PlanetWars influence

In PlanetWars, Influence represents the military presence and control that each faction exerts on a planet. A faction takes control of a planet after it gains enough influence and is then able to upgrade and use the planet's infrastructure.

Influence is primarily affected by the results of major battles between Commanders. Additionally, controlled planets send reinforcements through the wormhole network to project a small amount of influence onto neighboring planets.

How do Influence Points work?

The maximum Influence Points (IP) possible on a planet is 100. If the IP awarded to the attacker pushes the total over the limit, the IPs of the other faction is reduced to bring the total to 100.

IP determine planet control:

• A faction gains control of a planet when it controls over 50% of the IP on the planet.
• If the IP of the controlling faction drops below 10% the planet is abandoned.
• The homeworld of each faction cannot decay below 11% influence.

A faction may gain IP by attacking a planet.

The base IP gain for a victory is 35, modified as follows:

• +1 for each dropship on the planet.
• -10 if the planet has an active Garrison.
• -20 if the planet has an active Planetary Defense Grid

The final IP gained depends on the outcome of the battle and the state of the winning side's Commander Center.

• 100% IP gain, as calculated above, if the attacker wins and their Command Center survives.
• 50% IP gain if the attacker wins but loses their Command Center.
• 20% IP gain if the defender wins but loses their Command Center.
• 0% IP gain if the defender wins and their Command Center survives.

Decay

Armies of opposing factions do not like to coexist and so when left alone will slowly annihilate each other. When more than one faction has IP on a planet, every faction loses 1 IP there per turn.

Wormholes

Wormholes allow neighboring planets to help each other out (by helping them stay on or convert to the 'correct' side). Every turn, wormholes convert a small amount of neutral IP on their own and neighboring planets to the IP the faction that owns the wormhole. They cannot raise the faction's IP past 50 on a planet not owned by that faction, and thus cannot be used to capture planets. Wormholes have no effect on planets with no neutral IP.

Note that even the weakest wormhole, projecting only 0.3 influence per turn, causes influence decay on enemy planets (equal to 1 influence per turn). In long campaigns, this may be an efficient way to decrease enemy influence. Note that since at least 1 point of neutral influence must exist on the planet for the decay to start, sending a single bomber to decrease the ownership share below 100% may be useful.