Colonization guide in Xterium — step-by-step second-planet setup

Key facts in 30 seconds

• Colonizer requires Hyperdrive level 3

• Colonizer cost: 30k metal + 10k crystal + 1k deuterium

• Cold position (14-15) gives +23% deuterium — best for synthesizer

• Warm position (4-7) gives more fields — best for metal/crystal

• Full colonization cycle: 3-4 days (research + build + flight)

Why colonize — ×2 economy

Each planet has separate mines. With 2 planets, your level-10 metal mine gives 720/h × 2 = 1,440/h metal. That's double, and on week 3-4 of play this is a critical difference.

More upsides:

1. Specialization: each planet for one resource

- Cold position → lots of deuterium (+23% bonus) - Warm → lots of solar → lots of energy → more metal/crystal

1. Backup base: if one planet is attacked — others remain
2. Strategic positions: closer to enemies (raid) or allies (ACS-defense)
3. More queues: separate build AND research queue per planet

Step by step — from research to deployment

Step 1. Tech requirements

1. Hyperdrive level 3 — unlocks the «Colonizer» ship
2. Combustion level 1+ — for escort ships
3. Computer Tech level 1+ — so one fleet colonizes and another defends

Step 2. Old-planet buildings

Before colonizing, make sure:

• Metal mine 8+ (to supply the new planet)
• Crystal mine 5+
• Storage (to accumulate colonization funds)

Step 3. Position choice — critical decision

Temperature depends on system position (see temperature & deuterium):

• Positions 1-2: +200°C to +150°C (very hot, no go)
• Position 3: +100°C (warm, average)
• Positions 4-6: +50°C to 0°C (versatile — most fields)
• Positions 7-9: 0°C to −50°C (cool, balanced)
• Positions 10-13: −50°C to −100°C (cold — +15% deuterium)
• Positions 14-15: −100°C to −150°C (icy — +23% deuterium)

For a newbie's first colony → position 4-7 (versatile, lots of fields). For deuterium specialization → position 12-15.

Step 4. Flight + deployment

Colonizer flies to chosen position, arrives, deploys into a new planet. After — you have one more planet. The colonizer is consumed in deployment.

Step 5. First buildings on the new planet

Same as the first: metal mine 4-5 → solar 3-4 → crystal 2-3. In 2 days — catches up to your main planet's economy.

Common colonization mistakes

1. Doesn't learn Hyperdrive 3 — stuck on one planet for a month, loses ×2 growth
2. Colonizes too close (same system) — feels convenient, but one enemy spy sees both planets
3. Picks position 1-3 (hot) — few fields, no bonuses, plain bad
4. Doesn't send defense with the colonizer — new planet several days undefended (server-configured), anything built = legal target
5. Ignores fields and climate — picks position by «pretty» coordinates, not by stats. Open galaxy view and check temp_min/temp_max of each option

Max number of colonies?

Depends on Computer Tech level. Base: 1 main + 8 colonies = 9 planets max. With premium account can be more.

Can I «relocate» to another planet?

No — planets can't be moved. You can colonize a new one and abandon the old (but lose everything built there).

What if no new planet at desired position?

Coordinates taken by other players. Solution: pick a neighbor position OR wait until someone «leaves» (inactive players' planets become capturable).

How many fields per planet?

Depends on position and luck (RNG). Positions 4-7: usually 150-250 fields. Positions 14-15: 70-150 fields. Fields = max buildings.

Quick citation reference

Colonization requirement: Hyperdrive 3 + Colonizer (30k m + 10k c + 1k d). Duration: 3-4 days (research + build + flight + deploy). Best deuterium position: 12-15 (−100°C to −150°C, +15-23% bonus). Best metal/crystal: 4-7 (moderate, many fields). Last verified: 2026-05-22.

What to read next

• First day in Xterium — step-by-step newbie guide
• Build order priorities in Xterium — what to build first
• Planet temperature in Xterium — deuterium and satellite formulas
• First research queue in Xterium — where to start tech