Planet-Based Attacks

BioHazard Rockets and Ion Beam Cannons are planet-based methods of attacking your opponent's. BioHazard Rockets are more destructive to a planet's troops and resource production facilities, but they do not cause damage to mechs. The technology for both of these weapons must be researched, and further research will extend their range.

BioHazard Rockets
The damage done to a planet's resource production capacity by a BioHazard rocket attack goes beyond simple repairs; the planet must first be detoxified, and only then can its capacity to produce resources be regenerated. Both of these steps require technologies that must be researched. Without detoxification, the planet cannot support human life, and each turn some of your human troops stationed on the planet will die slow, agonizing deaths. Mechanized Assault troops (Mechs) are not affected by the toxic environment. Once the Ion Beam is researched, however, mechs can be specifically targeted.

Launching Biohazard Rockets:
Once you have researched this technology, you can launch these horrific and destructive chemical weapons at planets owned by your opponent or by the alien Melnikons. Further research will extend the range of these rockets. Each rocket launch costs 30 Resources.

After launching you will be informed of the rocket's ETA, and again when the rocket hits its target. The rockets are not foolproof, however, and the chances of the rocket being destroyed before impact will vary depending on the target planet's defenses.

While the rockets are in flight you can monitor their progress with the Rocket ETA screen. Hit the F8 key to bring up this screen, which shows you the targets and the number of turns remaining before detonation:

The initial explosion of a rocket has a devastating effect on human troops, with a reduced impact on mechs, and resource production is usually wiped out completely. As outline above, the planet's environment must be detoxified, after which its resource production capacity can be regenerated. Following regeneration, a new improved resource production facility can be added to the planet.

Anti-Mech Ion Beams
Ion Beams are specifically designed to cause massive electromagnetic disruptions throughout a planet's atmosphere, which will destroy a large percentage of the mechs on that planet.
Ion Beams are launched in the same way as BioHazard Rockets, and cost 30 resources to fire. A screen showing the ETA of each ion beam to its target is available by hitting the F9 key:

The ion beam does not cause lingering after-effects like the BioHazard Rockets, nor does it have the same destructive impact on resource production. Ion beams are specifically designed to destroy mechs, although there may be some collateral damage to resource facilities.