12 Combat Overview

Updated: v2026.01.30

Aurora’s combat system resolves engagements across multiple distinct phases, each governing different weapon types and defensive responses. Understanding the phase sequence and how subsystems interact is essential for designing effective fleets and managing engagements.

12.0.1 Combat Phase Sequence

Updated: v2026.01.30

Combat in Aurora C# resolves in a specific order each time increment. The key phases are:

1. Movement Phase: Ships execute movement orders. Ranged Defensive Fire and Point Blank Defensive Fire engage incoming missiles during this phase.
2. Naval Combat Phase (Beam Combat): Beam weapons fire at assigned targets. Area Defence point defense weapons also fire during this phase.
3. Missile Launch Phase: Missile fire controls launch missiles at targets within range. A post-launch detection check ensures all newly launched missiles are detectable at their launch point.
4. Missile Movement Phase: In-flight missiles move toward their targets, consuming fuel. Missiles reaching their targets proceed to the terminal phase.
5. Point Defense Resolution: CIWS engages incoming missiles in a separate phase. Point Blank and Ranged Defensive Fire controls engage during the movement phase (see above).
6. Damage Resolution: Hits from both beam and missile weapons are resolved against armor and internal components.

Warning: Always reduce the time increment to 30 seconds or less when combat is possible. Longer increments may cause missile salvos to pass through defensive fire envelopes without triggering engagement checks.

12.0.2 Weapon Types Overview

Updated: v2026.01.30

Aurora features several distinct weapon categories, each with unique characteristics:

Weapon Type	Range	Ammo	Key Advantage	Section
Beam Weapons (Lasers, Railguns)	Short-Medium (10-350k km)	No (capacitor)	Reliable, no ammo, instant hit	12.2
Gauss Cannons	Very Short (10k km)	Yes	High rate of fire, excellent PD	12.2, 12.4
Missiles	Long (100M+ km)	Yes (magazines)	Extreme range, high damage potential	12.3
Plasma Carronades	Very Short	No	High damage at close range	12.2
Mesons	Medium	No	Bypasses armor and shields	12.2
Microwave Weapons	Medium	No	Disrupts electronics	12.2

12.0.3 Core Combat Interactions

Updated: v2026.01.30

The combat system connects fire controls, weapons, sensors, and electronic warfare in a tightly coupled chain:

Sensors detect target --> Fire Control acquires lock --> Weapons assigned to FC fire
    ^                          |                              |
    |                     ECM degrades                   Damage resolved
    |                     FC range/accuracy               vs armor/shields
    |                          |                              |
    +-- EW countermeasures ----+                              v
                                                      Target damaged/destroyed

Key relationships:

• No weapon fires without a fire control. Every beam weapon requires a Beam Fire Control (BFC); every missile launcher requires a Missile Fire Control (MFC, which is an active sensor). See Section 12.1 Fire Controls.
• Fire controls require sensor data. MFCs are active sensors that must detect the target. BFCs require the ship to have sensor contact with the target.
• Electronic warfare degrades the chain. Sensor Jammers reduce detection range, Fire Control Jammers reduce beam accuracy, and Missile Jammers reduce missile hit probability. See Section 12.5 Electronic Warfare.
• Point defense operates automatically. CIWS, Ranged Defensive Fire, and Area Defence modes fire without player intervention once configured. See Section 12.4 Point Defense.

12.0.4 Pre-Combat Checklist

Updated: v2026.01.30

Before entering combat, verify the following (see Section 12.1.4 Pre-Battle Setup Checklist for full details):

1. All beam weapons assigned to beam fire controls
2. All missile launchers assigned to missile fire controls
3. Missile types loaded in launchers
4. Fire control modes set (Open Fire, PD modes, Hold Fire)
5. Targets assigned or Auto Fire enabled
6. Active sensors turned on
7. Time increment reduced to 30 seconds or less

Chapter Contents

Updated: v2026.01.26

• Section 12.1 Fire Controls – Beam and missile fire control configuration
• Section 12.2 Beam Weapons – Laser, railgun, gauss, meson, plasma, and microwave weapons
• Section 12.3 Missiles – Missile design, combat, AMMs, and laser warheads
• Section 12.4 Point Defense – CIWS, PD fire controls, and layered defense
• Section 12.5 Electronic Warfare – Sensor, fire control, and missile jammers
• Section 12.6 Damage and Armor – Damage types, armor, shields, and bombardment
• Section 12.7 Planetary Defence Centres – Ground-based combat installations

Related Sections

• Section 8.5 Weapons – Weapon component design in ship designer
• Section 11.0 Sensors and Detection – Sensor systems that enable targeting
• Section 11.3 Active Sensors – Active sensors as missile fire controls
• Section 16.2 Skills and Bonuses – Commander combat skill effects