Ships in Orbit question...

What is the advantage or disavantage of having ships in orbit or just in the parsec not in orbit?

Also if you leave orbit can you get back to orbit status?

Also if you auto launch does that mean my colony ships would launch without my say on how much pop goes in?
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Reply #1 Top
1: Ships in orbit count as defensive garrisons, essentially, and thus one cannot invade a system until said garrison is gone. Thus, if you want to defend a system, build ships that are good at, well, defending [Defenders and Battleaxes, for instance]. Never tested to see if Colony Ships and Scouts and stuff prevent invasions, though...

2: Er, yes, you can. Just move a ship onto the star in question and it enters orbit.

3: I assume that standard Colony Ship's, uh, people [generally half the system's population, I believe] would be launched automatically.
Reply #2 Top
Ships in orbit receive a bonus to their ability to retaliate an attack from space.

For example: A battle hammer in space that has AT of 15 and DE of 11 would have an AT of 25 and DE of 11 in orbit. Therefore if the battle hammer survives the first shot from the aggressor, it will have enhanced ability to retaliate during the battle.

Also ships in orbit will contribute more to your military rating than ships in normal space.
Reply #3 Top
Ok so one thing that I'm still a bit confused on here. IF the ship is on top of the planet instead of not being launched yet there is no difference right? It's still considered in orbit as long as its in the same parsac os the planet / system.
Reply #4 Top
A ship is in orbit if it is built or if it enters the same square as the star system. To leave orbit either double click on mini-icon or click launch button. The ship will then reenter main map in an adjacent square to star system (usually square down from star sytem unless occupied by enemy ship). If no adjacent squares are unoccupied by enemy ships, the planet is effectively blockaded. You will not be able to launch any ships.
Reply #5 Top
Also if you leave orbit can you get back to orbit status?
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A colony ship cannot achieve orbit status once it leaves. If you try to orbit the planet with a colony ship the ships population will be added equally to all popluated planets in that star and the ship will disappear.

Also if you auto launch does that mean my colony ships would launch without my say on how much pop goes in?
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Half of the planets population will be added to the colony ship. I usually set colony ships so that they do not auto launch.

I think that there is a mod available that gives the player a new type of colony ship that takes only 1000 population. Go to the Mod library to find it.