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Fans of Elite: Dangerous can enjoy a different take on space exploration as the game lets them explore a 1:1 scale replica of the Milky Way Galaxy set in the distant future. With humanity now equipped with various technologies and FTL (faster-than-light) capabilities, gamers and players of Elite: Dangerous enjoy a persistent universe with player-driven lore, where exploring the whole galaxy is perhaps everyone’s goal.
However, of all destinations in the Milky Way Galaxy, it’s perhaps Colonia that is a milestone destination for most players in the game. Located close to the galaxy's center, Colonia is one of the toughest star systems to reach, especially for regular players. However, for gamers who know how to plan things, Colonia may just be much easier to reach.
Know What To Expect
Hardcore explorers of Elite: Dangerous have declared Colonia as one of the many intended destinations of their journey, especially since this was previously the most remote inhabited system for a time. In turn, reaching the Colonia system is a milestone alongside the likes of reaching the galactic center (Sagittarius A*), the most distant reachable Milky Way Galaxy (Oevasy SG-Y d0), and even the fabled Beagle Point.
However, aside from the achievement of having reached Colonia “the hard way,” there are also certain reasons why a trek to Colonia would be worth the while on a technical level. Upon arrival in the Colonia System in the Colonia Region, here are some notable points of interest players should know:
- Colonia Connection Highway: Given the 22,000+ LY difference between Colonia and the Sol System, players almost anywhere on the map will likely encounter various Megaships, Outposts, Starports, and Surface Ports throughout their journey. The Colonia Connection Highway is a community-made map that highlights these structures nearby and could be the basis of a player’s star route.
- Jacques Station: Perhaps just as notable as Colonia is the Jacques Station, the structure that led to Colonia’s discovery after its reactivation. This Orbis Starport has various commodities such as refuel, repair, outfitting, shipyard, and its own black market.
- 4 Engineers, 4 Special Upgrades: Colonia is extremely popular with completionists and tech savants due to four Engineers (Etienne Dorn, Marsha Hicks, Mel Brandon, Petra Olmanova) that are the only sources of specific unique blueprints (G4 Shield Cell Bank, G5 Life Support, G5 FSD Interdictor). Players must research beforehand and bring enough materials for these complete upgrades, as Colonia doesn’t have notable raw materials.
- Disconnection from the main bubble: Due to the distance of Colonia from the majority of the local bubble, there’s an evident disconnect between the game’s more aliens-focused storyline and Colonia’s player-driven faction stories.
Use A Recommended Ship
While players of Elite: Dangerous have the luxury of exploring space in any kind of ship the game offers, the strenuous conditions of a trip to Colonia mean gamers need the right type of ship to support them. Ideally, players want a ship with the highest jump speed and the cheapest upgrades. Likewise, given the travel demanding a lot of supercruising, the player’s ship of choice must have decent handling in these situations. In turn, here are some recommended Elite: Dangerous ships that one should consider for their Colonia journey:
- Anaconda (Multipurpose Ship): The large nature of the Anaconda alongside its flexibility can make it one of the most comfortably fast ships in the player’s arsenal. It doesn’t handle well in supercruise, however.
- Asp Explorer (Multipurpose Ship): The level of customization the Asp Explorer offers can make it live up to its name in a lengthy journey to Colonia. While its jump speed is lacking versus the Anaconda, outfitting the ship properly can make it a hauler for those who want to mine or trade along the way.
- Dolphin (Passenger Liner): Although on the slower side, the Dolphin is more of a chill option for players who don’t mind the extra LYs it would take to get to Colonia. It handles well in most situations, and its lightweight nature makes it an excellent jumping companion.
Prepare The Right Gear
Players who want to enjoy their Elite: Dangerous gameplay should plan for their Colonia expedition as they plan for other journeys. Due to the prolonged nature of a Colonia trip, it helps players already have the tools they need before starting their journey - especially since it can be a bummer to return to restock supplies or choose another set of ships and modules. Here are some items players should prepare:
- Fuel Tanks: These can be placed as an Internal Compartment or fitted in the Fuel Store Compartment of a ship.
- Fuel Scoop: This internal module automatically gathers fuel for the ship when flying close enough to a star that produces hydrogen via supercruise.
- Frame Shift Drive: This Core Internal module can facilitate supercruising (FTL inside star systems) and jumping (hyperspace system jumping). The technology allows FTL travel via moving space around the ship without time dilation and energy expenditure.
- Auto Field-Maintenance Units: Also called AFMUs, these small machines can repair just about any part of the ship except its hull and Power Plant. Having more than two AFMUs can facilitate repair with each other.
Map According To White Dwarf Scoops
Given how rare fueling stations are around halfway point to Colonia, traditional exploration in Elite: Dangerous can prove futile for explorers to use. Instead, players may want to rely on FSD Supercharging to facilitate further jumps. At its core, FSD Supercharging involves going into supercruise and flying close to a white star, with its high-energy jets being able to boost jump range by 50% (1.5x) via fuel scooping, utilizing a ship’s Fuel Scoop and Frame Shift Drive.
It’s precisely due to fuel scooping that AFMUs are essential to one’s Colonia adventure. Each session of FSD Supercharging will reduce the efficiency of a Frame Shift Drive by ~1%, where having it at 80% or below can make a fuel scoop damage or even destroy the Frame Shift Drive completely. Having AFMUs can ensure the integrity of the FSDs and avoid unnecessary instances of being stranded in space.
Use The Neutron Highway For Jumps
Another method of traveling much faster to Colonia from any system in Elite: Dangerous gameplay would be utilizing the Neutron Highway. This community-organized route prioritized and optimized FSD Supercharging via the jet streams of neutron stars and not just white dwarfs. The Highway becomes extremely useful the closer to the galactic center players are, as more neutron stars become present in these locations. Jumping via neutron stars is also more efficient, providing a 300% (4x) bonus to a ship’s total jump range, regardless if players use a medium-sized Elite: Dangerous ship.
Players can access the Neutron Router to create a viable route between their present location and Colonia, although they can also filter their navigator to prioritize neutron stars. When using the Neutron Highway manually, it’s advisable not to create a route based on how “short” the journey to Colonia becomes. Rather, it’s more efficient to create a Neutron Route based on how many jumps players can save than other conventional pathways.
Call Fuel Rats When Stranded
The trip to Colonia can be long and arduous for any Elite: Dangerous player, and one should anticipate any situation to cover all bases for such an extended trip. One such precaution is having a contingency plan in an emergency, such as a destroyed FSD or running out of fuel in a small Elite: Dangerous ship. In these situations, the Fuel Rats can come to the rescue.
A community-led Independent faction, the Fuel Rats are considered the premier fuel-assistance group in Elite: Dangerous gameplay. They are pilots who provide free fuel resupply to players who need a means of refueling their ships in the game. In fact, such is the commonality of people running out of fuel en route to Colonia that a group of Fuel Rats have already existed in the Colonia route, called the Fuel Route Colony that is based in Rodentia. Players can utilize the Fuel Rats website to call for assistance or even apply to join their ranks, although the game also has dedicated advertisements to the team.
Anticipate Gankers En Route
Due to how isolated the Colonia route could get, it’s not uncommon for Colonia travelers to be the target of gankers who want to destroy the player’s ship and scavenge it for parts. In turn, it helps players to equip their ships with the necessary primary defenses to fend off gankers and other threats that they may discover in their journey.
Given the nature of these risks in Elite: Dangerous gameplay, Colonia travelers should periodically make stops in safe spots as often as possible should they feel an area can be potentially dangerous or devoid of outposts. Getting the right protection is also advisable for players who plan on meeting Engineers in Colonia for upgrades.
Board A Fleet, Join Teams
Instead of going on the trip to Colonia alone, joining teams or boarding a large-class Elite: Dangerous fleet can make one’s Elite: Dangerous experience more interesting. For instance, players can head to the r/FCOC (Fleet Carrier Owners Club) subreddit to check out routes from a particular bubble to Colonia and back. Most of these trips are free, although the sub encourages Tritium donations.
Likewise, players who are already part of a guild may plan expeditions with their friends to Colonia. This joint journey may take days of planning and many hours of execution, but this does exemplify the community-based exploration element that the game encourages alongside its multiplayer approach to lore-building.
Elite: Dangerous was released in 2014 and is currently available on the PC, Xbox One, and PS4