What does Mark III Planet Mean?

[Bud Backer]

I regularly see reference to a planet being Mk III or some other numeral, but what does that actually mean? That all the ships there are that mark? That it has that mark of structures? Is it an average Mark level, or the highest present?

[Shrugging Khan]

The ships spawned on that planet are of that mark, as are most of the defensive structures. It might also affect what kind of strategic intervention the AI might carry out when that planet is under attack.

[LordSloth]

I also believe that when the AI chooses a system for a reinforcement pulse, it reinforces said system with ships of that mark or the AI tech level, whichever is highest. It's pretty rare to see tech level three (730 AIP) nowadays during a 'normal' game, and most of the galaxy is mark II or above. I believe guardians (due to the fact that they never spawn on the mark one planets that spawn only homeworld adjacent) spawn one mark lower, but at the appropriate power level for that mark.

I don't believe structures such as ion cannons, force fields, and fortresses are tied to system mark. It's more for guardians, fleet ships, and guard posts, iirc.

[Bud Backer]

Thank you guys, that gives me something to chew on.