# The multi-beam mechanism explained
Observed Game Fact Newly purchased planets begin with a single cargo beam transporting mined ore to your mothership. As transport rate and ship speed are upgraded, ore moves faster, but the visual beam count remains 1 until external systems intervene.
Community Knowledge In discussion thread 1wmvq5a[1], players frequently ask how planets shown in veteran screenshots display 2, 3, or 4 concurrent beams. Player u/Dreacle clarifies: “Colonise the planets, some modules will give you an extra beam once you colonise them, and you get faster smelt/crafting speed the more beams you have”[1].
- Visual Confirmation: Players with fully upgraded setups confirm seeing 4 distinct beams per planet (u/Electrical_Rain_2721[1]).
- Cargo Throughput: While multi-beams visually distribute ore batches, their primary power lies in triggering secondary stat bonuses attached to module loadouts.
# Beam Highways and module perk synergy
Community Knowledge In thread 1wmvq5a[1], veteran u/Rhino1over and u/Kenjamin1991 detail the module mechanics that transform multiple beams into an economic engine:
- Beam Highways Module: The Beam Highways module counts each established beam as 4 effective beams for logistical calculation[1].
- Craft Speed Multipliers: Certain synthetic modules feature perks such as “1.02x craft speed per beam”. When multiplied across 10–20 colonized planets with 4 beams each, this produces a compound craft speed multiplier exceeding 2.0x–3.0x[1].
- Module Acquisition: Modules are unlocked through the Space Station using Energy Cells won from weekly tournaments (thread 1wcbmnp[2]).
# Optimal colonisation order (Level 1–10)
Recommendation In thread 1why82k[3], community players discuss colonisation efficiency across planet tiers:
- Early Planet Priority (P1–P4): Planets 1 through 4 (Balor, Drasta, etc.) require lower-tier materials to colonise and will never demand endgame alloys or items. Rushing colony levels on these early worlds unlocks beam slots at negligible resource costs (u/No-Thanks4155[3]).
- Avoiding Mid-Tier Softlocks: Higher-tier planets (P15+) can demand rare items that halt colonisation progress. Only commit resources to deep colonisation once your automated crafting tree reliably produces the required components.
# Version sensitivity
Version-sensitive Module perk values, beam scaling multipliers, and specific module drop pools are actively tuned across game balance patches. Cross-reference your module cards with in-game tooltips to confirm current craft speed coefficients.
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