In order to get a colony ship you need:
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first go to Galaxy tab and explore where you want to go example: 1:1:1
This will just help you know who's around the coordinates you want and then decide if you want to go or not.
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What do I mean by first and last? Once you send the ship to the coordinates you wish, you will gain the planet and loose the ship, that is if nobody got there first, that's why is helpful explore in the galaxy tag first.
First go to the fleet tab.
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Choosing target:
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We are close to end. in this screen you just need to:
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Now in just a few min or hours depending on speed and distance you will have a brand new colony to subjugate errr. I mean help grow and prosper
How can I change the name of my colony?
quite easy click in the Overview tag then click in the default [colony]:my planet xxx
then a new screen load, type the new name click in change name continue and done