessel; this number will be equal to the crew of the ship.
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