How to Found and Develop a Colony in Xterium — A Step-by-Step Guide

Each new colony means even more resources, buildings, and fleet units. But for a colony to be successful, it’s important to choose the right location and temperature—don’t just place the planet “anywhere.” Below is a step-by-step guide: what to use for colonization, how to increase your planet limit, which location to choose, and how to develop a new colony. All numbers are taken from the game’s code (verified); the tips come from the community.

Where did this guide come from? Information on colonization, the planet limit, size, and temperature is taken directly from the game code (the War of Alliances universe). Tips on choosing a location are recommendations from players on the player wiki and the forum thread. These are player tips, not official instructions. To learn how colonization works “under the hood,” see the mechanics section Colonization: How It Works.

Step 1. Review the study titled “Colonization”

Colonization begins with the “Colonization” research project. It does two things at once:

• unlocks the ability to build a colonization ship;
• Increases the planet limit—each level adds +1 to the number of planets you can have.

In other words, it is this research—and nothing else—that determines how many planets you will have. Without it, you cannot establish a new colony.

Step 2. Build a colonizer

To colonize a planet, you need a colonization ship. In the in-game help, it’s called the “Colonizer”; in the code itself, this role is fulfilled by an engineering ship—just look for the ship used for colonization; there’s only one. Important:

• One ship is used per colony. If colonization is successful, the ship is consumed.
• The colonizer is slow and weak—it isn't sent into battle, only to colonize planets.

Step 3. Select an available point

You can only colonize an unoccupied location—a set of coordinates where there is no planet yet. You cannot occupy a location that is already taken. Here are a few rules:

• The system has up to 8 positions (slots for planets). The position number determines the temperature (see step 4).
• The outermost positions become available based on your research level. To colonize the points closest to the star and the farthest ones, you need a sufficient “Colonization” research level: positions 3 and 13—level 4 or higher; positions 2 and 14—level 6 or higher; positions 1 and 15—level 8 or higher. The middle positions are available starting at level 1.
• A dropped waypoint remains locked for 24 hours. If you leave the planet, its coordinates remain locked for 24 hours—you won't be able to "jump back" there immediately.

Step 4. Set the temperature to match your goal

A planet's temperature depends on its position in the system: the closer it is to the star, the hotter it is; the farther away, the colder it is. This is important for development:

• Cold planets yield more deuterium (fuel for the fleet).
• Warm planets are better for energy.

Position Guide (numbers from the game code):

For more information on the relationship between temperature and deuterium, see the article Temperature and Deuterium.

Step 5. Determine how many fields a planet yields

"Plots" are the areas designated for buildings—in other words, the total amount of space available for construction on the planet. From the game's code:

• A typical new colony consists of about 200–270 fields (roughly within that range).
• Your first two colonies are large, with the maximum number of fields (270). This makes it easier for a beginner to get started.
• The home planet starts with a fixed value of 250 fields.
• With a special artifact, a colony is also created on 270 squares (the artifact is consumed in the process).

Conclusion: The first two colonies are intentionally large—use them for your most important structures.

Step 6. Develop a new colony

A new planet starts from almost nothing—you have to build it up just like you would a home:

1. Mines and power are the top priority. Build metal and crystal mines and a power plant to get mining started.
2. Bring in resources from developed planets. You can use transport to move an initial supply so that construction proceeds more quickly.
3. Build according to the temperature. On a cold colony, focus on deuterium; on a warm one, focus on energy.
4. Don't forget about defense. A young colony is easy prey; set up at least some basic defenses.

The complete guide to upgrading your base is in the guide How to Develop Your Economy.

How many planets can you have?

• Starting point: 1 planet; upper limit: 18.
• The "Colonization" research increases the limit: +1 planet per level, up to a maximum of 18.

Common Mistakes

• Place a planet without worrying about the temperature. A cold one is needed for deuterium; a warm one is needed for energy. A random location = an inconvenient colony.
• Don't waste your first colonies on nonsense. The first two are the largest (270 fields). Save them for something important.
• Don't leave the planet on a whim. Once you leave, the location will be blocked for 24 hours—you won't be able to return right away.
• Do not skip the "Colonization" research. Without it, neither the planet limit nor access to the outermost positions will increase.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you establish a colony in Xterium? A colonization ship—after unlocking the “Colonization” research. One ship is used per colony. You can only colonize an unoccupied space.

How many planets can you have? From 1 at the start to a maximum of 18. The "Colonization" research increases this cap by +1 planet per level.

How many fields will the new planet have? Usually, there are 200–270 fields at random. Your first two colonies are created with a maximum of 270 fields. Your home planet has 250 fields.

Which position should I choose? It depends on the objective: cold, distant positions yield more deuterium, while warm, nearby positions yield more energy. The outermost positions become available upon reaching the “Colonization” research level.

Why can't I colonize the point I want? Either the position is already occupied (you can only occupy a vacant one), or the location was recently vacated and is blocked for 24 hours, or the “Colonization” research level is not high enough for the outermost position.

What to Read Next

Learn how colonization works from the inside — Colonization: How It Works, how to read a map — Orbit and Galaxy, and how to build a colony — How to Develop the Economy. If you come across unfamiliar terms, check the Glossary.