Conquest Zone

Conquest Zone is a set of subsectors collectively named "The Conquest". It is geared for player levels 30-60.

The Conquest is regenerated for every new game. Subsector layout, the 75–89 systems inside Ara Martis, which of Luminate Combine / Kolyatov Collective / Stellar Industries takes which embassy, the position of the Darkspace Compact HQ, which guilds settle which Lux subsector, and where the hidden Umbral Reach outpost spawns are all randomised per save. The mechanics described on this page (faction roster, tick cadence, formulas, reputation gates) are fixed across all games; the geography is not.

An Example of a Conquest map layout

Goals of Conquest are simple and straightforward - Three major Factions are invading the Darkspace Compact territory with the intention of claiming it in entirety. However, minor factions are also present and look upon this all-out war as an opportunity to expand and rival other majors.

On the sidelines, Darkspace Compact is engaged in a bloody feud with Meridia's Chosen, and have no resources to spare for defense.

Player Options

Player can approach this situation however they see fit.

• Pick one of the major factions, lead them to victory
• Pick one of the minor factions, help them break into conquest and become a major
• Pick everyone and reap the benefits of having access to all their rewards
• Pick noone and ignore the whole kerfuffle, while focusing on mining, salvage or trade.
• Mix and match any of the above.

Player is under no pressure to engage in any hostilities, except with Meridia's chosen who take on the role of the default antagonist - held thus far by Corsair Syndicate. All stations inside the Conquest Zone level up with the players' level. It sometimes can take a bit before they change their station level.

Map Layout

Conquest sector initial map layout

Within conquest zone, there is a trio of subsectors hosting all of the Factions' embassies - which are marked by an the map by a golden outline. Their position and contents are dynamically named, but their names are the same - Lux Arctos to the north, Lux Magna in the middle, and Lux Australis to the south.

Sample Embassy station:

In the middle is the massive Ara Martis ("The Altar of Mars") with almost a 100 systems within.

To the right, leading outwards from Ara Martis is the Penumbra, home of the Darkspace Compact. In order to get to Penumbra, player needs to be at least level 55 for the gate keys to spawn.

Finally, further into Darkspace is Lucifer, the accursed set of systems hosting Meridia's Chosen.

System Layout

Within each system there is a single Conquest Station. This station has barebones facilities and is viable to flip ownership. Performing missions at this station grants the owner Fleet Power (see below), and the player receives Mars Commendations (tokens) in addition to regular rewards.

Each faction currently present in Ara Martis will also have a Headquarters Station (marked on the map with a silver outline) where their head can interact with the player. The HQ system also has a special gate connecting the HQ to the Embassy station in one of the Lux subsectors. If the player is at war with the faction, this express gate will be closed, otherwise it will be open. The HQ also hosts a special Conquest Shop where blue and purple gear can be bought for Mars commendation tokens, at a higher than normal level, depending on the player's conquest Reputation.

Sample Headquarters Station:

Other stations are not Conquest stations. They function normally, with the following notes:

• Non-conquest Steel Vultures stations will be in graveyard-like systems, with plenty of scrap to salvage.
• Non-conquest Mindus Holdings stations will be in motherlode-like systems, with plenty of ores to salvage.

Ara Martis

The conquest zone sector starts with 5 factions holding territory: Luminate Combine (yellow), Meridia's Chosen (purple), Darkspace Compact (gray), Stellar Industries (blue) and Kolyatov Collective (red).

Each system has three relevant stats:

• Fleet Strength: How dangerous the forces in this sector are. 0 = nonexistant, 100+ = very powerful
• Reinforcements: How long the current owner can retain system ownership if their fleet strength is zeroed. 0 = will lose next hourly tick, 20+ = more than a few hours of active bombardment.
• System control: How strong is the owner's control over the system. Secure = secure, Tenuous = not secure, Contested = viable to flip.

Every hour the conquest map will tick, and systems may swap ownership. This is where the player comes in and can tip the scales, massively.

Ways to help the Factions

Declare War button

There are several methods of accruing Fleet Power or helping chosen factions:

1. Passive support by performing support missions - mining, salvage, deliveries, fighting pirates. These missions do not require the player to set anyone at war status.
2. Active support - set the faction's neighbors as enemies in the Reputation screen, then fly to their stations and destroy them. This will negate their fleet power, and on the next tick their Reinforecements value will fall. Once it is sufficiently low, as compared to neighboring values, and if their Fleet Strength is below their enemies, system will be conquered.
3. Mixed approach - bolster chosen faction's FP, while actively "zeroing out" neighboring systems so they fall faster.

To conquer a system for a faction, the faction that you want to help needs to be adjacent and connected with a gate. The control needs to be contested and the attacking faction needs to have higher fleet power in the adjacent system, with the reinforcement rate on the defender's side also being low enough.

Enlisting the Minors

Stranded faction (dark green) and mindus (light green) owning systems

The minor Factions do not participate initially. However, they have representatives at their Embassy stations which ask the player to intervene. Performing missions at the embassies lets them accrue Fleet Strength.

After they collect enough of Fleet Strength, they will spawn the "Headquarters<->Embassy" gate, and break into Ara Martis at a random position. At that point and onwards, the same rules apply to them as for any of the initial contestants.

Note: The same mechanic applies to every participant that is somehow pushed out of Ara Martis. For example, if Luminate collective are wiped out, doing quests at their embassy makes them viable to return into the frey. Only exception to this rule is Meridia's Chosen, which have no embassy, nor own a HQ<->Embassy highway gate. Once they are pushed out, they stay out, at the loud cheering of Darkspace Compact.

Example of launching a Minor invasion into Conquest:

Making Peace

At any given moment the player can "set peace" with an enemy faction. To do so they need to:

• Fly to the enemy's Embassy - Keep in mind Darkspace requires level 55 to reach their embassy, and Meridia's Chosen cannot be interacted with.
• Perform "conciliatory missions" - missions at the embassy will grant upwards of 1000-1500 reputation per mission, as long as the score is negative
• Once score is positive, "Make Peace" button is enabled and peace can be proclaimed.

Important Addenda

• System level: Is determined by player level, increasing slowly until the systems reach level 64 as player progresses towards character level 60. Destroyers start appearing at system level 40.
• The Enemy: Player can help all factions except for Meridia's Chosen. It is possible to ally everyone and stay pacifist with everyone except Meridia's.
• Map is alive: Factions will change the Map even without player intervention. However these changes are slow and do not alter the map much.
• Reputation matters: Fighting a faction openly will lower reputation with them. Once the Umbral Reach enters the fight, they provide for means to mask ship ID via Decoy Transponders. These prevent reputation loss (and gains) from fighting other factions.
• Reputation matters more: Performing Conquest missions grants Conquest Reputation. It is through this reputation one is able to acquire Destroyers and other massive craft. Destroyers are bought in Tokens (see Faction Currencies), and Conquest Shops also sell gear for Tokens. Having a high conquest reputation will help to acquire the Mars Commendations more quickly.
• Look for color: The HQs from each Faction are highlighted by a silver outline, and their Embassies (outside Ara Martis) are highlighted in gold. Both have special Conquest Shops that sell powerful gear for Tokens, and the HQ shop will sell level 74 gear at maximum conquest reputation.

The Infection

Decoy Transponder - a cloaking tool

the Umbral Reach has an unorthodox approach to Conquest. They spread their system net-infection code and slowly take over stations from within. Player can help them out and this unlocks massive benefits in the form of a hidden Umbral Shop (which behaves like a Conquest Shop, reaching level 74 blue/purple inventory at every conquest station), as well as access to specialized hacking tools to perform piracy on unsuspecting ships, mask one's identity while backstabing friends, and opportunity to perform daily missions at every station which can result in thousands of Mars commendations and millions in Credits, each.

See Umbral Reach for more information.