Game Guide

Learn to Play Age of Space - Complete beginner's guide to Age of Space. Learn how to build, attack, spy, colonize, and dominate the galaxy!

Your First Attack

Attacking other players is the heart of Age of Space. It is how you acquire resources faster than mining alone, test your fleet against real opponents, and establish dominance in your region of the galaxy. But reckless attacking leads to devastating losses. This chapter teaches you the complete attack cycle: from pre-attack intelligence to fleet dispatch, battle report analysis, loot collection, and debris recycling. Master this, and you will never struggle for resources again.

Pre-Attack Checklist

Before launching any attack, run through this checklist. Skipping any step can turn a profitable raid into a catastrophic loss:

Have you spied the target? You must know their resources, fleet, and defenses before committing your ships.
Is the target inactive or offline? Check the activity indicator — attacking an active player is risky because they can recall fleet or alert allies.
Can you win the battle? Compare your fleet power against their fleet and defenses. Use the Battle Simulator if unsure.
Do you have enough cargo capacity? Your combat ships have limited cargo space. Send cargo ships alongside your fleet to carry all the loot.
Do you have enough Deuterium for the round trip? Fleet missions consume Deuterium. Make sure you have fuel for both the outbound and return journey.

Step-by-Step Attack

Here is how to execute an attack from start to finish:

Open the Fleet Page from the navigation dock. This is your fleet control center.
Select your combat ships (Light Fighters, Cruisers, Battleships, etc.) and cargo ships (Small Cargo or Large Cargo). The combat ships fight; the cargo ships carry loot.
Enter the target coordinates (Galaxy:System:Position). You can copy these from a spy report or the Galaxy Map.
Choose the fleet speed. 100% is fastest but uses the most Deuterium. Lower speeds save fuel but give the defender more time to react.
Select the mission type "Attack". You can also load resources to transport alongside your attack if needed.
Review the mission summary: arrival time, fuel cost, and cargo capacity. Click "Send Fleet" to launch the attack.

Understanding Battle Reports

After your fleet arrives and the battle resolves, you receive a Battle Report in your messages. The report contains several critical sections:


1	Battle Rounds — Combat lasts up to 6 rounds. Each round, ships fire at targets based on rapidfire mechanics. The battle ends early if one side is completely destroyed.
2	Attacker Losses — Shows which of your ships were destroyed and their total resource value. This is your cost of attacking.
3	Defender Losses — Shows the defender's destroyed ships and defenses. Remember: 70% of destroyed defenses automatically rebuild after battle.
4	Loot Captured — Shows how much Titanium, Graphene, and Deuterium your fleet stole. Limited by your cargo capacity and the 50% loot cap.
5	Debris Field Created — Shows how much Titanium and Graphene floats in orbit as a debris field. You need Recycler ships to collect this.

Loot Calculation

When you win an attack, your fleet automatically steals resources from the defender. The loot is calculated as follows:

Loot = min(50% of Target Resources, Fleet Cargo Capacity)

You can steal up to 50% of each resource on the target planet. However, the total loot cannot exceed your fleet's total cargo capacity. If cargo is full, excess loot is left behind.

Important!

This means you need enough cargo ships to carry all available loot. A common mistake is sending powerful combat ships with no cargo capacity, winning the battle but leaving with almost no resources.

Small Cargo: 5,000 units capacity
Large Cargo: 25,000 units capacity

Debris Fields & Recycling

When ships are destroyed in battle (attacker or defender), they leave behind a debris field in orbit around the planet. The debris contains:

Debris = 30% of Titanium cost + 30% of Graphene cost of all destroyed ships

Only ship costs generate debris. Destroyed defenses do NOT create debris. Deuterium costs are also excluded from debris calculations.

To collect debris, you need to send Recycler ships on a "Recycle" mission to the same coordinates. The debris stays in orbit indefinitely until collected. Always send Recyclers alongside your attack fleet or immediately after to claim the debris before other players do.

Debris can be extremely valuable after large battles. Sometimes the debris field is worth more than the loot itself, especially when expensive ships like Battleships or Battlecruisers are destroyed.

Finding Good Targets

Not every player is worth attacking. Here is how to identify profitable targets:

Inactive Players (i/I) — The safest targets. They accumulate resources without spending them and have no active fleet defense. Look for (i) markers on the Galaxy Map.
Undefended Players — Some players neglect defenses. If the spy report shows high resources and zero or minimal defense, it is a profitable target even if active.
High Resource Stockpiles — Look for players with full or nearly full storage. They often have not been online to spend their resources.

Warning!

Targets to Avoid — Do not attack players in strong alliances (they may retaliate), players with much higher tech levels, or anyone whose spy report shows more fleet power than yours.

Common Mistakes

Attacking without spying — The number one mistake. You might encounter hidden fleet or massive defenses that destroy your ships.
Not sending enough cargo — You win the battle but cannot carry the loot. Always send Large Cargo ships alongside your attack fleet.
Ignoring rapidfire mechanics — Some ships have rapidfire against others, getting multiple shots per round. A few Cruisers can destroy hundreds of Light Fighters.
Not fleet-saving after attacking — After you attack, other players can see your battle report coordinates. Fleet-save your ships when you go offline.
Forgetting Recyclers — The debris from your own destroyed ships is valuable. Always send Recyclers to collect it.

Attack Tips

Start with Inactive Players

As a beginner, target players marked with (i) or (I) on the Galaxy Map. They cannot fight back, their defenses do not grow, and they often have large resource stockpiles from accumulated production.

Use the Battle Simulator

Before every serious attack, run the numbers through the Battle Simulator. Input your fleet and the defender's fleet and defenses from the spy report. The simulator tells you if you win, what you lose, and whether the attack is profitable.

Send Recyclers with Your Fleet

Always dispatch Recycler ships to the target coordinates timed to arrive shortly after your combat fleet. This ensures you collect both loot and debris from the battle.

Time Your Attacks

Attack when the target is least likely to be online. Early morning hours in their timezone are usually safest. Check activity patterns by monitoring the Galaxy Map over several days.

Experienced raiders calculate profit before every attack. The formula is simple:

Profit = Loot + Debris Collected - Fleet Losses - Fuel Cost

An attack is only worth doing if the expected profit is positive. Sometimes a battle you can easily win is still unprofitable because the fuel cost exceeds the available loot.

Advanced players also consider ninja defense traps: a defender intentionally leaving resources visible while hiding a massive fleet on a nearby moon. When the attacker commits, the defender recalls their fleet to crush the attacker. Always check for moons near your target.

Timing attacks to coincide with resource production cycles can maximize loot. If you know a player tends to accumulate resources overnight, attack just before they typically log in.

Frequently Asked Questions

No. You cannot attack members of your own alliance. You also cannot attack players who are in alliances that have a Non-Aggression Pact (NAP) with your alliance, depending on the diplomacy settings.

Your destroyed ships are permanently lost. The surviving ships return home with no loot. You also lose the Deuterium spent on fuel. Additionally, the defender may now know your coordinates and could retaliate.

Yes, you can recall your fleet at any time before it arrives at the target. Go to the Fleet Movement page and click "Recall". The fleet turns around and returns home, consuming additional fuel for the return trip.

Up to 50% of each resource on the target planet, limited by your fleet's total cargo capacity. For example, if the target has 200,000 Titanium and your fleet has 100,000 cargo capacity, you take 100,000 Titanium (the full 50%). But if your cargo is only 50,000, you only take 50,000.

Espionage & Intelligence Next Chapter: Transport & Deployment