The Pillars form Aleryos's ground network. They project troops, resources, and colonists between planets, open special missions, and create a second front alongside fleets. This guide explains their cost, missions, activation, Force Field, and Pillar Virus.
To follow a battle once the attack is admitted, see the ground-combat guide.
Understanding transit through the Pillars
- Weave Resonator (RT)
Pillars move ground units, not the ships you design in the Space Yard. A fleet keeps its route, speed, and Aether consumption; a Pillars projection consumes Weave Resonators (RT).
The cost depends on distance and the ground population projected. Specialized devices, resources, and components do not count as ground population; RT carried along are added separately to the cost. The server always recalculates that cost before accepting a mission. The transit and manifest wiki details reductions and compatibilities.
Most Pillars missions resolve without conventional space travel. Exploration and Hacking each follow their own duration. Operations remain visible in Operations and Sensors, without a movement traced on the galactic map.
To target an already occupied planet, Pillars must be active on both the departure and target planets. Colonizing a free slot does not require Pillars at the destination.
Choosing the right mission
In Operations, choose Pillars, then the appropriate mission. This guide uses Deployment for the mission called Stationing on certain wiki pages: it means permanently placing troops on another planet.
| Mission | What it is for | Point to note |
|---|---|---|
| Attack | Start a ground battle | One military unit is mandatory; the same attacker may launch at most one Pillars attack per UTC day against the same planet. |
| Transport | Send ground units, resources, and permitted devices | RT can be transported only by Transport or Deployment. |
| Deployment | Permanently station your troops on another planet | Use it to position an army; Pillars must be active at both ends. |
| Colonization | Found a new colony | It only goes through the Pillars; the conditions are explained in the colonization guide. |
| Espionage | Observe a planet with a Ground Drone | Espionage provides a report; it does not start combat. |
| Exploration | Launch a ground expedition | Allowed units and devices depend on the mission manifest. |
| Hacking | Send Naël Soryn to read the target's Sensors | The operation lasts 30 minutes and the report remains a snapshot at the time of reading. |
Recyclers are not eligible for Pillars missions. In Exploration, ground units are allowed, but only Small Transporter and Large Transporter are allowed among special units. These rules explain why a selection accepted for Transport can be refused for Exploration.
Hacking: what the report actually shows
From Operations → Pillars → Hacking, Naël Soryn infiltrates the Sensors of a player or Wanderer. The operation uses the normal projection cost, requires no troops, and cannot be cancelled. It lasts 30 minutes.
The report lists movements visible at the time of reading. It does not then track fleets in real time: for a player, it expresses timings in human categories, not as an exact arrival time. The target is warned when it activates; detecting the hack does not make the mission fail. The Pillars hacking wiki specifies Naël's alerts, quotas, and accessories.
Activating or disabling the Pillars
Pillars are activated and disabled planet by planet from their console. A change takes effect one hour after it is scheduled. Once the switch is effective, you must wait 23 hours to change state again, and no more than three planets can have their Pillars disabled at the same time.
A planet with disabled Pillars can neither launch nor receive a mission through the network. This limitation can temporarily protect a ground army, but it also prevents you from using it to transport, deploy, or attack. Move your units ahead of time if you are preparing to be away.
Using the Force Field and Virus
After researching the first level of Pillars' Force Field, you can activate it for free, planet by planet, provided its Pillars are active. The field protects for 24 hours, then recharges for 48 hours; it cannot be manually stopped or renewed during that cycle.
When a Field is active, a ground attack is refused at launch if the attacker's Pillar Virus is lower than or equal to the Field's level. Troops do not leave, resources are not deducted, and the Iris remains intact. A strictly higher Virus crosses the Field; it nevertheless remains active against other attackers.
The Field is only defensive: you can attack from a protected planet without losing it. It blocks neither space fleets, transports, espionage, nor hacking. The Virus does not cross closed Pillars. Finally, an attack that passes through the Field can still be stopped by an available Iris.
Example: a level-5 Field blocks a level-5 Virus. A level-6 Virus can cross it, while another attacker with a level-4 Virus remains blocked.
Preparing a colonization and an army
Pillars are used to colonize, but colonization requires exactly 100 Soldiers and 10 Scientists sent to a free slot; those units are consumed only on success. In the Galaxy, select a free planetary slot that offers colonization: empty space or a PvE point is not enough. The colonization guide and colonies wiki explain colony creation, bonuses, and limits.
For an army already assembled, remember that a protected planet must balance mobility and safety. Disabled Pillars protect a ground army from the network, but prevent every ground mission. The Force Field and an Iris add two distinct layers; the empire-protection wiki explains how to combine them.
Frequently asked questions
What are the Pillars in Aleryos?
They project ground units between planets in exchange for Weave Resonators. They can be used to attack, transport, deploy, colonize, spy, explore, and hack.
Do the Pillars transport ships?
No. Ships travel in fleets. Pillars move ground units, resources, and certain permitted devices.
How does the Force Field work?
After the research, it activates on a planet with active Pillars. For 24 hours, it blocks ground attacks whose Virus is not strictly higher, then recharges for 48 hours.
What is the Pillar Virus for?
It passes through a Force Field only when it is at a strictly higher level. It does not cross disabled Pillars and it does not replace an Iris.
Can a planet's Pillars be disabled?
Yes. The change takes effect after one hour; it then imposes a 23-hour wait before another switch. A disabled planet can neither send nor receive Pillars missions.