Voran Colonial Authority // Field Manual VCA-ECON-01

Refining Operations
Field Manual

Raw ore is worthless until it’s refined. Turn planetary resources into the alloys, fuels, and components that build your fleet and power your empire — this manual covers every recipe, refinery tier, production chain, and location bonus.

EconomyIndustryLogistics
Section 01 // Industrial Doctrine

How Refining Works

Refining converts raw resources into higher-value refined goods — alloys, fuels, electronics, and weapon components. All refining happens inside Refinery structures built on your bases.

Every refinery has a tech tier. A recipe lists a minimum refinery tier; any refinery at that tier or higher can run it. Each refinery crafts one recipe per batch — to scale output, run more refineries (or higher-tier ones).

Crafting consumes the recipe’s inputs from base storage and charges its credit cost. Output is boosted by the planet you refine on, and craft time is cut by your account tier — both covered below.
Section 02 // Facilities

Refineries

Refineries come in three tiers. A higher-tier refinery can run every recipe a lower tier can, plus its own. Storage is the buffer of refined goods the building can hold before you ship them out.

TierRefinery BuildingsStorageCan Craft
3PRX-1A Smelter · RSX-1A Processor500T3
4PRX-2A Forge · RSX-2A Foundry1,500T3, T4
6PRX-3A Crucible · RSX-3A Megaworks4,000T3, T4, T6
The RSX line (Processor / Foundry / Megaworks) is built for throughput, while the PRX line (Smelter / Forge / Crucible) carries the storage buffer. Pair them on a base to refine and stockpile in one place.
Section 03 // Yield

Output, Time & Cost

Three numbers decide every craft: how much you get, how long it takes, and what it costs.

Output AmountOutput = Base Output + floor( Base Output × Location Bonus% / 100 )
Craft TimeCraft Time = Base Time × ( 1 − Account Speed Bonus )

Cost is a flat credit charge per craft (listed on each recipe), paid the moment the batch starts. Inputs are pulled from the linked base’s storage — if you don’t have the materials or the credits, the craft won’t queue.

The location bonus only applies when the refinery sits on a matching planet type. Refine Reactor Rods on a Lava world for +30% output; the same recipe on a Terrestrial world gets nothing.
Section 04 // Account Tier

Refine Speed Bonus

Your account tier shortens every craft. The reduction applies on top of all recipes, at every refinery.

−0%
Account Tier 1
craft-time reduction
−5%
Account Tier 2
craft-time reduction
−10%
Account Tier 3
craft-time reduction
−15%
Account Tier 4
craft-time reduction
Section 05 // Recipe Registry

Recipes

Every active recipe, grouped by the minimum refinery tier needed to craft it. Yield is the base output before location bonuses; craft time is before your account-tier speed bonus.

Tier 3 — Basic Refining

10× Iron5× Earth
Steel Plates
T37s · 21 cr
5× Steel Plates
10× Rock5× Earth
Stone Brick
T310s · 30 cr
5× Stone Brick
8× Water6× Hydrogen
Deuterium
T320s · 60 cr
5× Deuterium
6× Uranium8× Copper
Reactor Rods
T324s · 75 cr
2× Reactor Rods
8× Oil6× Hydrogen
Fuel Cells
T325s · 78 cr
5× Fuel Cells
8× Food6× Water
Bio Gel
T326s · 82 cr
3× Bio Gel
8× Copper4× Silver
Copper Wire
T342s · 130 cr
5× Copper Wire
ProductYieldInputsCraftCostLocation Bonus
Steel Plates5×10× Iron + 5× Earth7s21 cr—
Stone Brick5×10× Rock + 5× Earth10s30 cr—
Deuterium5×8× Water + 6× Hydrogen20s60 cr—
Reactor Rods2×6× Uranium + 8× Copper24s75 crLava +30%, Space +30%
Fuel Cells5×8× Oil + 6× Hydrogen25s78 cr—
Bio Gel3×8× Food + 6× Water26s82 crMost planet types +25%
Copper Wire5×8× Copper + 4× Silver42s130 cr—

Tier 4 — Advanced Components

8× Gas6× Iridium
Plasma Charge
T418s · 57 cr
2× Plasma Charge
8× Titanium6× Iron
Titanium Alloy
T425s · 77 cr
3× Titanium Alloy
6× Glacium6× Permafrost
Cryo Coolant
T460s · 200 cr
2× Cryo Coolant
6× Obsidian6× Voltherium
Reinforced Glass
T460s · 200 cr
2× Reinforced Glass
2× Plasma Charge8× Voltherium4× Obsidian
Weapon Core
T460s · 190 cr
1× Weapon Core
8× Verdium8× Glacium4× Permafrost
Shield Matrix
T470s · 220 cr
1× Shield Matrix
3× Titanium Alloy6× Aurelium
Advanced Alloy
T480s · 249 cr
2× Advanced Alloy
4× Gold3× Copper Wire
Circuit Board
T4143s · 444 cr
1× Circuit Board
ProductYieldInputsCraftCostLocation Bonus
Plasma Charge2×8× Gas + 6× Iridium18s57 crLava +30%, Space +30%
Titanium Alloy3×8× Titanium + 6× Iron25s77 crLava +30%, Mountain +30%
Cryo Coolant2×6× Glacium + 6× Permafrost60s200 crIce +30%, Oceanic +30%
Reinforced Glass2×6× Obsidian + 6× Voltherium60s200 crLava +30%, Mountain +30%
Weapon Core1×2× Plasma Charge + 8× Voltherium + 4× Obsidian60s190 crLava +35%, Space +35%
Shield Matrix1×8× Verdium + 8× Glacium + 4× Permafrost70s220 crIce +35%, Space +35%
Advanced Alloy2×3× Titanium Alloy + 6× Aurelium80s249 cr—
Circuit Board1×4× Gold + 3× Copper Wire143s444 cr—

Tier 6 — Exotic

3× Deuterium4× Aurelium
Tritium
T690s · 280 cr
2× Tritium
ProductYieldInputsCraftCostLocation Bonus
Tritium2×3× Deuterium + 4× Aurelium90s280 cr—
Section 06 // Supply Lines

Production Chains

Some recipes consume goods that are themselves refined. Plan these chains ahead — you need the intermediate stockpiled (and a refinery free) before the final craft will run. Highlighted inputs are refined goods.

Copper Wire → Circuit Board
8× Copper4× Silver
Copper Wire
T342s · 130 cr
5× Copper Wire
4× Gold3× Copper Wire
Circuit Board
T4143s · 444 cr
1× Circuit Board
Titanium Alloy → Advanced Alloy
8× Titanium6× Iron
Titanium Alloy
T425s · 77 cr
3× Titanium Alloy
3× Titanium Alloy6× Aurelium
Advanced Alloy
T480s · 249 cr
2× Advanced Alloy
Plasma Charge → Weapon Core
8× Gas6× Iridium
Plasma Charge
T418s · 57 cr
2× Plasma Charge
2× Plasma Charge8× Voltherium4× Obsidian
Weapon Core
T460s · 190 cr
1× Weapon Core
Deuterium → Tritium
8× Water6× Hydrogen
Deuterium
T320s · 60 cr
5× Deuterium
3× Deuterium4× Aurelium
Tritium
T690s · 280 cr
2× Tritium
Higher-tier refineries can run the whole chain, but only one step at a time — dedicate a refinery to the intermediate so the final product never stalls waiting on supply.
Section 07 // Site Survey

Location Bonuses

Build your refineries where it pays. Each planet (and open space) boosts the output of specific recipes — match your industry to your territory.

Planet / LocationRecipes Boosted
DesertBio Gel +25%
DuneBio Gel +25%
IceShield Matrix +35%, Cryo Coolant +30%, Bio Gel +25%
LavaWeapon Core +35%, Reactor Rods +30%, Plasma Charge +30%, Titanium Alloy +30%, Reinforced Glass +30%, Bio Gel +25%
MoonBio Gel +25%
MountainTitanium Alloy +30%, Reinforced Glass +30%, Bio Gel +25%
OceanicCryo Coolant +30%, Bio Gel +25%
SpaceWeapon Core +35%, Shield Matrix +35%, Reactor Rods +30%, Plasma Charge +30%
TerrestrialBio Gel +25%
Bio Gel is boosted on nearly every planet type (+25%) — it’s the one recipe you can refine profitably almost anywhere.
Section 08 // Commander's Briefing

Key Tips

Distilled industrial doctrine — how to turn ore into an empire without bleeding credits.

Match Site To Recipe
Location bonuses are free output. Put your Reactor Rod and Plasma lines on Lava or in Space, your Cryo work on Ice — refining in the right place is up to +35% for nothing.
One Recipe Per Refinery
Each refinery runs a single recipe per batch. Throughput scales with refinery count, so build wide, not just tall.
Stockpile Intermediates
Circuit Boards, Weapon Cores, Advanced Alloy and Tritium need refined inputs. Keep the feeder recipe running so the high-value craft never stalls.
Tier Up For Speed
Account tier shaves up to 15% off every craft time — a compounding edge once you’re refining at scale.
Watch The Credit Cost
Refining isn’t free — high-tier components like Circuit Board (444 cr) cost real credits per batch. Refine to use or sell, not to hoard.
Mind The Storage Buffer
Refineries only hold so much. Ship finished goods out before the buffer fills, or new batches have nowhere to go.