[Corporal Aston]

1. Is it be easy to tell which gates are open?

You cannot tell when a gate is open unless you try to send an IPER through or if you try to attack it. The same if you want to send resources through via trade. Once you get to know a players strategy you can sometimes figure out when he/she opens their portal.

2. The extremes are listed, needing 5 times the servicemen for no losses, but what about the middle ground? How do losses work when troop sizes are relatively equal or slightly stronger on one side or the other?

Very tricky question. When troop sizes are near equal, it is for sure that the person who has 1 serviceman more than the other wins. However, if in this case the attacker has about 10 more, he wouldn't be sure to win if the defendant had groud defences (turret, laser turret, Screen thruster). The more each army is at equal strength, the more losses are important. However, whatever happens the winner gains 20% of the other players army.

3. How do space battles work? Can you attack anyone with ships, or only people with open portals? I am understanding it, currently, as portal attacks and space attacks are completely different. Same question on how losses are determined in closer cases.

You can attack anybody with ships, portal open or not.

Space attacks are complicated to explain. before attacking someone you have to calculate if it is right do do so, taking in count, the defences he might have.

=> A space attack can last for a maximum of 14 rounds.
=> not all ships have to be destroyed in those 14 rounds. After 14 rounds, the battle is a draw, but one player can have more damage than the other.
=> all attackers ships will first hit the opponents ships with the highest fire power. (if a defence has higher power than ships, this will be aimed at first)
=> the defenders defences will concentrate their attacks on the attackers ship with the less fire power.
=> The shield absorbs the most fire power as possible. At each round, the ship regenrates 90% of its shield.
=> The shield is hit before the hull of course to protect it.
=>At the end of a battle, the destroyed ship leaves 75% (I need to check this) of its ruins in resources around the solar system the battle took place. (Ruins spaceships can recuperate)
=> At the end of a space battle, 95% of the defences are mended


I think that should help for a start. I shall give more info in the guide when I think of everything)

4. Does each planet have a separate resource stash and income supply? For instance, can your 'home' planet's resources be used to activate buildings on a different planet, or do you have to send the resources before you can activate?

Each planet acts as a independant planet, with the same building mode. You can transfer resources from one to the other via the portal (research center lvl 5 both planets) or ships, to enable you to start building again. (each planet starts like the beginning with 600 iron and 400 gold at disposal)

4.1. If you do have to transfer resources, then two "economic planets" would be beneficial. Keep the gates closed at all times, and send the resources to fund your military planets. The can also be used to send any spoils from attacks into safe keeping. (or even to protect servicemen)

Good thinking. but you must be sure to build defences to protect those resources.

5. Can you dismantle buildings or technology? (I can see the need to dismantle buildings more beneficial than technology) Also, does technology work across planets, or do you have to build it up on every planet?

You can only dismantle buildings.But not every one. (example: research center)
Technologies work accross planets. However you can only research one technology at a time on all planets included.

6. Is there a limitation put on who you can attack? For instance, can someone with 10,000 rank hit a 70 rank player that just built their research lab to level 4?

Yes there is a limitation. The limit is X3. Which means you can attack people with up too 3X higher your points or lower. Except if you are in the top 100, You can attack anybody (and vice versa).

7. Can other planets help defend? Sorry if this one was already answered, but interested in knowing if say our ship planets can send ships to portal planets to defend against other large scale ship attacks.

Yes indeed it is possible.

I would like to add, that each account refreshes every 8 hours from disconnection which means that if you sleep 9 hours from deconnexion, you production will refresh and be a target to other players. So lets just say that during those 8 hours no life exists ^^.

8. I can now colonize. What are the best planets to colonize?

The best slots are planets 3 to 7 in each system. You have more chance to find planets with the most slots. (~170)

9.What would happen if there are ships with 0 freight in an army and they are sent to battle accompanied by ships with no atk/def but free space for fuel, but these fuel ships get destroyed(even if the battle is won)? Since they need fuel to get back...

They would come back, even if it isn't logical.