Space Travel

"There are two variable dials that affect ship movement: the quality of the Star Lane and the quality of the Amplifier (which can be improved on a 1-5 scale). These two aspects of ship movement are in addition to the two fixed aspects of distance and time."

1. Methods of moving between Stars
2. Effects influencing Movement Speed
3. Engaging Enemies

1.
Naturally, ships will be able to move between stars in Master of Orion III. The various methods they can use and basic technologies applied for doing so are described below:

A Star Lanes and Wormholes
There are two basic engine types that a ship can be constructed with: Star Drives and System Drives. Star Drives allow moving through Star Lanes, which will exist between most nearby solar systems, and Wormholes, which will only exist between a few solar systems but are the fastest way to travel in space.
How many turns a ship needs to move from one system to another, is calculated by the ships movement points per turn and the movement points it takes to arrive at its destination. When travelling through multiple Star Lanes, a ship must expend a certain number of movement points in order to cross from the point where it exited a Star Lane to reach the point where the next Star Lane it wants to travel begins.

B Star Gates
Star Gates are an advanced technology which allow ships without Star Drives to use their System Drives to enter a Space Lane. While still considerably slower than Star Drives, movement with System Drives along Space Lanes will be noticeably faster than System Drive movement through Deep Space.

C Deep Space
Necessary for moving within a solar system and through deep space (=solar systems which are not connected in any way) are System Drives. That's the slowest way to travel in space.

2.
At the beginning of the game, all existing and potential Space Lanes are determined. Most will begin at Level 0. Those near Orion will begin at Level 1. All others represent potential Star Lane construction possibilities and begin at Level -4.
You'll be able to upgrade Star Lane levels through various technologies and by spending AUs later in game (click here for details). Other ways to improve space travel speed will be Star Gates, Amplifiers and to decrease speed of enemies, Interdictors (described in 3.).
There are also a few Terrain Effects: Nebulas will deactivate all shields and Space Lanes will be degraded by one level if in the area of Nebulas. Dark Matter halves all Amplifier boosts.

3.
Ships using System Drives or those using Star Drives without an Amplifier, which are travelling through a Star Lane, must engage enemy forces guarding that Space Lane's entry point into the system before they can start heading out to the planets there and picking them off.
Ships using Star Drives with an Amplifier may skirt past the defenders and go right for the planets. Both have to engage hostile forces before they're able to enter a Star Lane, if guarded. Interdictors lower the Space Lane level by 1 per level of Interdictor for non-friendly units. Ships using Amplifiers may not bypass enemies when in the area of non-friendly Interdictors.