stupid newbie - can't figure how to colonize

[serg3d1]

Just started playing and can't figure how to make a new colony. Built colony ship, bought location from pirats, what now? In exploration planning window there is no possible colonies, in colony ship menu no build colony option...

[Nedrear]

It may be part of another empires zone of influence. You need to be at war to defy their territory.

[Modest]

Also, if it is a planet without any population, You must posses a proper technology in order to colonise. Is it a type of planet You should be able to colonise?

[szabferi]

Use the Expansion Planner (3rd icon on the top as far as I remember), it will reveal you all the possible planets. Then you have the buttons of the bottom of the panel to either build and send a colony ship or send an existing one there.

Overall, you should really consider which planet you will colonize. Bad quality planets and/or planets without useful resources are useless and just eating up valuable resources of your empire. So th expansion planner is invaluable tool to pick your targets.

[Nedrear]

ORIGINAL: szabferi

Bad quality planets and/or planets without useful resources are useless...

Except they are border territory or stepping stones to secure your border towards more useful resources!

[serg3d1]

The problem was the potential colony was not visible in Expansion Planner. I just restarted game and can colonize now. Seems was some kind of bug.

[szabferi]

Well... you right, especially if you play with colonization distance limit settings like me

Normally if I need a stepping stone, I just find a gas cloud and build a refuel/repair point there. No need to have a colony to be able to start an invasion.

[Nedrear]

The stepping stone meant increasing your border to connect with the new colony north to make it impossible for the enemy to take anything.