TECHNOLOGY (CONT.)
COMPUTER TECHNOLOGY

Computer Tech deals with the development of specialized electronic devices and computer systems. Computer tech produces such devices as battle computers, ECM jammers, robotic controls, space scanners, and the infamous technology nullifier.

• Battle Computers direct all starship weapons fire. The mark of the battle computer determines not only the attack level of the starship when it is firing its weapons, but also is added to the ship’s maneuverability to calculate initiative.

• Battle Scanners provide starships with exceptionally detailed information on enemy starships. If any ship in a fleet is equipped with a battle scanner, you can view all the technical specs of the enemy fleet. In addition, the equipped ship gains a +3 initiative bonus, and +1 to its attack level. Note that all planetary missile bases are automatically equipped with battle scanners.

• ECM Jammers confuse incoming enemy missiles, reducing the chance of a missile hitting. The mark of the jammer is added to the ship’s defense level for all missile attacks.

• Hyperspace Communications allow you to communicate with ships already en route and change their destinations.

• Improved Robotic Controls allow colonists to operate multiple factories. The number following the title indicates the number of factories that can be controlled by each unit of population. Robotic controls are expensive. Each robotic level above the first increases the cost of building factories by +50%.

• Oracle Interfaces focus all of your ship’s beam weapons into a simultaneous attack at a single point on the enemy ship. This effectively halves the target’s shielding for all your beam weapons.

• Space Scanners alert your colonies to the movements of enemy space craft. When the game starts, each of your colonies has space scanner that can identify enemy starships in hyperspace up to 3 parsecs away. Deep space scanners extend the range to 5 parsecs. Improved scanners reach 7 parsecs, and can determine ship destinations. Advanced scanners can determine planet types and have a range of 9 parsecs. They also increase your ships scanning range, from 0 at the start up to 3 parsecs with Advanced Scanners. If you have Improved or Advanced Space Scanners, your Control Screen will display red lines to enemy ships approaching the currently selected star system.