Interplanetary Missiles
Attacking a player with ships is not always the best choice. Interplanetary missiles are a powerful weapon against planets with a lot of defensive structures, also called bunkers/turtles. They are a strategic weapon to make targets more profitable, for example by eliminating several plasma turrets. They are shot from the attacker's and will destroy a certain number of selected defensive structures – but they also can be destroyed by deployed anti-ballistic missiles. Defense, which was destroyed by interplanetary missiles, will not be rebuilt, which shows how powerful the missiles are.
How do I get these missiles ?
 Missile silo with deconstruction option |
 Building interplanetary missiles |
To build interplanetary missiles (IPM's), you must have a missile silo level 4 on a planet (Total cost: 300.000 metal, 300.000 crystal and 15.000 deuterium ), after that there you can start building interplanetary missiles, under the "defense" menu. A missile costs 12.500 metal, 2.500 crystal and 10.000 deuterium. Each level of the missile silo increases the maximum missile capacity by 5. So, a silo on level five enables the construction of 25 interplanetary missiles max. As long as there are missiles in it, it cannot be torn down. However, upgrading the silo is possible. To destroy the missiles without launching them on a target, you can simply click "Destroy rockets" which is found by clicking missile silo in the "facilities" menu.
To build anti-ballistic missiles (ABM's), only missile silo level 2 is necessary (total cost: 60.000 metal, 60.000 crystal, 3.000 deuterium). So, the anti-ballistic missiles are unlocked easier than the Interplanetary Missiles. Also, an ABM takes up half the amount of space compared to the IPM; so, up to 50 anti-ballistic missiles can be stored in a silo on level 5. A defense missile costs 8.000 metal and 2.000 deuterium. You cannot build a missile silo on a moon, but the ABM's of the relative planet also defend the defensive structures on the moon!
Damage at the push of a button
 Choose a target |
 Firing interplanetary missiles |
To attack a planet or moon with interplanetary missiles, you first have to switch to the galaxy view. If the target is within range, you will be able to attack the planet with interplanetary missiles, by clicking on the accordant symbol next to the desired planet. If the target is a moon, you will have to hold the mouse over the moon and click the corresponding link. After that a new menu will be opened, in which you just will have to enter the amount of missiles and the primary target before launching the attack. The primary target indicates the type of defensive structures that you want to attack - You can set your interplanetary missiles to attack rocket launchers, plasma turrets or any other defensive structure you want to damage/destroy. If the primary target is destroyed or nothing was chosen, the defensive structures will be destroyed in the order (order in "defense" menu), starting with the rocket launchers and ending with the Large Shield Dome. If all defensive structures are eliminated, the remaining IPM's will be destroyed. The force of the attack is based on the weapon technology of the attacker and the armor technology of the defender.
| reach ( in systems ) | = (level of impulse drive * 5 ) – 1 |
Beware: When sent, the interplanetary missiles cannot be called back. So you should not make any mistakes with the entry, and you should be sure that you want to go through with this attack. As most of the players retaliate from interplanetary missile attacks with counter attacks, you should not launch at enemies that are too powerful. Also, you do not get a combat report if you are the attacker. After the impact you have to spy on the target again to see the result. Only the victim gets a short report with the name of the attacker, the amount of deployed missiles and the destroyed defensive units.
Anti-ballistic missiles are always ready; they are not activated by the user. As soon as an enemy attacks the mentioned planet or moon with interplanetary missiles, every anti-ballistic missile will destroy one of the hostile missiles and will be destroyed itself in doing so. With a sufficient amount of anti-ballistic missiles, the damage on the defensive structures, in case of an interplanetary missile attack, the damage can be decreased or avoided entirely.
What should I keep in mind?
You can only attack a target with IPM's if the small IPM symbol next to the planet is present. You should also keep in mind if the player has little or no IPM's so you do not waste any precious resources, and lower your profits. If you want to attack a bigger bunker, you will have to build interplanetary missiles on several planets and fire them off at the same time, or to band together with several players, because the defender can also build more anti-ballistic missiles and in doing so lowering the total amount of damage. Also, IPM's are noticeably faster than any ship (besides an espionage probe).
| time of flight ( in seconds ) | = 30 + ( 30 * distance in systems ) |
You can calculate the number of missiles which you will need to destroy the defense of your enemy, with a Combat simulator.
