Elite Colonization Planner Help

Complete guide to planning your Elite Dangerous colonization projects

🔍 System Search

Start by searching for your target star system. The search connects to Spansh and RavenColonial databases to fetch system bodies, orbital slots, and existing infrastructure data.

How to use:

  • Type a system name in the search box and press Enter or click Search
  • View your recent searches and popular systems in the expandable history section
  • Click on any system name in the history to quickly load it
  • The app automatically fetches planetary bodies and colonization data

📊 Economy Recommendation

The system analyzes your system's planetary bodies to recommend the optimal economy type based on available resources, terraforming potential, and body composition.

Economy Types:

  • Industrial: High metal content worlds, good for manufacturing
  • Extraction: Asteroid belts and icy bodies, mining focus
  • Refinery: Gas giants and diverse resources, processing economy
  • Agriculture: Terraformable worlds, food production
  • High Tech: Earth-like and water worlds, advanced technology
  • Tourism: Scenic bodies like Earth-likes
  • Military: Strategic defense infrastructure
  • Service: Support and logistics
  • Colony: Flexible, foundational settlement

💰 Construction Points (Tokens)

Construction points are the currency for building facilities. Your first orbital port (Primary Port) is free, but all subsequent facilities require Tier 2 (T2) or Tier 3 (T3) construction points.

How points work:

  • Primary Port: Your first orbital port costs 0 points to build
  • Token Generation: Many facilities generate T2 or T3 tokens when built
  • Building Costs: Higher-tier facilities require T2 or T3 tokens to construct
  • Net Balance: Green = surplus points, Red = deficit (can't build more)
  • Strategic Planning: Build token generators first to unlock advanced facilities
⚠️ Demolition Rules: Spent points are NOT refunded. Generated points ARE kept. Your balance can go negative if you demolish generators.

🏗️ Sites & Facilities

Plan your colony infrastructure by adding facilities to planetary bodies. Each facility has specific requirements, benefits, and placement restrictions.

Facility Types:

  • Starports: Major ports (Coriolis, Orbis, Ocellus, Dodecahedron) - high tier
  • Outposts: Basic facilities (Commercial, Industrial, Military)
  • Settlements: Surface only - Agriculture, Mining, Industrial, etc.
  • Installations: Orbital infrastructure - Satellite, Communication, Research, etc.
  • Hubs: Surface only - Industrial, Refinery, High Tech hubs

🔗 Economic Links

Economic links represent trade and resource relationships between facilities and ports. Strong links indicate efficient supply chains.

Link types:

  • Strong Links: Same body, optimal trade routes (0.80 weight)
  • Weak Links: Cross-body, less efficient (0.05 weight)
  • Port-to-Port Links: Essential for system-wide trade
  • Facility-to-Port Links: Supporting facilities supply ports

⭐ Tips & Best Practices

💡 Start with Token Generators

Build facilities that generate T2 and T3 construction points early. This unlocks higher-tier facilities and enables rapid expansion.

💡 Match Economy to Bodies

Place facilities on bodies with matching economy modifiers for bonus efficiency. For example, Industrial facilities on high metal content worlds.

💡 Maximize Strong Links

Build ports and supporting facilities on the same body to create strong economic links. This maximizes trade efficiency and colony output.

💡 Plan Before Building

Use the "Plan" status to map out long-term expansion without committing construction points. Switch to "Build" when ready to execute.

💡 External Resources

Learn more at Spansh and Raven Colonial