NEW MISSION: OPERATION JACKPOT
Operation: Jackpot — Send a fresh Vanguard deep (75s off-board) to unleash a rolling 36-shell grand barrage in three salvos (amber, violet, and cyan tracers). Every fourth shell deals 3,200 heavy-hitter damage.
Cooldown: 150 seconds (Repeatable).
Cost: Ship returns at 25% charges.
OPERATIONS & NEW UNIT
New Unit — The Anchorite: Unlocked via Operation: Defection. A free-flying tractor ship that drags fliers, cruisers, or meteors off their vector. Deploy up to 2 (5 stability each). Never dives the planet.
Operation: Defection: A tractor-caste defector is broadcasting on a dead channel. 60 seconds, one fresh Vanguard, no backup. Bring them home to claim the Anchorite.
Operation: Counterbattery: 45 seconds away (90s cooldown). Ship returns raining a 14-shell amber barrage across the entire screen.
GAMEPLAY & SYSTEMS
Deep Vaults (Relic Attunement): Socket vault relics into 3 attunement slots. Resonance carries across runs (up to 5 stacks at +25% each).
Satellite Alternate Fire Modes: Right-click to toggle alternate fire modes per satellite type (persists across runs and reloads):
Laser: STANDARD / LONGSHOT
Cryo: DEEP FREEZE / STUN
Railgun: SLUG / RICOCHET
The Crucible: A 0–150 battle battery that charges on kills and overcharges via stardust injection. Vent at 40+ for CARNAGE or SANCTUARY (plus overcharge, backlash, stabilize, and Judgment edicts).
VANGUARD REFACTOR & NEW THREAT
New Threat — Kamikaze Cruisers: Rare variant (watch the first cruiser of every run) that stops shooting and dives Earth — costs 150M population and 8 stability if it connects.
Counterplay: Hacking a Kamikaze Cruiser redirects its dive toward the nearest hostile cruiser instead.
Distress Commission: Scrambling a Vanguard below 40 stability is now insured—detonations trigger full cost refunds.
Tactical Death & Ghost Batteries: Crippled Vanguards tumble before detonating and leave compact wreck memorials. Fresh wrecks continue firing as "ghost batteries" for a few seconds before going cold.
Orbital Parking: Vanguards automatically park on the orbital track when the board goes quiet.
COMMAND HUB & QUALITY OF LIFE
EarthHub Command Revamp: Full-stage layout overhaul (wider, taller, and more readable). Operations are now side-by-side with live tiles, cleaner typography, and a clickable C.H.L.O.E. evaluation ladder with archived directives.
Draft Re-rolls: Swap up to 3 times per draft at 200 / 450 / 900 stardust.
Omega Array Doctrines (Hotkey 8): Toggle between EXECUTE / FLAK SCREEN / CONSERVE.
SURGE: Answer C.H.L.O.E.'s call on Hotkey 7 while the response window is active.
Territory & Blight: Added passive picket interdiction, harvest-siphon tradeoffs, and frontier events. Blight retuned with slower regrowth, longer respawns, and ability-tinted purge waves.
General Improvements: Added Attract Mode (cinematic diorama plays on 60s idle), rescaled Earth for better visual space, performance headroom optimizations throughout, and live Steam Achievements & Leaderboards.
Fly safe, Commander. The sky is falling — now it's falling on them too.