Intercepting an Asteroid
If a ship has a friendly code of IA(n) selected (where n is the Asteroid Number) its waypoint will be set to the location of the Asteroid and it will move towards the Asteroid as host runs. As long as the IA(n) fcode is selected the ship will keep intercepting the asteroid, as long as the ship has fuel.
Asteroids move about the Echo Cluster under their own power. They contain a mineral called Quadbenium that allows them to absorb energy from space and use it for propulsion. Asteroids move at warps speeds raging between 5-10. The exact range for each Asteroid depends on its mass, the higher the mass the higher the average warp speed of the Asteroid.
Towing an Asteroid
To tow an Asteroid a starship needs to be at the same point in space as an Asteroid and select the friendly code of TA(n). This will cause the Asteroid to be "towed" by the ship. This process requires no fuel expenditure by the ship, due to the Asteroid's self-propulsion.
Towing an Asteroid Into a Planet's Orbit
If an Asteroid is towed into a planets orbit it will immediately impact onto the planet's surface. This will cause damge to the planets surface. Damage means that colonists and natives will die (a % of them and lose 50 happiness points), also, mines, factories and defense outposts will be destryoed. The percentage of this damage is determined by the ASTCONFG damage multiplier setting:
ASTCONFG Damage Mulitplier *(asteroid mass/1000)
Asteroid mineral yeild is equal to a range between 1/2 of the Asteroids mass up to its mass plus 500 KT. This is the yeild from an asteroid impact for EACH mineral (N, T, D, M). So a 1000 KT Asteroid could yield 1500 of each mineral onto the planet (if a max yield happened). The impact will place 1/2 of the yield on the planet's surface and 1/2 into the ground.
Gathering Quadbenium
To gather Quadbenium you need to be in the same point in space as the Asteroid and towing it (the gather code will still equal towing of the Asteroid). If you meet these criteria and set your friendly code to GQ(n). The (n) is the Asteroid number you are towing. Your ship will gather Quadbenium from the surface of the Asteroid. The amount of Quadbenium on the Asteroid is determined by its mass.
The mass divided by 10 will tell you how many micrograms of Quadbenium are on the surface of the Asteroid (assuming that none has been removed before you gather). (i.e, 5000 KT Asteroid has 500 micrograms of Quadbenium on the surface).
Starships can only hold so much Quadbenium. This amount is determined by the engine tech. The max amount of Quadbenium able to be stored in the Warp Core at any one time is (Engine tech / 2)*100. (i.e., Transwarps {tech 10} can hold [10 / 2 ] = 5 * 100 = 500 micro grams of Quadbenium.)
Quadbenium Jumps
The only thing Quadbenium can be used for is Quadbenium Jumps. To perform a Quadbenium Jump you need to have at least 100 micrograms of Quadbenium in your warp core, a heading and a friendly code of QJ(n). Where (n) equals the number light years (mulitplied by 10 with 0 = 10*10) you wish to jump.
If these requirements are met your ship will perform a Quadbenium jump before host runs. So yes it is possible to Jump before Rob, tow or any other missions. When the jump occurs you move along your preset heading, if you have no heading you will still burn Quadbenium, but stay at the same point in space.
A Quadbenium Jump of any length ( 10 - 100 Light years) burns 100 micrograms of Quadbenium. The Quadbenium burn does not depend on the length of the Quadbenium Jump.
If you are using WINPLAN (Planets v3.5) you can set your waypoint at a distance longer than the length of the Q-jump. If you do this and have a warp setting you will move normally after the Q-jump has been completed. i.e. You set a 181 LY Waypoint. You set fcode to QJ0 - you quad jump 100 light years and then the ship moves normally at warp 9 for another 81 LY.
When do These Missions Happen?
