Hardware
From Starport: Galactic Empires
Hardware is a group of useful items that occupy hardware slots and can be activated by right-clicking them.
There are currently four main catagories of hardware.
Contents |
Missiles
Missiles are one-hit weapons that track their target and deliver massive amounts of damage.
 | G-14 Negotiators are fast missles that require 200 energy to launch, and capable of delivering a maximum of 900 dmg (700 on average). On planetary surfaces, it takes 4 negotiator missiles to take out a cannon. These can be purchased for 15,000 credits at a starbase or produced at a colony. |
 | Nukes are slightly slower than Negotiators, and require 400 energy to fire, but are twice as powerful. The maximum damage a nuke could produce is 2,000 shields (1,500 on average). It only takes 2 nukes to take out a turret on a planet. These can be purchased for 50,000 credits at Pirate Base Chernij Almaz or produced at a colony. They may also be purchased with tokens. |
Cannons
Cannons are stationary defenses that can be deployed on any planet you own, or in space. These fire constantly until destroyed. While on a colony, cannons gain a substantial increase in strength that can be further improved with higher military settings. Picking up a cannon repairs it completely.
 | Flak cannons fire shells that explode upon impact and do splash damage. They cost 25,000 at a starbase, or can be produced at a colony. |
 | Laser cannons fire long range bolts that bounce off surfaces and do 200 damage per hit. They cost 75,000 at a starbase, or can be produced at a colony. |
Mines
Mines are explosive traps that can be deployed almost anywhere outside of UN zones. They are stationary defenses that will deliver massive amounts of damage upon any unauthorized vehicle in the vicinity. There is no way to destroy the mines without triggering them. The damage dealt by mines can be minimized by staying away from the centre of the blast radius once the mine explodes.
 | Regular Mines only explode once before disappearing. They do up to 1,000 damage, although a cautious pilot can reduce the effects to just 300 shields. They cost 10,000 at a starbase, or can be produced at a colony. It is recommended you never have to use these. |
 | Compound mines work just like regular mines, but are outfitted with a number of explosive charges and have to be triggered 4 times before they disappear. There is a delay of about 4 seconds between each detonation. They cost 45,000 at a starbase, or can be produced at a colony. Compound mines replenish their charges if dropped off to a weapons factory. The minimum damage dealt by compound mines is around 500 shields, and energy will be reduced as well. It is recommended that a colonized planet be surrounded by compound mines from the solar system as they do high damage, explode 4 times, and cannot be taken by enemy ships from space. |
Other
 | Biodomes can be bought at a starbase and then placed on a planet's surface to create your own colony which is placed under UN protection. The usual price is 40,000 credits per dome, but it is higher on the servers with extended UN protection. Biodomes cannot be produced. Biodomes cannot be relocated once situated on a planet. The biodome should be placed where the benefits of the biodome's solar cannon could be maximized. If a biodome will not be defended, it is recommended that the biodome be placed as close as possible to the warp point of the planet so that invaders will not be able to defend the colony for themselves. |
 | Beacons are cheap hardware items at $500 each that can be deployed almost anywhere outside of UN systems. They display a message of the owner's choosing, until destroyed. To display a message on your deployed beacon, click the text and start typing. You will have to backspace through the "Click here to edit" default text. |
Taxi passengers are not considered hardware, but occupy hardware slots. Jettisoning passengers will not affect experience or reputation.
Hardware Table
See also: Weapons factory
| Hardware | Resources | Starbase prices | Construction speed* |
| G-14 Negotiator | 25 equipment | 15,000 | 5 |
| Nuke | 50 uranium, 50 equipment | 50,000 | 2.5 |
| Flak Cannon | 50 equipment | 25,000 | 4 |
| Laser Cannon | 50 uranium, 100 equipment | 75,000 | 2 |
| Mine | 25 equipment | 10,000 | 6.67 |
| Compound Mine | 50 uranium, 50 equipment | 45,000 | 3.33 |
| Biodome | n/a | 40,000** | n/a |
| Beacon | n/a | 500 | n/a |
* The amount of this particular hardware 1000 colonists would produce in a day, under normal conditions
** Actual prices vary according to the length of UN protection.
