Turn Phases: the sequence of actions within a turn

An RSW turn is divided into eight phases. The actions in each phase happen simultaneously unless otherwise specified. In the list below, actions shown in italics are specific to a particular character type.

In the RSW Client, you may choose to sort your order list according to the "Phase" column by clicking on that column. This will group orders into these phases to help you easily see the sequence in which the actions of the next turn will be performed.

Phase 1 : Initial

Auto-ambush may be turned off at some or all worlds.
A player may be declared to be an ally. (This lasts until the player is declared not to be an ally).
A player may be declared not to be an ally.
A player may be declared to be a loader, thus allowing that player to load metal from your worlds. (This lasts until the player is declared not to be a loader.)
A player may be declared not to be a loader.
A fleet may be declared to be at peace. (This will continue until the fleet is declared not at peace.)
A fleet may be declared to be not at peace.
A Missionary may pronounce Judgment against another player.

Phase 2 : Unloading

Metal on fleets may be unloaded to the local world.
Metal on fleets may be converted to consumer goods and unloaded to the local world.
Metal on fleets may be jettisoned.
1 industry may be created by scrapping 6 I-Ships (4 I-Ships for the Emperor).

Phase 3 : Transfer

Ships may be freely exchanged between fleets, I-Ships and P-Ships.

Phase 4 : Building

For each usable industry a ship may be built onto I-Ships, P-Ships, or any orbiting fleet.
For each usable industry one population (including converts or robots) may be migrated to an adjacent world.
The population limit of a world may be increased by 1 with 5 metal and 5 industry.
A new industry may be built with 5 metal and 5 industry (4 for Empire builder).
Two robots may be built by a Positronix for each usable industry.
Any remaining unused usable industry will build I-Ships.

Phase 5 : Loading

Metal on a world may be loaded onto orbiting fleets.
Artifacts may be hooked from a world onto orbiting fleets (or from any fleet onto a Collector's fleet).
Artifacts may be dropped from fleets onto the world below.

Phase 6 and 7 : Combat and Movement

These two phases interrelate. Although Combat traditionally occurs before movement, a fleet that is about to move away from a fleet firing at it will take only half damage. However, destroying a fleet will successfully prevent it from ambush-firing any passing fleets that turn.

A fleet may probe one or more worlds adjacent to the world it orbits at the beginning of the turn, at the cost of one ship per world probed.
I-Ships and P-Ships may probe one or more adjacent worlds, at the cost of one ship per world probed.
I-Ships and/or P-Ships may perform one of the following actions:
- Fire at a fleet which started the turn above its world.
- Fire at converts on its world.
- Conditionally fire at a fleet which started the turn above its world.
- Conditionally fire at converts on its world.
- I-Ships or P-Ships which do not perform any of the other of these actions will ambush fire at passing fleets unless auto-ambush has been turned off.
Each fleet may perform one of the following actions:
- Move to a world through up to 2 intervening worlds.
- Fire at a fleet which started the turn above the same world.
- Conditionally fire at a fleet which started the turn above the same world.
- Fire at I-Ships and Industry.
- Fire at P-Ships and Population.
- Fire at I-Ships and P-Ships.
- Conditionally fire at I-Ships and Industry.
- Conditionally fire at P-Ships and Population.
- Conditionally fire at I-Ships and P-Ships.
- A Positronix fleet may convert ships to robots and drop them on the local world.
- Drop a Planet Buster Bomb (PBB) on the local world.
- A fleet which does not perform any of these actions will ambush fire at passing fleets unless auto-ambush has been turned off.

Phase 8 : Final

Commandeer: a Raider will automatically capture fleets at worlds where their ships outnumber their opponent's ships by more than 3 to 1.
A world may be plundered.
A fleet with 26 or more ships may build a Planet Buster Bomb (PBB).
Population above the population limit die.
Up to two worlds or fleets may be given to another player or players.