☄ Disasters and the shield

Asteroids fall from deep space, volcanic vents throw lava bombs, storms throw ion bolts and quakes shake the ground. Each is shown before it lands: a red ring on the ground, then the strike, a few seconds to half a minute later.

• Pure chance: about two strikes in three land outside the colony; the rest fall anywhere on its land, so most hit open ground.
• Asteroids are seen falling toward the planet from orbit and take about 30 seconds to arrive. A report says whether the shield will take it.
• Eruptions come from a vent on the horizon; its bombs fly in arcs.
• The Gluon Shield catches anything falling on the colony while its dome stands: the dome loses a share of its strength and recharges. Only when it is down does a strike reach a building.
• Storms: collectors under the dome keep their full output while the dust dims the rest, the dome catches the ion bolts and keeps most grit off the cables; the storm wears the dome a little while it lasts.
• Solar flares are a burst of strikes across the land, most on open ground; a strike on an unshielded device damages it, the device shields (Gluon Shield levels, Flare Shielding) absorb a hit on what they cover. Quakes come from below; the dome stops neither.