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Aurora 4X Manual & Guide
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Preface
1. Introduction
1.1 What is Aurora
1.2 Installation
1.3 First Launch
2. Game Setup
2.1 New Game Options
2.2 Race Creation
2.3 System Generation
2.4 Racial Traits and Species Customization
2.5 Starting Conditions
3. User Interface
3.1 Main Window
3.2 System Map
3.3 Common Controls
3.4 Event Log
3.5 Galactic Map
4. Systems and Bodies
4.1 Star Systems
4.2 Planets and Moons
4.3 Asteroids and Comets
4.4 Jump Points
5. Colonies
5.1 Establishing Colonies
5.2 Population
5.3 Environment
5.4 Infrastructure
5.5 Terraforming
6. Economy and Industry
6.1 Minerals
6.2 Mining
6.3 Construction
6.4 Wealth and Trade
6.5 Civilian Economy
7. Research
7.1 Technology Tree
7.2 Scientists
7.3 Research Facilities
7.4 Tech Categories
8. Ship Design
8.1 Design Philosophy
8.2 Hull and Armor
8.3 Engines
8.4 Sensors
8.5 Weapons
8.6 Other Components
8.7 Design Examples
9. Fleet Management
9.1 Shipyards
9.2 Construction, Refit, and Repair
9.3 Task Groups
9.4 Fleet Organization
9.5 Orders
9.6 Light Naval Operations
10. Navigation
10.1 Movement Mechanics
10.2 Jump Transit
10.3 Survey Operations
10.4 Waypoints
11. Sensors and Detection
11 Sensors and Detection Overview
11.1 Thermal and EM Signatures
11.2 Passive Sensors
11.3 Active Sensors
11.4 Stealth
12. Combat
12 Combat Overview
12.1 Fire Controls
12.2 Beam Weapons
12.3 Missiles
12.4 Point Defense
12.5 Electronic Warfare
12.6 Damage and Armor
12.7 Planetary Defence Centres
13. Ground Forces
13.1 Unit Types and Formation Design
13.2 Training, Logistics, and Transport
13.3 Ground Combat
14. Logistics
14.1 Fuel
14.2 Maintenance
14.3 Supply Ships
14.4 Orbital Habitats
15. Diplomacy
15.1 Alien Races
15.2 Communications
15.3 Treaties
15.4 Diplomacy
15.5 Intelligence Gathering
16. Commanders
16.1 Officer Generation
16.2 Skills and Bonuses
16.3 Assignments
17. Exploration
17.1 Geological Survey
17.2 Gravitational Survey
17.3 Xenoarchaeology
18. Advanced Topics
18.1 Game Mechanics
18.2 Time Increments
18.3 Spoiler Races
18.4 Late-Game Strategy
18.5 SpaceMaster Mode
Appendices
Appendix A: Formulas
Appendix B: Glossary
Appendix C: Tips and Common Mistakes
Appendix D: Reference Tables
Examples
Example: Designing Your First Beam Cruiser
Example: Establishing a New Colony
Example: Early Game Economic Bootstrap
Example: Exploration Workflow
Example: Fleet Engagement -- The Battle of Epsilon Junction
Example: Planning a Ground Invasion
Example: Defending a Jump Point
Example: Setting Up a Mining Network
Example: Designing a Missile Destroyer
Example: Designing a Missile Salvo
Example: Terraforming a Colony
Colony/Population Window Layout
Diplomacy Window Layout
Event Log Window Layout
Fleet/Task Group Window Layout
Ground Forces Window Layout
Manual Verification Workplan
Missile Design Window Layout
Research Window Layout
Screenshot Guidelines
Ship Design Window Layout
Shipyard Window Layout
Tactical/System Map Window Layout
UI Reference Images
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5. Colonies
Updated: v2026.01.28
Table of contents
5.1 Establishing Colonies
5.2 Population
5.3 Environment
5.4 Infrastructure
5.5 Terraforming