Reactor

The Reactor is the power plant of a star system. Every other structure in the system draws from it.

What it does

The Reactor sets the system's energy ceiling. Other structures consume a slice of that ceiling while they operate. As long as the total stays under the cap, the system runs at full speed.

What happens if you run out

When demand pushes past supply, the system enters a deficit. It's not a hard stop, but it's a quiet tax on everything you're doing here.

See the Energy page for the full picture of deficits and how to recover.

Why it matters

It's an easy thing to forget. The system doesn't break, it just gets gradually less productive, and you might not notice until you're hours behind where you should be.

Strategy

The cleanest rule: keep your Reactor one step ahead of demand. A Reactor that always has a little headroom means you can queue the next upgrade without doing any math first.

If you do find yourself in deficit, prioritise the Reactor in the queue over the structure that pushed you over. A short period of deficit is fine.