When a ship enters the sector:
 
1. Mines detonate.
 
2. Quasar cannons fire at sector level. The amount of fuel used by the cannon is determined by multiplying the fuel ore on the planet by the sector quasar cannon percentage. The amount of damage points the invading ship receives is 1/3 the amount of fuel used.
 
3. If there are fighters in the sector: If offensive, they attack. If toll, the player may pay the toll or attack. If defensive the player may attack. After the toll is paid the quasar cannons fire at sector level again. If the player attacks the fighters, after each attack round, even if 0 fighters were used in the attack, the quasar cannon fighters sector level. If the player does get all the fighters in one shot and attacks five times the quasar will fire all five times. Continue until the toll is paid or there are no fighters in the sector. Damage and fuel calculations for these firings are the same as in step 2.
 
When the ship attempts to land:
 
4. If the citadel is level 5 and has at least 1 shield, the quasar cannon fires at atmospheric level. The amount of damage the invading ship receives is determined by multiplying the amount of fuel ore on the planet by the atmospheric quasar cannon percentage. The amount of fuel deducted from the planet is equal to half the damage.
 
5. If the citadel is level 5 and has at least 1 shield, the player must destroy the shields to continue. If the planet has 1639 or more shields the invader can not get past this step.
 
6. If the citadel is level 3 or higher, the quasar cannon fires at atmospheric level. Same damage and fuel calculations as in step 4.

7. If the citadel is level 2 or higher, the planetary offensive fighters attack. The number of attacking fighters is determined by multiplying the number of fighters on the planet by the Military Reaction Level percentage. These fighters get 2:1 odds. If the invading ship at this point

has 26215 or more fighters AND the Military Reaction Level is not zero, then ALL planetary fighters attack and are lost.
 
8. If the citadel is level 2 or higher, any fighters left on the planet defend. The attacker must destroy them to land. These fighters get 3:1 odds.
 
9. The player lands on the planet and has full access.
 
During a photon wave, only steps 5, 8 and 9 are in effect. All others are nullified. If the photon wave runs out part way through the sequence the remaining steps will be in effect.