Fleets

Fleets consist of one or more ships that are directed by one of the human factions or the aliens. Fleets conduct operations and fight in space battles.

Fleet Operations

Fleets may undertake various operations, typically only when they are in orbit and not in a transfer. They are:

Operation	Effects
Transfer	Launch this fleet toward the selected orbit, station, or fleet.
Merge Fleets	Merge a nearby fleet into this one.
Split Fleet	Break off one or more ships into a separate fleet.
Bomberd	Initiate orbital bombardment against a surface target. Requires being in an interface orbit. Bombardment will last up to two weeks. Defended bases and regions will return fire. Armies must be engaged in hostilities to be targeted.

Transfers

A transfer is the term for a fleet moving from one place to another while staying in space. Fleets may transfer to orbits, stations, or other fleets.

When initiating a transfer operation, a fleet will receive one or more trajectory options if it can reach its destination at all. If multiple trajectories are possible, the player may choose between trading off arrival time and Delta-V expenditure between them.

Trajectories might be microthrust spirals, which are typical for fleets with low acceleration; impulse conics, for fleets with high acceleration but low Delta-V; or torch chords, for advanced fleets with high acceleration and Delta-V.