Planet Types

There are several types of planets available, but some are 
worthless, and the good ones should be used for certain purposes 
only. Here is some info on the useful types:


Mountainous Type: This type builds citadels and upgrades them 
faster than any other planet type, and is useful for making
large amounts of fighters, and fuel ore which fuels the cannons.
All colonists should be working on fuel ore. Most efficent 
production is with 20,000 colonists per product. This is the 
best type of planet to start with in the MBBS Version of 
Tradewars. But, in the DOS version only, landing frequently on 
this planet type causes colonists to die, and landings must be 
kept to an absolute minimum. In the MBBS Version this is not a 
problem, and makes a perfect home planet.


Oceanic Type: This type produces organics just as fast as 
mountainous types produce fuel ore, and is the only planet 
type suitable for producing product intended for sale. All 
colonists should be working on organics, and maximum production
is with 100,000 colonists per product. Fighter production is 
nearly as good as on a mountainous planet.


Volcanic Type: This type produces basically fuel ore and nothing
else. Not much on fighter production either. It's main value
is as a quasar-cannon. Colonists on it produce twice the fuel 
ore that mountains do, and it can store up to 1 million units of 
fuel ore. This makes it just about impossible to invade. It does 
have 1 serious drawback, its colonists tend to die each time one 
lands on the planet, and also when one does a Corporate Planet 
Scan (command T L). Keep landing down to an absolute bare minimum,
AND put 25% of the colonists on equipment production (where they 
do nearly nothing), and the other 75% on fuel ore. This reduces 
colonist deaths very nicely. Maximum efficiency is with 50,000 
colonists on fuel ore, but don't forget an extra 12,500 colonists 
on equipment. And don't be tempted to pick-up the bit of equipment 
they produce, as this will kill more colonists! They are extremely 
slow to upgrade, but worth it.

Earth Type: Pretty much worthless in the MBBS Version of 
Tradewars, they produce product slowly, and can produce nothing 
that cannot be produced much better on another type of planet. 
It's capacities are rather low. Some folks use them to produce 
equipment, but that same number of colonists could make double 
the money working on organics on an oceanic planet type. However,
in the DOS Version of Tradewars, you don't want to use a 
Mountainous Planet as a home base because of colonist die-off, so 
an Earth Type is the planet of choice for a home base for sleeping 
in the citadel and for the treasury funds. The fact that colonists 
don't die on this type makes it fine for landing on. Just don't 
try producing equipment on this planet. Any equipment needed for 
upgrades is best bought at a port and brought in. The optimal 
number of colonists is 15,000 and all should be on fuel ore.


Vaporous/Gaseous Type: There are rumours that this type produces
planetary shields, or other unusual products, but our personal 
experience shows that nothing at all is produced on this type.
However, it will upgrade to a very small interdictor planet 3
days sooner than the mountainous type which is a possible 
consideration.


Desert Wasteland: Same Q-Cannon capabilities, ore production and
colonist capacity as a Mountainous type, but upgrades much slower.
Worthless.


Glacial Type: Nothing much produced, small capacities, worthless.
