Welcome to the new Rigel server!
Competition begins with the fully playable races of Sol Imperial Worlds, Genari United Empire, and Ma'Alaketh Confederation.
Some new updates:
Dyson Sphere
The Ma'Alaketh Homeworld now has a Dyson Sphere. It is heavily shielded and has a massive defense particle beam, but is vulnerable once its shields are down. If an opposing race wants to defeat the Ma'Alaketh, they must destroy the Maal Homeworld Sphere.
Essentially a Dyson Sphere built around the dwarf star supporting the Ma'Alaketh homeworld Do'Oran, it is nearly 16,000km in circumference, and has become the center of innovation and technology for the Ma'Ali people. After planet Do'Oran became an unsustainable world because of excessive abuse of its natural resources and atmosphere, the Ma'Ali found other worlds that would become their new homes. However, during that profound technological singularity, a new grand project was initiated. Harnessing the power of their dying star, they built a new world around it, and within two centuries completed this technological marvel. It has seen many improvements and changes since; from its interior becoming not only the center for technology, but for trade, finance, and even agri/aqua culture. It sustains the Ma'Ali race, and is the new seat of the High Advisors' council.
As the threat of the Sol & Genari aggression became more of a potential threat, this relatively fragile sphere was implemented with a powerful force field that can absorb 144 terajoules of energy at any time. It also has a singular defensive particle beam that could theoretically destroy a warship with one blast alone. Because of the tremendous power this sphere sustains, in theory if it was destroyed, it would produce a small nova-like wave that would destroy anything within 4000 kilometers around it.
Genari & Sol Type II ships now are available as starter ships.
Increasing the selection of starter ships, Type II (usually more defensive variants) are now unlocked and usable as a starter ship for new players. The Ma'Alaketh Wraith type I has also been unlocked as a starter ship.
Sol now has Marines!
Albeit in a limited fashion, Sol Imperial Worlds marines are now available on the Swordfish Type II Marine Destroyer, as well as the new Oslo V Marine Frigate. The Chief Medical officer has been upgraded with the Elite Marines skill.
The Oslo has been proven to be a very capable warship, though not considered a front-line frigate like its Gorshkov and Liverpool counterparts. It has had a dynamic role in the war however, recently converted to a tender/warship hybrid, and now modified to carry marine pods. Admiral Michiel Donitz, the mastermind of the Sol Imperial Special Marines push to be more engaged in the war effort saw the Oslo as a good test ship for a marine frigate. Though not as effective against Genari, the new war on the Ma'Alaketh front was where these marines would be needed. Trained to board and kill crew members on Ma'Alaketh corvettes and frigates, they have been proven very effective in disabling Ma'Alaketh ships. Admiral Donitz hopes that the Admiralty will see this as a green light to move forward in retrofitting other Sol warships with marines.
The Hive Beta Testing
Two veteran volunteers will continue to test the hive, and many of its skills/features as well as its proboscis will be in the works. The server after Rigel will be opening up the Hive to the public.