Getting Started
Welcome to Orbitarion, Commander. This page covers the basics — what to do in the first few minutes after you install the app. For your actual first 48 hours of play, jump straight to the Newbie Guide.
1. Install and create an account
Download Orbitarion on iOS or Android, then create an account with email, Google, or Apple Sign-In. Account data persists across seasons — your alliance memberships, history, and Hall of Fame profile follow you forever.
- iOS: App Store
- Android: Google Play
2. Pick a username
After your account is created, you'll choose a username — a permanent handle that identifies you across every season you'll ever play. This is not the same as your planet name. Your planet name changes every season; your username does not.
- 3–20 characters, lowercase letters, numbers, and underscores only
- Must be unique
- Set once — cannot be changed afterwards. Pick something you'll be happy with for a long time
Your username is the key that links all your past and future seasons together into one commander profile on stats.orbitarion.com. When other players look you up — or scout you before an attack — they search by username. Choose carefully.
3. Sign up for the active season
When you open the app, you'll see the season signup screen. You make two choices here:
Pick your race. Four options, each with a distinct combat identity and racial bonuses. United Earth Command is the easiest to learn — tough, straightforward, hard to wipe out. Read the Races overview before deciding, or pick UEC if you're new and want to learn the systems before getting tricky.
Name your planet. This is the name other commanders will see in galaxy view, on rankings, and in battle logs. Choose something memorable.
You'll be placed into a galaxy with an open slot when the season starts (or immediately, if you're joining mid-season). You can join late at any point — your 48-hour protection window starts from the moment you land, not from season start.
4. Pick a Commander archetype
After your race, choose a Commander — four archetypes, each unlocking a different set of traits as you accumulate Commander Points:
| Archetype | Plays well with |
|---|---|
| Spymaster | Scanning specialists, intel hubs, sneaky players |
| Engineer | Economic powerhouses, builders, late-game crushers |
| Tactician | Aggressive players, alliance attack leaders |
| Defender | Turtle players, fortress planets, alliance anchors |
Read more in the Newbie Guide — it walks you through which archetype suits which playstyle and your race.
5. Your first ticks
Once you land, here's the order things should happen:
- Research "Basic Sweep Sensors" — your economy doesn't exist until you can scan. This is always the first research, every season, no exceptions.
- Scan for orbitals — each successful scan gives you one uninitiated orbital
- Initiate orbitals — assign each one to produce Titanium, Silicon, or Uranium
- Research "Fighter Operations" — unlock your first combat ships
- Build a fleet — fighters and corvettes during protection, frigates if you have time
- Pick a Commander trait — invest your first Commander Points to start gaining bonuses
- Join an alliance — Discord is where they recruit
Don't worry about absorbing all of this right now. The Newbie Guide covers every step in detail, with timing, costs, and race-specific advice.
6. Understanding ticks
Everything in Orbitarion happens at ticks. One tick every 30 minutes (5 minutes in speed rounds). Between ticks you queue research, send fleets, build ships. When the tick fires, all of it resolves at once across the entire universe — for every planet, every player, simultaneously.
This is what tick-based strategy means: the player who logs in twice a day for five minutes each can hold their own against someone who's online constantly. The skill is in what you decide, not how often you tap.
Full explanation of the tick system →
Next step
Open the Newbie Guide — it walks you through your first 48 hours of play in detail. By the time protection drops, you'll have a working economy, a starting fleet, and a Commander pick that fits your strategy.
For deeper mechanics, the Game Guide covers every system in depth. Drop into Discord if you want to ask questions or find an alliance.
Documentation reflects Orbitarion v2.0. Last updated: 2026-05-17.