Category:Pods

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Contents 1 Overview 2 Cargo Load 2.1 Load Existing Pod 3 Flight Plan 3.1 Dock Target 3.2 Drop Target 3.3 Boost Target 3.4 Pod Flight Plan Orders 4 Detection 5 Self Destruct 5.1 When 5.2 Notes 6 Limitations 7 Research

[edit] Overview

Pods are space objects that are launched from a Pod Launch Pad. There are various types of pods: Assault Pod, Construction Pod, Gold Pod, Life Pod, Native Pod, Ore Pod, Outfit Pod, and Resupply Pod. Each can carry their own resources and have different properties. The cost of launching a pod is 25 mc. The speed of all pods of any type are determine by the base speed of the race of the player modified by the Exotic Techs that have been purchased.

There is a special type of pod, called Wreckage that contains some of the contents of the ship that was destroyed in that area of space.

[edit] Cargo Load

The following table shows a summary of the possible cargo that can be placed on the various pod types.

Type		Cargo
Assault		Troops, HG, Crew, Fighters, Assault Craft
Construction		Metals (not ore), Megacredits, 1 Hull Plan
Gold		Contraband, Megacredits, 1 Hull Plan
Life		Troops, HG, Crew and Colonists OR Prisoners
Native		Natives
Ore		Ore (not metals)
Outfit		Ship Parts (only one type of Engine, HyperDrive, Shield and Super Weapon per pod)
Resupply		Fuel, Ordnance, Supplies, Repair Units, Med Units, Food, Megacredits
Wreckage		Salvagable parts from a destroyed ship

[edit] Load Existing Pod

Using a Ship's transport screen, you can transfer cargo between a Pod and Ship. Only material and personel that the ship could normally carry can be transferred in this manner (ie. no fighters, assault craft, contraband, prisoners, natives, ore, OR parts).

[edit] Flight Plan

You have 3 options on the flight plan screen for controlling the pod's behavior: dock target, drop target, and boost target.

[edit] Dock Target

When a dock target is set, it will exhibit the following behavior during its flight:

• A pod docks before movement.
• If the target is a ship, it will attempt to dock with the ship.
  • If the target ship has an empty pod bay, it will dock; otherwise it will continue to its boost target.
  • You cannot dock a pod to an enemy ship. You will get the log message "Unable to dock with ship (Their race is at war with us)".
• If the target is a base, it will merge its cargo with the base. This can happen even when the orbital thrusters of the pod are turned on.
  • You can dock a pod to an enemy or ally base; just use the enemy base as dock target of the pod.
• If the target is a planet and the planet has a base of yours on it, the pod will be dropped in the base. If there is no base of yours, the pod will end up on the surface and:
  • A Life Pod or Assault Pod will form a new Base on the planet.
  • Other types of pods will add their cargo to the planet's surface items. Cargo that cannot exist as surface item, will be destroyed (for example Ship Parts or Hull Plans).
• If the target is any other object then no special action will be taken.
• The distance a pod will be able to 'jump' to dock to a ship is 0-3.9 ly (my test showed docking at 3.6 ly but not at 4)

This setting can be changed during the flight of the pod.

[edit] Drop Target

When a drop target is set, the pod will turn off its dock target if the dock target is a ship. The orbital thrusters setting will not be changed. This setting can be changed during the flight of the pod.

• A pod drops before movement.
• A pod will drop to it's target over a distance of <3 ly (0-2.99).

[edit] Boost Target

The boost target will determine the x y coordinates that the pod should move to. This cannot be changed while the pod is in flight. It will not intercept the target. In addition, it will exibit the following behavior during its flight:

• If the boost target is a planet or base, the orbital thrusters of the pod will be set to off upon launch.
• If the boost target is any other object then the orbital thrusters will be set to on.

If a pod is above a planet with bases on the planet and the thrusters are turned OFF then the pod will land at the owner's base. If the owner has no base then the pod will fall onto the planets surface. If you want to dock a pod to an alien base then orbital thrusters have to be on and a dock target to the alien base has to be set. If you want your pod to fall into your bases for sure set dock order for them and turn off the thrusters.

[edit] Pod Flight Plan Orders

The following table shows the possible base-base and base-planet pod orders:

Action Desired	Required Flight Plan
base to distant planet	boost
base to distant own base	boost
base to distant alien base	dock, drop, boost
base to alien base on same planet	dock
base to distant own base, travel docked on own ship	boost & drop to target base, dock to ship at same point as the pod luncher
pod in orbit to distant own base, travel docked on own ship	dock to ship at same point as the pod in orbit, drop to target base, turn OFF orbital thruster

So a transport of docked pods to an alien base via ships take at least two turns as a dock order to the alien base is needed. (GT)

• **Note** - A pod with it's orbital thrusters off will land on any planet within 3 ly it comes in contact with.

[edit] Detection

Enemy pods cannot be detected the turn that they are launched. This allows enemy pods to get 2 turns away before you can destroy them.

You cannot detect the speed that a pod is traveling at. You will have to guess by using the base pod speed of the race and assume that certain Exotic Techs to increase speed are active.

[edit] Self Destruct

The Pod can Self Destruct.

[edit] When

This short list help to know when the self destruct occur.

• The Self Destruct is after the Movement Phases.
• Ships can capture Pods, before they self destruct and self destruct will be turned off.
• The Self Destruct is after the Pods land.
• The Self Destruct is before the ship devices function.

[edit] Notes

• A pod that starts the turn with the ship can transfer its cargo to the ship prior to self destruct.
• An outfit pod that starts the turn with the ship can upgrade a ship prior to self destruct.
• An enemy ship is able to capture a pod prior to self destruct and will turn self destruct off.
• It could be used to release chupanoids to an enemy area.
• Wreckages only have a 50% chance per turn to self destruct when programmed to do so.

[edit] Limitations

• If the base with the Pod Launch Pad has 3 or more enemy ships over it and no friendly ships then it is under a Blockade and cannot launch pods.
• A pod docked to a ship cannot undock and re-dock to another ship in the same turn. It will only undock from the current ship. It is recommended to tow the pod during this transition.

[edit] Research

What ally sharing data setting show your pods?
A table with the sensor image of all type of pods would be marvelous.
When does the pod self desturct ?