Elite Dangerous Wiki - User contributions [en-gb]

Thargoid

2018-07-31T07:16:26Z

2601:648:8503:EE60:58EA:C81D:F47C:1781: /* Thargoid Surface Sites */

[[File:Unknown-Ships-Group-Thargoids.png|thumb|300px|Thargoid Interceptors]]
The '''Thargoids''' are an intelligent, highly advanced insectoid [[species]] that have existed for millions of years. They are the only known living sapient species in the Milky Way [[galaxy]] other than [[Human|humanity]].<ref>http://forums.frontier.co.uk/showthread.php?p=38820#post38820</ref> Thargoids are highly territorial and seemingly rebuff all diplomatic overtures with unmitigated hostility, but are also known to be extremely slow to adapt.

Approximately 1 to 2 million years ago, the Thargoids instigated a war with another intelligent species called the [[Guardian]]s over territory.<ref name=":0">[https://www.reddit.com/r/EliteDangerous/comments/81bhy0/guardians_vs_thargoid_war_confirmed/ Guardian Codex 3 Decrypted. Thargoid Log - Unsuccessful Truce]</ref> Although the Guardians eventually prevailed, the Thargoids only opted to retreat because they were unprepared for a protracted campaign against a rival civilization. Thargoids and humanity have been embroiled in two wars. The first occurred between 3125 and 3151, and is believed to have ended in a human victory with the [[Intergalactic Naval Reserve Arm]]'s successful deployment of the [[mycoid]] bio-weapon. The second, ongoing conflict began in 3303 and has been rapidly escalating with no resolution in sight, affecting dozens of systems across the [[Pleiades Nebula]] and the [[Core Systems]].

==History==
The Thargoids are an ancient, sapient, insectoid species of enigmatic origin. Data obtained from [[Ancient Obelisk]]s built by the [[Guardian]]s indicates that the Thargoids are several millions of years old, and likely a far older species than the Guardians themselves.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":2" /> Professor [[Cora Shaw]] of the [[Palin Institute]] concluded that they were an established spacefaring species long before they encountered the Guardians. They have an affinity for [[Ammonia World|ammonia-based worlds]]. This suggests they may have evolved in a harsh, low-temperature environment, which might explain their overdeveloped survival instincts and aggressive nature. The Thargoids are experts in bioengineering, so they may have augmented their own biology to a point where natural evolutionary processes are meaningless.<ref name="GOTT" />

The location of the Thargoid [[homeworld]], if such a place exists, is unknown. Professor Shaw continued to speculate that it might be somewhere beyond known space or on the other side of the Milky Way [[galaxy]]. Alternatively, the Thargoids may have become a nomadic species, existing entirely in space or within fabricated hives. It is possible they journeyed across millions of light years, from [[Andromeda]] or beyond, like a swarm of locusts seeking fresh crops to consume. Since Thargoid vessels can hover in [[hyperspace]], it suggests that they could even originate from there, or that they may use hyperspace as a conduit from a dimensional plane entirely separate from real space. Thus, the Thargoids may not just be extragalactic in origin, but extra-universal.<ref name="GOTT">[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5ac6383563e2f04e9a610f73 GalNet: Genesis of the Thargoids?]</ref>

=== Guardian-Thargoid Conflict ===
[[File:Barnacle large cluster.png|thumb|250px|Barnacles]]The Thargoids seeded a number of planets with [[barnacles]] in what eventually became Guardian space 1 to 2 million years ago.<ref>[https://canonn.science/codex/guardians-codex/ Guardian 1/28 : Thargoid Log – Barnacle Seeding]</ref><ref name=":0" /> Several thousand years later the Thargoids returned and discovered that the planets they had seeded were occupied by the Guardians. The Thargoids immediately launched an assault making no effort to communicate with the Guardians. This tallies with the Thargoids’ behaviour in [[human]] space.<ref>[https://canonn.science/codex/guardians-codex/ 2/28 : Thargoid Log – The War Begins]</ref>

After the beginning of the war with the Thargoids, the Guardians were forced to make a partial retreat. They were reluctant to take up arms with the Thargoids and kept communicating with them. Eventually they gained enough understanding of the Thargoid language to communicate. It didn't benefit the Guardians much, because the Thargoids were determined to continue hostilities.<ref name=":0" /> The Guardians were forced to employ more aggressive methods to address the Thargoid threat.<ref name=":5">[https://canonn.science/codex/guardians-codex/ Guardian Codex 3 Decrypted. Thargoid Log - Unsuccessful Truce]</ref> The Guardians used drones, autonomous war machines that could target anything that utilised Thargoid engineering. Remarkably, Thargoid bio-mechanical technology was engineered to recognise anything of Guardian origin.<ref name=":1">[https://canonn.science/codex/guardians-codex/ 4/28 : Thargoid Log – The War Machine]</ref>

It appears the Thargoids entered Guardian space unprepared for a protracted military campaign, and after facing a relentless onslaught from the Guardians' war machines they were forced to retreat.<ref>[https://canonn.science/codex/guardians-codex/ 5/28 : Thargoid Log – Victory]</ref>

=== First contact with humans ===
[[File:First-Thargoid-Encounter-3125.png|thumb|250px|First Thargoid encounter in 3125]]
Officially, the first encounters between [[humans]] and Thargoids occurred around an [[Ammonia Planet|ammonia-based world]] in 3125,<ref name="GNTT">[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/57ada8969657baeb6e876c6c Galactic News: The Thargoids]</ref><ref name="DW">[https://canonn.science/lore/drewwagar-the-thargoids/ Canonn Research - Drew Wagar's Lore: The Thargoids]</ref><ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PX49v8zYutI The Return 2.4 Announcement - Elite Dangerous]</ref> but unverified incidents involving similar ships were reported as early as the 2810s.<ref name="EE">''[[Elite Encounters RPG]]''</ref> Between the 2810s and 2840s, the [[Galactic Cooperative]] documented a significant number of ship disappearances in its space and near the [[Pleiades Nebula]]. Investigations found no evidence of foul-play, but the disappearances and hyperdrive malfunctions continued intermittently, stoking anxiety among pilots. In 2849, the first footage surfaced of one of these "encounters", with one blurry image appearing to show an alien ship with the word "THARG" on its hull. The media immediately coined the term "Thargoid" as a name for the aliens. However, no conclusive proof of the Thargoids' existence was obtained, and they faded into folklore.<ref name="EE" /><ref>Data taken from Tourist Spot Beacon 0184, Lave system</ref><ref>[https://www.reddit.com/r/EliteDangerous/comments/53se4s/first_thargoid_contact_22_beacon/ First Thargoid Contact - 2.2 Beacon]</ref>

Centuries later in the early 3120s, new reports emerged of octagonal starships of unknown design and origin, as well as hyperdrive malfunctions. In 3123, GalCop discovered the wreckage of two ships in its space that had been destroyed by more powerful laser weapons than were known to exist at the time.<ref name="EE" /> In 3125, independent pilots claimed that they were being pulled out of [[hyperspace]] and attacked by octagonal ships. Those who survived the experience were convinced they had encountered an alien species, and named the aliens "Thargoids" after the 29th century incidents. As the news spread, leaked [[Federation|Federal]] intelligence reports indicated that the Thargoid attacks were likely provoked by human hostility; colonists in the Veliaze system had apparently come into contact with a Thargoid deputation and assaulted it out of ignorance shortly before the attacks began. Some years later, the Thargoids disappeared as mysteriously as they had arrived.<ref name="GNTT" /><ref name="EE" />

The events surrounding first contact with the Thargoids were mostly suppressed and forgotten, and by the 3300s the Thargoids themselves were generally regarded as fiction. According to [[Alliance]] [[Alliance Prime Minister|Prime Minister]] [[Edmund Mahon]], who is one of the few individuals with access to surviving records, the [[Intergalactic Naval Reserve Arm]], or INRA, fought a war against the Thargoids and eventually secured victory by deploying a bioweapon against the aliens. The Thargoids retreated, and for many years it was believed they had been driven to extinction or even never truly existed at all.<ref name="EDP">[[Elite Dangerous: Premonition]]</ref>

According to the logs of the [[Megaship]] GCS Sarasvati, the original war with the Thargoids ended in 3151. In the aftermath, the [[Galactic Cooperative]] set up a series of deep space monitoring stations, one of which was the GCS Sarasvati, to watch for a resurgent Thargoid threat. This initiative was called Project Equinox. However, by December 27, 3155, no Thargoid presence had been detected whatsoever and members of the project questioned its usefulness. By August 16, 3172, Galcop had become weakened and fractured, and Project Equinox was shut down. Unfortunately, this occurred just as project lead Dr. Cassandra Lockhart discovered that the Thargoids had been sowing the seeds for their future return all along, and her warnings were ignored.<ref>[https://forums.frontier.co.uk/showthread.php/380074-GCS-Sarasvati-early-Thargoid-lookout-megaship?p=5961637&viewfull=1#post5961637 Frontier Forums: GCS Sarasvati - early Thargoid lookout megaship]</ref>

In the course of the war, a number of Thargoid ships were captured by the Galactic Cooperative, and later fell into the possession of the Alliance in the years after Galcop collapsed. By the 3270s, the Alliance was able to reverse-engineer Thargoid technology to produce the single most consequential hyperdrive innovation in centuries: the [[Frame Shift Drive]]. FSDs reduced travel times in [[Hyperspace]] from hours to mere seconds, opening the floodgates for human exploration and expansion. Due to the machinations of [[The Club]], however, the Alliance did not leverage FSD technology to gain superiority over the Federation and Empire; instead, the tech fell into the hands of [[Sirius Corporation]], which monopolized it and distributed it to all the powers and factions, ensuring no one gained an advantage. Afterward, [[The Club]] suppressed information about the Thargoids so that it became a myth among the public.<ref name="EDP" />

=== Renewed activity ===

[[File:Thargoid second ship crash.png|thumb|250px|A crashed Thargoid Scout]]

In early 3301, [[Unknown Artefact]]s were discovered among the cargoes of secret Federal convoys. Their discovery marked the first indication that Thargoids yet existed in the depths of space, though the Artefacts, as well as the similar [[Unknown Probe]]s that would be found orbiting ammonia worlds in 3302, would not be conclusively linked to the Thargoids until later. Some CMDRs believed that the Artefacts and Probes originated from an entirely unknown alien race, while others asserted that they were examples of experimental human technology. Disputes and speculation over the objects continued for months. [[Barnacles]] were also discovered in 3302, but their even more pronounced organic appearance also stymied analysis.

On January 5, 3303, Commander DP Sayre reported the first known encounter with an [[Thargoid Interceptor|Unknown Ship]], which was later confirmed to be a type of Thargoid vessel and officially reclassified as a Thargoid Interceptor. The Unknown Ship interdicted the CMDR from [[hyperspace]] and apparently scanned him before departing to an untraceable destination. The acts of interdicting a target while in hyperspace and leaving an untraceable wake signature were both well beyond the capabilities of human technology. Previously, only the [[Alien Crash Site|wreckage of these ships]] had been documented.

Beginning April 11, 3303, reports surfaced of Unknown Ships apparently attacking [[Federation]] convoys. Upon dropping out of supercruise at the source of certain distress calls, Commanders arrived in a green, gaseous cloud and their ship was disabled. Multiple [[Federal Corvette]] wrecks, bearing luminescent green residue where they were damaged and with their crews apparently dead, were adrift in the cloud, and a single Unknown Ship could be seen jumping away. Presumably, the Unknown Ship destroyed all of the Corvettes on its own in each incident.

On June 2, 3303, CMDR Mobiusetti documented the first known interaction between an Unknown Ship and a [[Barnacle]] on Pleiades Sector OI-T C3-7 A 6 at coordinates -42.77, -21.7. This confirmed suspicions that they were related.<ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y8S-4Oq9Xvc</ref>

[[Kelvin Masters]] of the [[Imperial Herald]] said the barnacles indicate that the Thargoids were in [[Maia]] and [[Merope]] long before we were. [[Humans|Humanity]] has expanded into what the Thargoids see as their territory.<ref name=":3" />

====Identification and escalation====

[[File:Thargoids-Return-Message.png|thumb|250px|CMDR Edward Lewis' message]]

On June 12, 3303, [[Professor Palin]] issued a request for scan and wake signature data from Unknown Ships to be delivered to Orcus Crag in Pleiades Sector OI-T c3-7. Palin compared the collected data to older Thargoid samples and confirmed that Unknown Ships were Thargoid in origin. Shortly afterward, [[Federation]] military forces seized Palin's research for transport to a Federal research facility, but the fleet never arrived at its destination.<ref name="Return">[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5943ed6837e29c184d38b29b Galactic News: The Thargoids have Returned]</ref>

On June 13, wreckage was found with a transmitter which contained a recorded message:

''"This is an urgent message from Commander Edward Lewis. There are forces out there who do not want you to know the truth, but I have to make this public. I found a ship in HIP 17044. A Federal cap ship, shot to pieces. They were carrying the data the Feds stole from Professor Palin. The crew is dead, but they discovered something important about the Unknown Ships. There is a beacon in the wreckage broadcasting a message, over and over. It proves what we suspected. They are back. And the whole galaxy needs to know. The Thargoids have returned."''

[[File:Thargoid Attack Aftermath.png|thumb|250px|The destroyed Federal fleet]]

Two unnamed [[Farragut Battle Cruiser]]s were located at an [[Unregistered Comms Beacon]] approximately 11,000 ls in the direction of the Asterope system from planet 2 in the HIP 17044 system. The capital ships and an accompanying fleet of smaller Federal ships were all heavily damaged, their crews presumably dead, and adrift in the same green, gaseous cloud noted to be a signature of previous Unknown Ship attacks. A transmitter satellite was found among the debris. One Farragut was also discovered to be broadcasting a recording in Morse code in a small, 30-meter zone around its antenna array: "UNKNOWN VESSELS DETECTED. SERVER PURGE FAILED. SHIP ASSETS LIQUIDATED. PAYLOAD DESTROYED. SHIP STATUS LOST."<ref>[https://forums.frontier.co.uk/showthread.php/355713-Alien-archeology-and-other-mysteries-Thread-10-The-Canonn?s=7ddc1608a90a6581ce734397295c8a08&p=5611753&viewfull=1#post5611753 Frontier Forums: Alien archeology and other mysteries: Thread 10 - The Canonn]</ref>

Following the incident, on June 19, the leaders of the Federation, [[Empire]], and [[Alliance]] responded to the news that the aliens encountered in the Pleiades Nebula were Thargoids. President [[Zachary Hudson]] confirmed that the Federal military had been expanding in recent months in preparation for such a possibility. Emperor [[Arissa Lavigny-Duval]] urged calm and reminded the public that humanity had overcome seemingly insurmountable odds in the past. Prime Minister [[Edmund Mahon]] called for caution, arguing that it had not yet been proven that the destroyed Federal ships were the victims of Thargoid attacks, and that much could be learned from an advanced alien race like the Thargoids.<ref name="LeadersRespond">[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5947bb8ef0522a25d9666976 Galactic News: Galactic Leaders Address Thargoid Discovery]</ref>

==== Thargoid Surface Sites ====

[[File:Thargoid_Surface_Site_above.png|thumb|250px|Thargoid Surface Site]]

Following the incident, CMDRs identified an unknown signal at a listening post in [[Maia]] that lead to heavily guarded relay posts. The final listening post had a Caesar Cypher encrypted location for the "nest". They traced it to planet B 1 C in HIP 19026. There, CMDR Lightningwing of [[The Canonn]] discovered the first known [[Thargoid Surface Site]].<ref name="Mystery">[https://www.reddit.com/r/EliteDangerous/comments/6jmzs7/a_mystery_is_afoot/ /r/EliteDangerous: A mystery is afoot]</ref><ref name="Found">[https://www.reddit.com/r/EliteDangerous/comments/6jnvjf/spoilers_mysterious_structures_found_by_cannon/ /r/EliteDangerous: (SPOILERS) Mysterious Structures Found By Cannon group]</ref> These contain functional thargoid Technology.<ref name=":3" />

==== Pleiades buildup and research efforts ====
In the wake of the earlier discoveries concerning the Thargoids, numerous state-sponsored and independent initiatives were launched to expand humanity's presence in the [[Pleiades Nebula]]. The Indra, a Wells-class Carrier [[Megaship]], was built and deployed by the [[Empire]] to HR 1185.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/595e07ff82824f10a91fc919 Galactic News: New Superpower Bases in the Pleiades]</ref> The [[Federation]] established Blackmount Orbital and Blackmount Habitation in HIP 17692 to monitor Thargoid activity.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/595e51e1478524147370660a Community Goal: New Federal Outpost]</ref> The Oracle, an [[Ocellus]] station, was relocated to Pleiades Sector IR-W d1-55 to serve as an independent hub for scientific research on the Thargoids.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/59675dff6d63ab788e4904da Galactic News: New Research Centre at Thargoid Site]</ref> Abroin Universal Plc led a campaign to establish their own Thargoid research base in the Pleiades.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5970b899dc4a6940976694d7 Community Goal: Pleiades Research Outpost]</ref> The Federation, Empire, and [[Alliance]] jointly funded the creation of [[Aegis]], a research organization intended to pool the scientific expertise of the three superpowers to coordinate investigations of the Thargoids; Aegis deployed a station named Donar's Oak to Pleiades Sector IR-W d1-55.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/59844fbe301ce614455222a1 Galactic News: Joint Superpower Initiative Announced]</ref> [[Sirius Corporation]] established two outposts in the [[Merope]] system, the station Reed's Rest and the surface port Omega Prospect.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/11-AUG-3303 Galactic News: Sirius Corporation Enters Merope]</ref>

On August 11, 3303, the Alliance launched a research initiative to build a range of state-of-the-art instruments to analyze various Thargoid materials, such as Unknown Ship Signatures and other objects recovered from Thargoid Surface Sites.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/598c793e3c5e0e1cf8555859 Community Goal: Alliance Research Initiative]</ref> The campaign was a success, but due to the nature of the research it would take some time for any results to be achieved.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5995b0d377678f36dc69b72f Galactic News: Alliance Campaign Concludes]</ref>

With events unfolding at a rapid pace, the superpowers had until recently struggled to formulate appropriate responses to the Thargoid situation. While Aegis' establishment suggested that the galaxy's leaders were beginning to address the issue, journalist Kelvin Masters offered a more frank analysis in an Imperial Herald article on August 25, 3303: "The barnacles seem to indicate that the Thargoids were in Maia and Merope long before we were. For all we know, humanity has expanded into what the Thargoids see as their territory. I have no interest in scaremongering, but my belief is that a Thargoid attack could be imminent – their behaviour certainly seems to suggest they are probing us for weaknesses."<ref name=":3">[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/599e9f98c10d1126640e8902 Galactic News: The Thargoid Situation]</ref>

==== Enemies of the Federation ====
On September 15, 3303, Chief of Federal Security Admiral Aden Tanner announced that another Thargoid attack had recently occurred in Pleiades Sector IR-W D1-55 which resulted in the destruction of multiple Federal vessels, including one Farragut Battle Cruiser. While the motives for this attack were unknown, Admiral Tanner confirmed that the Thargoids were now officially considered enemies of the Federation. President Hudson gave Tanner full authority over the [[Federal Navy]] to deal with the Thargoid threat.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/59bb9793d5777560b7216455 Galactic News: Federal Capital Ship Destroyed by Thargoids]</ref> Amid speculation that Federal forces had provoked the attack, the Federation insisted that black box data from the wreckage indicated no provocation on their part; this was confirmed by Aegis, which had also analyzed data from the attack.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/59c3a0e02468d745a72f97a0 Galactic News: Federation Addresses Rumours]</ref>

The incident spurred all three superpowers to widen Aegis' remit to focus on both research and defence on September 21, 3303. The organization's budget was dramatically increased, and it recruited the [[Engineers]] [[Liz Ryder]] and [[Professor Palin]] to produce a new anti-Thargoid weapon and a scanner for Thargoid ships, respectively.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/59c3a108ced3ff7f807f54b7 Galactic News: Aegis to Widen Remit]</ref><ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/59c3cb9dffff1a05c9770bdd Community Goal: Engineers Appeal for Thargoid Material]</ref>

=== The Return ===
==== Initial skirmishes ====
[[File:Thargoid Attack Aftermath Imperial.png|thumb|250px|A destroyed Imperial fleet above planet A 1 in HR 1185]]
On [[Elite Dangerous: Horizons#The Return - v2.4|September 26, 3303]], independent pilots reported being attacked unprovoked by Thargoid Interceptors at Non-Human Signal Sources. At least one of these attacks, in which CMDR Sapphire Horizons was the victim, occurred at a site with wreckage from an Imperial convoy, which was believed to have been destroyed by the Thargoid ship.<ref>[https://www.reddit.com/r/EliteDangerous/comments/72lzxb/so_i_just_got_killed_by_a_thargoid/ r/EliteDangerous: So I just got killed by a Thargoid]</ref><ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/59cd17dcf030a91ca721e243 Galactic News: Further Thargoid Attacks]</ref> In addition, Interceptors have demonstrated extreme hostility against any [[Guardians|Guardian]] artefacts jettisoned in their vicinity, using their weapons to destroy them.<ref>[https://www.reddit.com/r/EliteDangerous/comments/72mjyw/they_seriously_dont_like_guardian_stuff_monkas/ r/EliteDangerous: They seriously don't like Guardian stuff monkaS]</ref> New [[Barnacle]] sites have also been identified, with a greater concentration of the Structures and an octagonal formation that resembles a nascent [[Thargoid Surface Site]].<ref>[https://www.reddit.com/r/EliteDangerous/comments/72wjsi/the_new_barnacle_site_grows_in_a_familiar/ r/EliteDangerous: The new barnacle site grows in a familiar pattern...credit to CMDR PinPiper]</ref>

[[Aegis]] released the [[AX Missile Rack]] and [[AX Xeno Scanner]] on September 28, 3303. These new devices allowed CMDRs to both scan Interceptors and successfully penetrate their defenses for the first time, a major milestone.<ref>[https://www.reddit.com/r/EliteDangerous/comments/731ex8/psa_ax_missile_rack_and_ax_xeno_scanner_now/ PSA: AX Missile Rack and AX Xeno Scanner Now Available]</ref><ref>[https://www.reddit.com/r/EliteDangerous/comments/731oxn/thargoid_down_sdc/ Thargoid Down! - SDC!]</ref> However, it was also discovered that the Thargoids had begun attacking independent civilian vessels. A heavily-damaged [[Megaship]] identified as Samson Class Bulk Cargo Ship BTG-237 was found in Pleiades Sector IR-W d1-55, near planet A 5, the victim of Thargoid aggression.<ref>[https://www.reddit.com/r/EliteDangerous/comments/72zzvw/spoiler_something_new_has_happened_in_pleiades/ Something new has happened in pleiades Sector IR-W D1-55..]</ref> To cap off a day filled with new developments, wreckage from a new type of Thargoid vessel, the [[Thargoid Scout]], was also discovered on planet A 3 A in the HIP 17125 system.<ref>[https://www.reddit.com/r/EliteDangerous/comments/733mmb/elite_dangerous_24_new_unknown_ship_crashed_hip/ r/EliteDangerous: Elite Dangerous 2.4 new Unknown Ship (crashed) Hip 17125 A 3 A -65.8193 | 48.8662]</ref>

Despite early successes against the Thargoids in battle thanks to the AX Missile Rack, by October 3rd the Thargoid vessels had adapted by developing a resistance to the damaging compound within the missiles. Reports also indicated that countermeasures like chaff could no longer prevent Interceptors from locking on, that the Interceptors had begun evading long-range attacks more effectively, and that [[Thargon]] drone swarms had become much more accurate.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/59d3b59f493e8e3727091ead Galactic News: Thargoids Adapting Rapidly]</ref> On October 5th, the [[AX Multi-cannon]] was released. Combined with an AX Missile Rack to expose Thargoid Hearts on Interceptors, this new weapon was able to circumvent the Thargoid's adaptation. Two other anti-Thargoid countermeasures, the [[Remote Release Flak Launcher]] and [[Shutdown Field Neutraliser]], were made available over the following weeks, making human pilots more effective against their alien adversaries.

On October 6, 3303, Aegis' military liaison Admiral [[Aden Tanner]] confirmed that in recent days, Federal, Imperial, and civilian ships alike had been targeted and destroyed by Thargoids, and that the aliens were scanning the wreckage and seizing escape pods. Tanner reaffirmed that Aegis was dedicated to unraveling the Thargoids' motives.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/59d7523d7f2d0f16da5fbf78 Galactic News: Thargoid Threat Continues to Escalate]</ref> On October 12, an Aegis spokesperson confirmed that as well as adapting their defenses to human weapons technology, the Thargoids were also rapidly adapting to human strategies and tactics.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/59df892030484d21ea3c3ec5 Galactic News: Thargoids Continuing to Adapt]</ref> On October 27, as losses of Federal [[Farragut Battle Cruiser]]s and Imperial [[Majestic Class Interdictor]]s continued to mount, Admiral Tanner noted that although recent developments like the Shutdown Field Neutraliser had proven effective in protecting conventional spacecraft from Thargoid attacks, difficulties had been encountered in adapting the technology to larger spacecraft. As a result of capital ships' continued vulnerability, Tanner warned that deploying such vessels to protect stations and outposts was not a viable defensive strategy against Thargoids for the time being.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/59f30dd4826c1776ca623242 Galactic News: Capital Ships Vulnerable to Thargoid Attack]</ref>

=====Operation Andronicus=====
On November 2, 3303, Aegis launched Operation Andronicus, the first military operation intended to curb Thargoid aggression in the Pleiades Nebula. Admiral Tanner stated that Aegis would be offering substantial monetary rewards to independent pilots for confirmed Thargoid kills.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/59fb5178adf339781710741f Community Goal: Operation Andronicus]</ref> While Operation Andronicus was in effect, the Alliance organization Cooper Research Associates also announced they would reward pilots for the recovery of personal effects and escape pods from Thargoid attack sites.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/59fb51f4adf3397051674b5d Community Goal: Rescue Operation in the Pleiades]</ref> The operation concluded a week later, and both campaigns were hailed as successes.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5a04628c7c8ea44d3104a3d2 Galactic News: Operation Andronicus Concludes]</ref><ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5a046323cd1bcd187d490e8e Galactic News: Pleiades Rescue Operation Concludes]</ref>

=====Enter the Basilisks=====
[[File:Thargoid Interceptor Basilisk Variant 2.png|thumb|250px|A close-up of a Basilisk Variant]]
On November 13, 3303, the first sightings of a new variant of Thargoid Interceptor were reported by independent pilots in the Electra system. Classified as the "Basilisk Variant" by the [[Pilots Federation]], these heavily scarred Interceptors possessed demonstrably more powerful offensive and defensive capabilities.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5a0c1121b9e40e708759f664 Galactic News: Previously Unseen Thargoid Ships in Electra]</ref> Prior to this, only Cyclops Variant Thargoid Interceptors had been encountered. As Basilisk Variants and Cyclops Variants have yet to demonstrate any hostility towards each other, it is unknown if the presence of Basilisk Variants represents an escalation in the ongoing conflict between Thargoids and humans, or the arrival of a second Thargoid faction in the region.<ref>[https://www.reddit.com/r/EliteDangerous/comments/7cnxqj/threat_6_uss_in_electra_spoilers/ /r/EliteDangerous: Threat 6 USS in Electra]</ref>

With casualties from Thargoid attacks continuing to mount, President Zachary Hudson and Emperor Arissa Lavigny-Duval issued statements to reassure the public, insisting that the Thargoid presence would likely remain limited to the Pleiades Nebula and that the combined forces of the Federation and Empire could overcome any threat. Despite this optimism, Admiral Aden Tanner stated it was premature to assert that the Thargoids would not advance beyond the Pleiades, but that Aegis was actively investigating the Thargoids' long-term plans.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5a0eba46528d3924954cf324 Galactic News: Galactic Authorities Call for Calm]</ref>

====The Pleiades aflame====
=====Station attacks and Medusae=====
[[File:Station Attack The Oracle.png|thumb|250px|The Oracle in the aftermath of an attack]]
December 14, 3303 marked the most serious escalation of the Thargoid conflict yet. The stations Titan's Daughter in Taygeta, The Oracle in Pleiades Sector IR-W d1-55, and Liman Legacy in HIP 16753 were attacked and severely damaged by Thargoids, disrupting services and making the stations dangerously unstable.<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZFLBnqxuATg YouTube: Commander Chronicles: Devastation - Elite Dangerous]</ref> [[Station#Emergency Protocol|Emergency evacuation protocols]] were activated, and the Pilots Federation extracted the ships of the independent pilots docked at the affected Stations and transferred them to [[Rescue Vessel]]s. Pilots were encouraged to aid the ongoing evacuation of the stations' inhabitants.<ref name="Station Attack">[https://www.reddit.com/r/EliteDangerous/comments/7jqg5p/so_the_thargoids_attacked_a_station_images/?st=jb6b35m0&sh=f42ecad9 /r/EliteDangerous: So the Thargoids(?) Attacked a Station. Images Courtesy of CMDR Bad_Player]</ref>

[[File:Thargoid Interceptor Medusa Variant.png|thumb|250px|A close-up of a Medusa Variant]]
The attacks were confirmed to have been carried out by a new variant of Thargoid Interceptor classified as the "Medusa Variant".<ref name="GSABT">[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5a328aebaac37e273a5d4ea8 Galactic News: Starports Attacked by Thargoids]</ref> These ships also began interdicting pilots from hyperspace and appearing in Threat 7 Non-Human Signal Sources. Medusae surpass the capabilities of Basilisk Variant Interceptors, possessing even stronger defenses, more powerful weapons, and the ability to direct an even larger swarm of Thargon drones.<ref name="Medusa">[https://www.reddit.com/r/EliteDangerous/comments/7jqg5p/so_the_thargoids_attacked_a_station_images/dr8epgz/ /r/EliteDangerous: So the Thargoids(?) Attacked a Station. Images Courtesy of CMDR Bad_Player - Comment by ChristianM]</ref>

The death toll from the station attacks was believed to be in the thousands, but could have been far worse. Starport security feeds indicate that the Medusa Interceptors used their shutdown fields to disable station defenses before targeting the main reactor. An eyewitness speculated that the Thargoids' intent was to cripple the stations, not destroy them outright.<ref name="GSABT" /> While it was not clear why the Thargoids had targeted these three stations specifically and not others, Aegis was investigating the issue.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5a3a4ffbd27df13ee220cc2f Galactic News: Authorities Urge Public Not to Panic]</ref>

The following week on December 21, as the three stations were stabilized and repair work began on them, further attacks were reported at Bao Landing in HIP 17497, Cavalieri in Electra, and Hudson Observatory in HIP 17694.<ref>[https://i.imgur.com/hxTJhqt.png Imgur: Galactic News: Starport Status Update, December 21, 3303]</ref> Medusa Interceptors were once again confirmed to be the culprits, and hundreds more human casualties were tallied.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5a3ceced6a3e8049274181c5 Galactic News: More Starports Attacked]</ref> Three more attacks occurred two weeks later on January 4, 3304 at Copernicus Observatory in Asterope, Cyllene Orbital in Atlas, and Artemis Lodge in Celaeno, followed by two attacks on January 11 at Obsidian Orbital in Maia and Reed's Rest in Merope.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5a58d52808925a374348ba63 GalNet: Thargoid Assault Continues]</ref>

=====The Liberation of HIP 17692=====
Also on January 11, the Federation and Empire announced a joint initiative to counter Thargoid activity in the HIP 17692 system and attempt to reduce the Thargoids' presence in the Pleiades. The Empire-aligned Merope Expeditionary Fleet took charge of military operations, while the Federation-aligned Pleiades Resource Enterprise coordinated the rescue of attack survivors, personal effects, and data. Fleet Admiral [[Denton Patreus]] stated, "Starports throughout the Pleiades have been attacked. Thousands of lives have been lost. And we have failed to deliver an effective response. That changes now."<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5a578660b34e4b5d3c0ae199 The Liberation of HIP 17692]</ref>

The operation marked just over a year since the first encounter with an active Thargoid Interceptor. Political commentator Daxton Sung offered an analysis: "The situation continues to escalate and our leaders continue to offer the same tired platitudes – militaristic bombast from Hudson, noncommittal banalities from Lavigny-Duval and earnest sympathising from Mahon. It's clear that they have no idea how to counter the Thargoid threat, beyond pumping more money into Aegis's weapons programme."<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5a5787708a640c638d6d781d One Year On]</ref>

=====Advance on the Core Systems=====
[[File:ED-Thargoid-Attacked-Stations-Map.png|thumb|250px|The extent of Thargoid attacks on stations as of February 22, 3304]]
While the HIP 17692 operation proved to be a success,<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5a60b60073f627733619d852 GalNet: HIP 17692 Operation Concludes]</ref> Thargoid attacks on stations continued unabated on January 18, striking Kipling Orbital in Pleiades Sector KC-V c2-11 and Malthus Terminal in Pleiades Sector HR-W d1-41. After these attacks, a member of Kipling Orbital's starport personnel noted that the Thargoids seemed to be sweeping the region and slowly moving towards the [[Core Systems]].<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5a6a0ea379a7530bc462fb3f Starport Attacks Continue]</ref>

On January 25, Borrego's Vision in Pleiades Sector IH-V c2-7 and Kamov Survey in HIP 17892 were hit. On February 1, Asami Orbital in Pleiades Sector JC-V d2-62 and Cleaver Prospect in Pleiades Sector HR-W d1-57 suffered attacks; both stations were significantly closer to the Core Systems that the targets of the previous attacks. On February 8, Bennington's Restin 42 n Persei and Exodus Point in Hyades Sector AB-W b2-2 were attacked, continuing the trend of the Thargoids' movements. President [[Zachary Hudson]] and Emperor [[Arissa Lavigny-Duval]] both issued fresh appeals for aid for the affected stations, and the Emperor also confirmed that [[Aegis]] was actively investigating the Thargoids' shift toward the Core Systems.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5a7c2524b2837d57693651ee Galactic Leaders Renew Appeals for Aid]</ref>

On February 15, Gaiman Dock in 49 Arietis and Weyn Dock in 64 Arietis were hit, marking the Thargoids' arrival in the outer fringe of the Core Systems. As the public questioned the lack of an effective military response to the Thargoids, Imperial Senator [[Gianna Tachibana]] asserted that humanity was being reactive rather than proactive, and that the Pleiades were at risk of becoming a no-go zone even with the assistance of independent pilot militias and Aegis's research.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5a85a1361b13ca3edb048d1c Galactic News: Proactive or Reactive?]</ref> Meanwhile, the Federation launched the Bulwark Project, an initiative to develop autonomous military hardware to combat the Thargoids. While Imperial commentators criticized the initiative as a circumvention of long-standing conventions against the development of artificial intelligence, Federal [[Shadow President]] [[Felicia Winters]] dismissed those concerns, claiming that the Bulwark Project's purpose was to "investigate alternate defence strategies, not to develop machine intelligence".<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5a859fd09dd29d74a968382e Galactic News: The Bulwark Project]</ref> The Bulwark Project campaign was later successful, but Winters was careful to note that the Project's initial remit was merely to determine the economic and military feasibility of the creation of a fully-automated defence force.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5a8ee6340f36064f752cd607 GalNet: Federal Initiative Concludes]</ref>

[[File:Thargoid-Scouts-and-Interceptors.png|thumb|250px|Thargoid Scouts and Interceptors]]

On February 22, Armstrong Enterprise in Bhal and Beaufoy Vision in Nauni, both locations within the Core Systems, suffered Thargoid attacks. Coinciding with these latest incidents, Fleet Admiral Patreus coordinated a second Federal-Imperial joint operation against the Thargoids, this time centered on the Pleiades Sector OI-T c3-7 and Arietis Sector XE-Z b4 systems.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5a8ee5d25f3da10323076fbf GalNet: Anti-Thargoid Operation]</ref> The operation was subsequently declared a success.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5a9824bf78da4a2abd3af6d8 GalNet: Federal-Imperial Operation Concludes]</ref> Notably, no additional Thargoid attacks occurred on March 1, marking the first lull in the incursion, although sightings and encounters with [[Thargoid Interceptor]]s began occurring at various locations within the Core Systems, with hostile [[Thargoid Scout]] Marauders now appearing as well.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5a9960a7049802427b2b41cd GalNet: Week in Review (March 3, 3304)]</ref>

=====Eagle Eye=====
On March 9, Aegis unveiled a new initiative called [[Eagle Eye]]. Six orbital surveillance installations were set up in HIP 17225, HIP 17692, HIP 17892, HR 1185, Pleiades Sector IR-W d1-55, and Pleiades Sector KC-V c2-4 in order to monitor known [[Thargoid Surface Site]]s and collect data on Thargoid behavior outside of combat zones.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5aa12e112e30637590761b2c GalNet: Thargoid Surveillance in the Pleiades]</ref> By March 16, Aegis reported that Eagle Eye was already producing results. According to Admiral Tanner, the installations were able to track fluctuations in transmissions originating from Thargoid Surface Sites, and that these transmissions pointed to specific locations in human space which were likely future Thargoid attack targets. Tanner urged independent pilots to investigate a new set of signals detected by Eagle Eye to help thwart the Thargoids' plans.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5aab97a3bf2b063ade1cceca GalNet: Thargoid Surveillance Continues]</ref>

====War in the Core====
=====The Purge of Socho=====
With the Thargoids now wreaking havoc well within the [[Core Systems]], [[Aegis]] began coordinating the first counterattack. On March 15, 3304, Aegis Core announced an anti-Thargoid campaign in its home system of Socho. The operation's goal was not only to expel Thargoid forces from Socho, but to obtain specific technological components from Thargoid Interceptors and Scouts for comparison research.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5aaa63d040365a4fab270033 GalNet: The Purge of Socho]</ref> The operation concluded successfully.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5ab38926b72505384d3d896a GalNet: Socho Operation Complete]</ref>

=====Revelations=====
On March 22, 3304, Aegis published a report containing significant insights into the Thargoids that had been gleaned with the help of [[Ram Tah]] and his [[Guardian]] research. The findings indicated that the Thargoids had warred with the Guardians because of the latter's perceived encroachment on territory that the Thargoids had seeded with [[Barnacles]] millennia earlier. Despite attempts by the Guardians to communicate with the Thargoids, the Thargoids' survival instincts were so strong that they refused to tolerate any potential threat and continued hostilities until the Guardians eventually expelled them using automated war machines. Professor Alba Tesreau commented that the Guardians' situation mirrored humanity's own: the Thargoids had long ago seeded territory that humans had unknowingly expanded into, and the current conflict was essentially a dispute over territory and resources. Tesreau asserted that the next step the Thargoids would take would be to aggressively mine mineral resources. Ram Tah noted that these revelations finally provided some answers about the Thargoids' overall goals and could ultimately aid humanity in the conflict.<ref name=":2">[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5ab383f5b709787d505dd1a2 GalNet: Thargoid Revelations]</ref>

=====Onslaught and trepidation=====
[[File:Thargoid attacks May 10 3304.png|thumb|250px|The extent of Thargoid attacks on stations as of May 10, 3304]]
The same day as Aegis's report made waves in the media, the station Glazkov Terminal in Irandan was attacked by the Thargoids after a month of relative calm. Both Irandan and HIP 21559 had been identified as likely targets for imminent Thargoid attacks by [[Eagle Eye]], but only the latter system had seen a heavy influx of independent combat pilots come to its defense over the preceding week.

The attack on Glazkov Terminal would be only the first of a fresh wave of attacks that would strike deep within the Core Systems. On March 30, Doyle Landing in Lunguni fell victim of the Thargoids. On April 12, Guidoni Enterprise in HIP 9599 was attacked. On April 19, Weil Station in Kunuvii and Eyharts Enterprise in 32 c Piscium were attacked, along with six Bulk Cruiser Megaships found disabled across the LP 581-36, Chan Mina, Deriv-Dar, and Nankul systems. On April 26, Acton Dock in LP 581-36 was attacked. On May 3, Sturckow Port in SPOCS 253 was attacked. No stations were attacked during the weeks of May 10, May 17, May 24, May 31, June 7, and June 14 as pilots successfully rallied to the defense of the targeted systems.

Meanwhile, also on March 22, [[Yuri Grom]] of the EG Pilots launched a campaign led by the EG Union to construct a new shipyard in CPC 20 6743. A spokesperson for the EG Union explained that the shipyard would construct new [[Farragut Battle Cruiser]]s to bolster humanity's defenses against a Thargoid invasion.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5ab3831fb7097848e4581ed1 GalNet: EG Union Campaign]</ref> On March 30, Admiral Tanner formally debuted Aegis's two new military Megaships, the [[Acropolis]] and the [[Vanguard]], explaining that they would serve as mobile command centers for anti-Thargoid operations.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5aba59c254e40001335bcec8 GalNet: Anti-Thargoid Megaships Deployed by Aegis]</ref> On April 6, the Privateers Alliance and the Atlas Corporation both took similar approaches to fortifying the Core Systems against the Thargoids. The Privateers Alliance launched a campaign to build a military installation in HIP 33368,<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5ac5d40ace417a2962638d10 GalNet: Privateers Alliance Campaign]</ref> while the Atlas Corporation began work on the [[ACS Overwatch]] Megaship in Lambda Arae.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5ac5d322ce417a19346e147c GalNet: The ACS Overwatch]</ref>

Despite Aegis's proven successes in the conflict, Princess [[Aisling Duval]] controversially criticized the organization on April 6, stating that she and many other galactic citizens were concerned that Aegis lacked a clear, long-term strategy to combat the Thargoids and was being reactive rather than proactive.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5ac5d1a6ce417a1f6d04f2ae GalNet: Aisling Duval Criticises Aegis]</ref> While the Princess's opinion had its share of detractors who spoke out in defense of Aegis, others noted that Aegis lacked transparency and had done little to assuage the widespread fear of alien conquest among the public.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5acf23cdd6d6ba17992b3e6b Support for Aisling Duval]</ref>

On April 25, Simguru [[Pranav Antal]] of the [[Utopia]] movement addressed an even more controversial possibility: humanity could lose the war against the Thargoids. The Simguru urged galactic citizens to join Utopia and help protect the [[Sim-Archive]] to ensure that humanity could live beyond its potential extinction.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5adf3499b14e287e736eb6de GalNet: Utopia Plans for Humanity's Extinction]</ref> Pranav Antal's pessimism quickly triggered a backlash from such figures as [[Shadow President]] [[Felicia Winters]], [[Sirius Corporation]] CEO [[Li Yong-Rui]], and Admiral Tanner.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5aeae28e7d387844d650ef2e GalNet: Antal's Pessimism Triggers Backlash]</ref> Nonetheless, Utopia doubled down on the Simguru's statement on May 4, 3304 by launching a project to construct a military installation in its home system of Antal to defend the Sim-Archive from potential Thargoid attack.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5aeae37ed71b1a6f1923014d GalNet: Defending the Sim-Archive]</ref>

=====Thargoid worshipers=====
Meanwhile, as the Thargoid conflict wore on, journalists and scholars began noting the phenomenon of fringe doomsayer cults proliferating throughout the Core Systems. Independent reporter [[Gethin Okonkwo]] published an article on May 19 revealing that dozens of such cults had emerged, and while their natures varied, they were all adamant that the Thargoid conflict was a sign of an imminent apocalypse.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5afc3617b57fd80b460215ea GalNet: Fringe Doomsayer Cults on the Rise]</ref> On June 16, exotheologian [[Alfred Ulyanov|Dr. Alfred Ulyanov]] highlighted one [[Thargoid cult|unnamed cult that even worshiped the Thargoids]] as harbingers of an extra-dimensional, omnipotent being they called the Far God. The cult's followers believed that only they would survive the Far God's manifestation in this universe, and gathered in hive-chapels patterned after Thargoid vessel and structure designs.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5b23bc10e7c3870a79317183 GalNet: Worshipping the Thargoids]</ref>

By June 30, the nameless cult had garnered hostile reactions from the public, and security officials had arrested multiple individuals for committing various misdemeanors against cult members. Local authorities called for tolerance, with Councillor Quinn Damico of the Aranbarahun system assuring citizens that the cultists were harmless and reaffirming that freedom of religion was protected in all systems where the cult had established itself.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5b34b357d2702c1ea8152862 GalNet: Thargoid-Worshipping Cult Garners Hostility]</ref> Mistrust of the cult continued to grow, however, and on July 5 reporter [[Flint Lafosse|Flint "Firemaker" Lafosse]] stoked tensions further with speculation that the reclusive Thargoid cult was a "fifth column" of brainwashed abduction victims sent back to human systems as spies and saboteurs. Dr. Ulyanov refuted this, saying that the cult avoided socializing because they believed humanity would soon be dead and insisting that his studies had found no evidence that the cultists were a threat.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5b3dfd1321ffd9343218451a GalNet: A Thargoid Fifth Column?]</ref>

=====A fleeting victory=====
On June 21, 3304, the Thargoids ended humanity's string of victories with an attack on Hennepin Prospect in Assinda. The attack appeared to be an outlier rather than an indication of Thargoid resurgence, however, as Eagle Eye did not intercept any new signals from Thargoid sites, and all Eagle Eye installations began transmitting the same message: "no new signal detected thargoid activity unknown initiate protocol xeno 55". That same day, Aegis also declared that the Thargoids were retreating from the Core Systems and had been pushed back to their original beachhead of Bhal. Admiral Tanner thanked Commanders for their efforts in defending the Core Systems, but noted that while Thargoid incursions had been reversed in many regions, the Thargoids remained entrenched in the Pleiades Nebula.<ref name="TRFCS">[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5b28ebb3b98e8528935995c6 GalNet: Thargoids Repelled from Core Systems]</ref>

[[File:Thargoid Scouts 3.1.png|thumb|250px|A Thargoid Scout Berserker (center), Regenerator (left), and Inciter (right)]]
On [[Elite Dangerous: Beyond#Chapter Two - v3.1|June 28]], Aegis reported that Eagle Eye had detected a massive surge in Thargoid transmissions. Admiral Tanner asserted that the previous week's lull in activity in the Core Systems must have been only a brief delay while the Thargoids regrouped and summoned reinforcements from the Pleiades. Tanner issued an emergency call for aid for Garay Terminal in Deciat, which Eagle Eye identified as the Thargoids' main target; a number of disabled megaships had already been found in the system. A transmission from an unknown Commander in the Deciat system also indicated that a new type of [[Thargoid Scout]] was present among the invading force.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5b34b13246fe331e2f6ca222 GalNet: Thargoid Assault on the Deciat System]</ref> Three new types of Scouts were subsequently identified: the Berserker, the Regenerator, and the Inciter. The Berserker is a more powerful and aggressive variant of the Marauder, while the Regenerator possesses the ability to restore the hull of other damaged Scouts and the Inciter can enhance their weaponry.

While Deciat was successfully defended against the Thargoid assault, Eagle Eye confirmed on July 5, 3304 that the Thargoids had resumed their original pattern of activity, targeting systems for an eventual attack and massing their forces there in preparation for it. Parise Station in Tembala was attacked on July 12, followed by Metcalf Station in HIP 44811 on July 19, and Preuss Terminal in Di Jian and Zudov Hub in RMK 6 on July 26.

=====Settlement attacks and crash sites=====
Meanwhile, independent pilots patrolling the Pleiades Nebula discovered various [[listening post]]s that were monitoring certain planetside locations in various systems. Upon investigation, each site was found to be either a surface settlement or a crashed ship that had been attacked by Thargoids. Among the sites were the settlements Dominic's Corner, Scrump Landing, Sharpe Works, Site 94, Betterton Outpost, Penal Colony BV-2259, Comms Facility 89563, Research Base LV 8, Research Base KG-3362, and a crashed [[Anaconda]] named "The Bug Killer". While some of the settlements managed to evacuate before they were attacked, others were not so lucky, and recovered logs indicated that some survivors may have been abducted by the Thargoids. Peculiarly, a number of the logs also noted abrupt, widespread temperature decreases that preceded or coincided with the Thargoid attacks.
{| class="wikitable sortable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" border="1"
! Location Name
! System
! Planet
! Surface Coordinates
! Description
! Notes
|-
| The Bug Killer
| HIP 16613
| 1 a
| -11.00, -95.67
| Crash site of a Thargoid-hunting [[Anaconda]]
| Discovered on June 28, 3304
|-
| Dominic's Corner
| Pleiades Sector GW-W c1-15
| 12 a
| 5.55, -115.69
| Factory contracted by [[Aegis]] to produce AX weapons
| Discovered on June 28, 3304
|-
| Scrump Landing
| Pleiades Sector JN-S b4-3
| 2
| -0.34, 12.92
| Scrapyard and trading post
| Discovered on June 28, 3304
|-
| Sharpe Works
| Pleiades Sector IC-U b3-1
| 1
| -4.95, 85.7
| Independent colony
| Discovered on June 28, 3304
|-
| Site 94
| HIP 19284
| A 2 d
| -19.06, -99.45
| Mining operation that unearthed an "alien monument", possibly Thargoid tech
| Discovered on June 28, 3304
|-
| Betterton Outpost
| HIP 19792
| C 2
| -24.70, 6.55
| Independent colony
| Discovered on June 29, 3304
|-
| Penal Colony BV-2259
| HIP 16217
| AB 1 a
| -54.99, 30.33
| Penitentiary
| Discovered on June 29, 3304
|-
| Comms Facility 89563
| HR 1172
| A 5 b
| -0.25, -67.67
| Military outpost
| Discovered on June 29, 3304
|-
| Research Base LV 8
| HIP 17403
| A 4 a
| -51.19, 14.21
| Research center studying a [[Thargoid Probe]]
| Discovered on June 29, 3304
|-
| Research Base KG-3362
| Pleiades Sector HR-W d1-17
| 1 a
| 58.11, 19.45
| Agricultural research center
| Discovered on June 29, 3304
|}

== Biology ==

Thargoids are an insectoid species. Little is known about their physical appearance and biology. Their chemistry is carbon-based, but with ammonia as the solvent rather than water.<ref>http://www.rollingstone.com/glixel/features/elite-dangerous-creator-talks-sci-fi-politics-and-whats-next-w492781</ref> If the rumors are true that they come from [[Ammonia Planet|Ammonia-based planets]] then their physiology is drastically different from humans. For example, ammonia boils at -33 degrees C. Thargoids may well be acclimatised to temperatures far lower than humans.<ref>https://www.drewwagar.com/lore/elite-dangerous-lore-the-thargoids/</ref> They are presumed to be highly intelligent, more than the average human due to their superior technological capabilities.

This indicates they may have evolved in a harsh, low-temperature environment, which might explain their overdeveloped survival instincts and aggressive nature. Since the Thargoids are experts in bioengineering, they could have augmented their own biology and superseded natural evolutionary processes.<ref name="GOTT" />

According to [[The Club]], what humans consider to be a singular Thargoid species actually consists of two distinct "dynasties": the Oresrians and the Klaxians. How Oresrians and Klaxians differ biologically, if at all, is unknown.<ref name="EDP" />

Descriptions based on encounters centuries ago have yet to be verified.

==Society==

[[File:Thargoid-and-Diamondback-Ships.png|thumb|250px|Thargoid ship confronting a Diamondback Scout]]

Not much information has been obtained about Thargoid society or culture. The only known fact is that the society is hive based, with no sense of close family. It is thought that the society is divided into colonies, possibly along the lines of ant colonies. The Oresrian and Klaxian dynasties may be two such colonies.<ref name="EDP" />

Thargoids are thought to have a natural affinity with space, and with [[Hyperspace]] in particular. This is due to the fact that Thargoid warriors seem to spend a large amount of time in space. Naval pilots and crews report that the warships in the war zones are encountered on repeated occasions over a period of months often without respite.

At some point, the Oresrian and Klaxian dynasties became embroiled in a civil war. Prior to 3303, the Klaxians gained the upper hand in this conflict and forced the Oresrians into a slow, continuous retreat across the galaxy, a retreat which will take them directly through human space. [[The Club]] has learned that the Oresrians planned to use human civilization as a "bullet shield" to occupy the Klaxians' attention while they escape deeper into space. This poses a potentially apocalyptic threat to humanity's survival.<ref name="EDP" />

==Politics==
Nothing is known about internal Thargoid politics or government, or why the Oresrians and Klaxians have come into conflict.

Thargoid relations with other species, as far as what is currently known, was frighteningly simple: war. The Thargoid invasions usually seemed to be prompted by the need for either agricultural or mineral resources, rather than a sociological or anthropological need to expand or colonise. In fact, the animal life on an invaded world was largely ignored unless it poses a threat to Thargoids.

==Technology==
[[File:Thargoid-Wormhole.png|thumb|250px|Thargoid wormhole]]
Thargoid technology is vastly different from [[human]] technology. Not only are their ships currently invulnerable to conventional weapons, but they possess the ability to interdict human ships that are traveling through hyperspace, a feat previously believed to be impossible, as well as the ability to make untraceable hyperspace jumps and stymie any pursuers. Despite their advanced hyperspace capabilities, there is no evidence of Thargoid ships moving in [[Supercruise]], perhaps suggesting they do not have short-range FTL capabilities.

Thargoid ships can create stable wormholes to [[hyperspace]] (witch-space). This is used to e.g. travel astronomical distances in seconds and interdict vessels. Their vessels can hover in hyperspace so they may be comfortable with residing in this higher dimensional region.<ref>https://www.sharoma.com/frontierverse/thargoids.htm</ref><ref>[https://www.reddit.com/r/EliteDangerous/comments/7b3eyk/elite_dangerous_another_inra_base_found_linked_to/ /r/EliteDangerous: Elite: Dangerous: Another INRA Base Found, Linked To Hyperdrive Research]
</ref><ref>https://canonn.science/lore/drewwagar-the-thargoids/</ref><ref name="GOTT" />

[[INRA]] chief scientist [[Bexley Prince]] asserted that Thargoid technology is far ahead of humans. Understanding it could open up all kinds of possibilities. The applications are potentially limitless. His logs were found at the INRA base Hollis Gateway.<ref>https://www.reddit.com/r/EliteDangerous/comments/75axlh/inra_planetary_base_found_on_hermitage_4_a/</ref>

The decoded Guardian logs reveal that Thargoids engineered bio-mechanical technology to recognise anything of [[Guardian]] origin. This is why millions of years after the conflict, Thargoid devices still react aggressively to the presence of Guardian technology.<ref name=":1" />[[File:Thargoid_Surface_Site_Scavenger_close.png|thumb|250px|Scavenger]]

Analysis of the [[Scavenger]] shows that it contains organic and mechanical elements such as [[Thargoid Organic Circuitry]]. This discovery has lead many to question whether the Scavengers are sentient creatures or simple mechanical drones created by the Thargoids as workers.<ref>[http://elite-dangerous.wikia.com/wiki/Thargoid_Organic_Circuitry Thargoid Organic Circuitry] in-game description</ref> The [[Thargoid Interceptor]] also has intricate technological and biological elements<ref>[https://forums.frontier.co.uk/showthread.php/395094-Medusa-Tissue-Sample-Tissue-Sample-Prices Thargoid Medusa Tissue Sample]</ref> such as "Thargoid Hearts" which can repair hull damage.

Thargoid weaponry has proven to be very powerful, resulting in numerous destroyed Federal and Imperial vessels, including capital ships. CMDRs who reported being attacked by [[Thargoid Interceptor]]s have noted they lost their ships very quickly under an onslaught of powerful missiles and [[Thargon]] drone swarms.

There's speculation of a [[Thargoid Mothership]] which, according to recovered logs, attacked the [[INRA]] site Carmichael Point in HIP 16824.<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mB36F-rLlkI Elite: Dangerous: INRA Base Attacked By Thargoids]</ref>

The Thargoids seed planets with [[Alien Structure]]s, so-called "barnacles". The barnacles extract resources from a [[Planets|planet]] and transform them into [[meta-alloys]]. This is an essential ingredient in the creation of Thargoid ships and technologies. The seeding of an area with barnacles is an important process to prepare it for Thargoid occupation.<ref>[https://canonn.science/codex/guardians-codex/ Guardian Codex 1/28 : Thargoid Log – Barnacle Seeding]</ref>

After September 26, 3303, CMDRs reported sightings of larger fields of "[[barnacle]] forests" in a shape reminiscent of Thargoid Surface Sites, and also patrolled by [[Scavenger]]s.<ref>https://forums.frontier.co.uk/showthread.php/355713-Alien-archeology-and-other-mysteries-Thread-10-The-Canonn?p=5952184&viewfull=1#post5952184</ref>

[[File:Thargoid-Surface-Site.png|thumb|250px|Thargoid Surface Site]]

[[Thargoid Surface Site]]s demonstrate the Thargoids construct and utilize vast surface installations. Passive drone-like devices called Scavengers were first encountered at these locations. [[Thargoid Egg]]s can be found around and inside these sites. It's unknown what produces and lays these eggs.

[[Thargoid Sensor]]s and [[Thargoid Probe]]s were also confirmed to be related to Thargoids after it was discovered that carrying them allowed doors at Thargoid Surface Sites to open. The other functions of these objects remain an enigma, however. Thargoid Interceptors have been witnessed retrieving them after September 26, 3303.

It's unclear whether Thargoids are a Type II or [[Elite Universe#Type III Civilizations|Type III civilization]] based on the Kardashev scale. Their lack of control over the Milky Way galaxy indicates they are Type II. However, since Thargoids may originate from another galaxy, parallel [[universe]], or spatial dimension they could be Type III.

==Notes==
*Initially, it was only confirmed that Thargoids would eventually make an appearance in Elite Dangerous, and the specifics of that encounter were unknown.<ref>http://forums.frontier.co.uk/showthread.php?p=160991#post160991</ref><ref>https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1461411552/elite-dangerous/posts/377497#comment-2014816</ref><ref>https://forums.frontier.co.uk/showthread.php?t=77358&p=1262252&viewfull=1#post1262252</ref>
*Frontier Developments staff commented that all Thargoids are female.<ref>https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1461411552/elite-dangerous/comments?cursor=2332567#comment-2332566</ref> However, this is not confirmed in the lore of Elite Dangerous.
*David Braben hinted that should peace have ever been found with Thargoids, it would be a temporary measure.<ref>https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1461411552/elite-dangerous/comments?cursor=1970411#comment-1970410</ref>
*It has been rumoured that Thargoids could be capable of building large artificial structures which could possibly be on a scale with planets, and certainly large enough to negate a ship's warp ability.<ref>http://forums.frontier.co.uk/showthread.php?p=85034#post85034</ref>

==Trivia==
*The name "Thargoid" is believed to have come from the regular skit ''Captain Kremmen'' performed by radio and TV personality Kenny Everett on both his radio shows and, in animated form, on TV.<ref>http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Captain_Kremmen</ref> The animated skits show the Thargoids as a species of tall, transparent creatures who are part of a highly-wealthy monarchical society.<ref>http://youtu.be/pyjKPbkkW9k?t=2m26s</ref> It is assumed that their main source of income is profiting from the sale of natural resources taken from planets they have colonised stretching thousands of light years.

==Videos==
<gallery>
Elite_Dangerous_-_The_Return_2.4
The_Return_2.4_Announcement_-_Elite_Dangerous
The_Return_(Elite_Dangerous)
Elite_Dangerous_-_Where_are_the_Thargoids?_(And_what_are_they?)
DISTANT STORMS - Does Humanity Now Stand On The Brink Of A 2nd Thargoid War?
Elite_Dangerous_2.4_Teaser_-_Frontier_Expo_2017
Commander_Chronicles_Retaliation_-_Elite_Dangerous
Commander_Chronicles_Devastation_-_Elite_Dangerous
Commander_Chronicles_The_Deal
</gallery>

==Gallery==
<gallery hideaddbutton="true">
Elite Dangerous Unknown Ship HD.png|A Thargoid Interceptor Cyclops Variant in ''Elite Dangerous''
Evolution-of-the-Thargoids.png|Evolution of the Thargoids
First-Thargoid-Encounter-3125.png|An early Thargoid encounter circa 3125
Thargoids-Return-Message.png|Thargoids Return message
Thargoid-and-Diamondback-Ships.png|Thargoid and Diamondback ships
Thargoid Attack Aftermath.png|The destroyed Federal fleet
Unknown-Ships-Group-Thargoids.png|Thargoid Interceptors
Thargoid-Scouts.png|Thargoid Scouts
Thargoid Surface Site above.png|A Thargoid Surface Site
Thargoid-Surface-Site.png|Thargoid Surface Site
Thargoid Surface Site Scavenger close.png|A Scavenger
Thargoid-Wormhole.png|Thargoid wormhole
Thargoid Interceptor Basilisk Variant.png|A Thargoid Interceptor Basilisk Variant
Thargoid Interceptor Basilisk Variant 2.png|A close-up of a Basilisk Variant
Thargoid Interceptor Medusa Variant.png|A Thargoid Interceptor Medusa Variant
Thargoid Interceptor Medusa Variant 2.png|A Medusa Variant with its petals extended
</gallery>

==References==
<references />

{{Thargoids}}
{{SpeciesNavbox}}
[[Category:Lore]]
[[Category:Alien life]]
[[Category:Thargoids]]
[[Category:Species]]

Thargoid

2018-07-31T07:13:56Z

2601:648:8503:EE60:58EA:C81D:F47C:1781: /* First contact with humans */

[[File:Unknown-Ships-Group-Thargoids.png|thumb|300px|Thargoid Interceptors]]
The '''Thargoids''' are an intelligent, highly advanced insectoid [[species]] that have existed for millions of years. They are the only known living sapient species in the Milky Way [[galaxy]] other than [[Human|humanity]].<ref>http://forums.frontier.co.uk/showthread.php?p=38820#post38820</ref> Thargoids are highly territorial and seemingly rebuff all diplomatic overtures with unmitigated hostility, but are also known to be extremely slow to adapt.

Approximately 1 to 2 million years ago, the Thargoids instigated a war with another intelligent species called the [[Guardian]]s over territory.<ref name=":0">[https://www.reddit.com/r/EliteDangerous/comments/81bhy0/guardians_vs_thargoid_war_confirmed/ Guardian Codex 3 Decrypted. Thargoid Log - Unsuccessful Truce]</ref> Although the Guardians eventually prevailed, the Thargoids only opted to retreat because they were unprepared for a protracted campaign against a rival civilization. Thargoids and humanity have been embroiled in two wars. The first occurred between 3125 and 3151, and is believed to have ended in a human victory with the [[Intergalactic Naval Reserve Arm]]'s successful deployment of the [[mycoid]] bio-weapon. The second, ongoing conflict began in 3303 and has been rapidly escalating with no resolution in sight, affecting dozens of systems across the [[Pleiades Nebula]] and the [[Core Systems]].

==History==
The Thargoids are an ancient, sapient, insectoid species of enigmatic origin. Data obtained from [[Ancient Obelisk]]s built by the [[Guardian]]s indicates that the Thargoids are several millions of years old, and likely a far older species than the Guardians themselves.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":2" /> Professor [[Cora Shaw]] of the [[Palin Institute]] concluded that they were an established spacefaring species long before they encountered the Guardians. They have an affinity for [[Ammonia World|ammonia-based worlds]]. This suggests they may have evolved in a harsh, low-temperature environment, which might explain their overdeveloped survival instincts and aggressive nature. The Thargoids are experts in bioengineering, so they may have augmented their own biology to a point where natural evolutionary processes are meaningless.<ref name="GOTT" />

The location of the Thargoid [[homeworld]], if such a place exists, is unknown. Professor Shaw continued to speculate that it might be somewhere beyond known space or on the other side of the Milky Way [[galaxy]]. Alternatively, the Thargoids may have become a nomadic species, existing entirely in space or within fabricated hives. It is possible they journeyed across millions of light years, from [[Andromeda]] or beyond, like a swarm of locusts seeking fresh crops to consume. Since Thargoid vessels can hover in [[hyperspace]], it suggests that they could even originate from there, or that they may use hyperspace as a conduit from a dimensional plane entirely separate from real space. Thus, the Thargoids may not just be extragalactic in origin, but extra-universal.<ref name="GOTT">[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5ac6383563e2f04e9a610f73 GalNet: Genesis of the Thargoids?]</ref>

=== Guardian-Thargoid Conflict ===
[[File:Barnacle large cluster.png|thumb|250px|Barnacles]]The Thargoids seeded a number of planets with [[barnacles]] in what eventually became Guardian space 1 to 2 million years ago.<ref>[https://canonn.science/codex/guardians-codex/ Guardian 1/28 : Thargoid Log – Barnacle Seeding]</ref><ref name=":0" /> Several thousand years later the Thargoids returned and discovered that the planets they had seeded were occupied by the Guardians. The Thargoids immediately launched an assault making no effort to communicate with the Guardians. This tallies with the Thargoids’ behaviour in [[human]] space.<ref>[https://canonn.science/codex/guardians-codex/ 2/28 : Thargoid Log – The War Begins]</ref>

After the beginning of the war with the Thargoids, the Guardians were forced to make a partial retreat. They were reluctant to take up arms with the Thargoids and kept communicating with them. Eventually they gained enough understanding of the Thargoid language to communicate. It didn't benefit the Guardians much, because the Thargoids were determined to continue hostilities.<ref name=":0" /> The Guardians were forced to employ more aggressive methods to address the Thargoid threat.<ref name=":5">[https://canonn.science/codex/guardians-codex/ Guardian Codex 3 Decrypted. Thargoid Log - Unsuccessful Truce]</ref> The Guardians used drones, autonomous war machines that could target anything that utilised Thargoid engineering. Remarkably, Thargoid bio-mechanical technology was engineered to recognise anything of Guardian origin.<ref name=":1">[https://canonn.science/codex/guardians-codex/ 4/28 : Thargoid Log – The War Machine]</ref>

It appears the Thargoids entered Guardian space unprepared for a protracted military campaign, and after facing a relentless onslaught from the Guardians' war machines they were forced to retreat.<ref>[https://canonn.science/codex/guardians-codex/ 5/28 : Thargoid Log – Victory]</ref>

=== First contact with humans ===
[[File:First-Thargoid-Encounter-3125.png|thumb|250px|First Thargoid encounter in 3125]]
Officially, the first encounters between [[humans]] and Thargoids occurred around an [[Ammonia Planet|ammonia-based world]] in 3125,<ref name="GNTT">[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/57ada8969657baeb6e876c6c Galactic News: The Thargoids]</ref><ref name="DW">[https://canonn.science/lore/drewwagar-the-thargoids/ Canonn Research - Drew Wagar's Lore: The Thargoids]</ref><ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PX49v8zYutI The Return 2.4 Announcement - Elite Dangerous]</ref> but unverified incidents involving similar ships were reported as early as the 2810s.<ref name="EE">''[[Elite Encounters RPG]]''</ref> Between the 2810s and 2840s, the [[Galactic Cooperative]] documented a significant number of ship disappearances in its space and near the [[Pleiades Nebula]]. Investigations found no evidence of foul-play, but the disappearances and hyperdrive malfunctions continued intermittently, stoking anxiety among pilots. In 2849, the first footage surfaced of one of these "encounters", with one blurry image appearing to show an alien ship with the word "THARG" on its hull. The media immediately coined the term "Thargoid" as a name for the aliens. However, no conclusive proof of the Thargoids' existence was obtained, and they faded into folklore.<ref name="EE" /><ref>Data taken from Tourist Spot Beacon 0184, Lave system</ref><ref>[https://www.reddit.com/r/EliteDangerous/comments/53se4s/first_thargoid_contact_22_beacon/ First Thargoid Contact - 2.2 Beacon]</ref>

Centuries later in the early 3120s, new reports emerged of octagonal starships of unknown design and origin, as well as hyperdrive malfunctions. In 3123, GalCop discovered the wreckage of two ships in its space that had been destroyed by more powerful laser weapons than were known to exist at the time.<ref name="EE" /> In 3125, independent pilots claimed that they were being pulled out of [[hyperspace]] and attacked by octagonal ships. Those who survived the experience were convinced they had encountered an alien species, and named the aliens "Thargoids" after the 29th century incidents. As the news spread, leaked [[Federation|Federal]] intelligence reports indicated that the Thargoid attacks were likely provoked by human hostility; colonists in the Veliaze system had apparently come into contact with a Thargoid deputation and assaulted it out of ignorance shortly before the attacks began. Some years later, the Thargoids disappeared as mysteriously as they had arrived.<ref name="GNTT" /><ref name="EE" />

The events surrounding first contact with the Thargoids were mostly suppressed and forgotten, and by the 3300s the Thargoids themselves were generally regarded as fiction. According to [[Alliance]] [[Alliance Prime Minister|Prime Minister]] [[Edmund Mahon]], who is one of the few individuals with access to surviving records, the [[Intergalactic Naval Reserve Arm]], or INRA, fought a war against the Thargoids and eventually secured victory by deploying a bioweapon against the aliens. The Thargoids retreated, and for many years it was believed they had been driven to extinction or even never truly existed at all.<ref name="EDP">[[Elite Dangerous: Premonition]]</ref>

According to the logs of the [[Megaship]] GCS Sarasvati, the original war with the Thargoids ended in 3151. In the aftermath, the [[Galactic Cooperative]] set up a series of deep space monitoring stations, one of which was the GCS Sarasvati, to watch for a resurgent Thargoid threat. This initiative was called Project Equinox. However, by December 27, 3155, no Thargoid presence had been detected whatsoever and members of the project questioned its usefulness. By August 16, 3172, Galcop had become weakened and fractured, and Project Equinox was shut down. Unfortunately, this occurred just as project lead Dr. Cassandra Lockhart discovered that the Thargoids had been sowing the seeds for their future return all along, and her warnings were ignored.<ref>[https://forums.frontier.co.uk/showthread.php/380074-GCS-Sarasvati-early-Thargoid-lookout-megaship?p=5961637&viewfull=1#post5961637 Frontier Forums: GCS Sarasvati - early Thargoid lookout megaship]</ref>

In the course of the war, a number of Thargoid ships were captured by the Galactic Cooperative, and later fell into the possession of the Alliance in the years after Galcop collapsed. By the 3270s, the Alliance was able to reverse-engineer Thargoid technology to produce the single most consequential hyperdrive innovation in centuries: the [[Frame Shift Drive]]. FSDs reduced travel times in [[Hyperspace]] from hours to mere seconds, opening the floodgates for human exploration and expansion. Due to the machinations of [[The Club]], however, the Alliance did not leverage FSD technology to gain superiority over the Federation and Empire; instead, the tech fell into the hands of [[Sirius Corporation]], which monopolized it and distributed it to all the powers and factions, ensuring no one gained an advantage. Afterward, [[The Club]] suppressed information about the Thargoids so that it became a myth among the public.<ref name="EDP" />

=== Renewed activity ===

[[File:Thargoid second ship crash.png|thumb|250px|A crashed Thargoid Scout]]

In early 3301, [[Unknown Artefact]]s were discovered among the cargoes of secret Federal convoys. Their discovery marked the first indication that Thargoids yet existed in the depths of space, though the Artefacts, as well as the similar [[Unknown Probe]]s that would be found orbiting ammonia worlds in 3302, would not be conclusively linked to the Thargoids until later. Some CMDRs believed that the Artefacts and Probes originated from an entirely unknown alien race, while others asserted that they were examples of experimental human technology. Disputes and speculation over the objects continued for months. [[Barnacles]] were also discovered in 3302, but their even more pronounced organic appearance also stymied analysis.

On January 5, 3303, Commander DP Sayre reported the first known encounter with an [[Thargoid Interceptor|Unknown Ship]], which was later confirmed to be a type of Thargoid vessel and officially reclassified as a Thargoid Interceptor. The Unknown Ship interdicted the CMDR from [[hyperspace]] and apparently scanned him before departing to an untraceable destination. The acts of interdicting a target while in hyperspace and leaving an untraceable wake signature were both well beyond the capabilities of human technology. Previously, only the [[Alien Crash Site|wreckage of these ships]] had been documented.

Beginning April 11, 3303, reports surfaced of Unknown Ships apparently attacking [[Federation]] convoys. Upon dropping out of supercruise at the source of certain distress calls, Commanders arrived in a green, gaseous cloud and their ship was disabled. Multiple [[Federal Corvette]] wrecks, bearing luminescent green residue where they were damaged and with their crews apparently dead, were adrift in the cloud, and a single Unknown Ship could be seen jumping away. Presumably, the Unknown Ship destroyed all of the Corvettes on its own in each incident.

On June 2, 3303, CMDR Mobiusetti documented the first known interaction between an Unknown Ship and a [[Barnacle]] on Pleiades Sector OI-T C3-7 A 6 at coordinates -42.77, -21.7. This confirmed suspicions that they were related.<ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y8S-4Oq9Xvc</ref>

[[Kelvin Masters]] of the [[Imperial Herald]] said the barnacles indicate that the Thargoids were in [[Maia]] and [[Merope]] long before we were. [[Humans|Humanity]] has expanded into what the Thargoids see as their territory.<ref name=":3" />

====Identification and escalation====

[[File:Thargoids-Return-Message.png|thumb|250px|CMDR Edward Lewis' message]]

On June 12, 3303, [[Professor Palin]] issued a request for scan and wake signature data from Unknown Ships to be delivered to Orcus Crag in Pleiades Sector OI-T c3-7. Palin compared the collected data to older Thargoid samples and confirmed that Unknown Ships were Thargoid in origin. Shortly afterward, [[Federation]] military forces seized Palin's research for transport to a Federal research facility, but the fleet never arrived at its destination.<ref name="Return">[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5943ed6837e29c184d38b29b Galactic News: The Thargoids have Returned]</ref>

On June 13, wreckage was found with a transmitter which contained a recorded message:

''"This is an urgent message from Commander Edward Lewis. There are forces out there who do not want you to know the truth, but I have to make this public. I found a ship in HIP 17044. A Federal cap ship, shot to pieces. They were carrying the data the Feds stole from Professor Palin. The crew is dead, but they discovered something important about the Unknown Ships. There is a beacon in the wreckage broadcasting a message, over and over. It proves what we suspected. They are back. And the whole galaxy needs to know. The Thargoids have returned."''

[[File:Thargoid Attack Aftermath.png|thumb|250px|The destroyed Federal fleet]]

Two unnamed [[Farragut Battle Cruiser]]s were located at an [[Unregistered Comms Beacon]] approximately 11,000 ls in the direction of the Asterope system from planet 2 in the HIP 17044 system. The capital ships and an accompanying fleet of smaller Federal ships were all heavily damaged, their crews presumably dead, and adrift in the same green, gaseous cloud noted to be a signature of previous Unknown Ship attacks. A transmitter satellite was found among the debris. One Farragut was also discovered to be broadcasting a recording in Morse code in a small, 30-meter zone around its antenna array: "UNKNOWN VESSELS DETECTED. SERVER PURGE FAILED. SHIP ASSETS LIQUIDATED. PAYLOAD DESTROYED. SHIP STATUS LOST."<ref>[https://forums.frontier.co.uk/showthread.php/355713-Alien-archeology-and-other-mysteries-Thread-10-The-Canonn?s=7ddc1608a90a6581ce734397295c8a08&p=5611753&viewfull=1#post5611753 Frontier Forums: Alien archeology and other mysteries: Thread 10 - The Canonn]</ref>

Following the incident, on June 19, the leaders of the Federation, [[Empire]], and [[Alliance]] responded to the news that the aliens encountered in the Pleiades Nebula were Thargoids. President [[Zachary Hudson]] confirmed that the Federal military had been expanding in recent months in preparation for such a possibility. Emperor [[Arissa Lavigny-Duval]] urged calm and reminded the public that humanity had overcome seemingly insurmountable odds in the past. Prime Minister [[Edmund Mahon]] called for caution, arguing that it had not yet been proven that the destroyed Federal ships were the victims of Thargoid attacks, and that much could be learned from an advanced alien race like the Thargoids.<ref name="LeadersRespond">[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5947bb8ef0522a25d9666976 Galactic News: Galactic Leaders Address Thargoid Discovery]</ref>

==== Thargoid Surface Sites ====

[[File:Thargoid_Surface_Site_above.png|thumb|250px|Thargoid Surface Site]]

Following the incident, CMDRs identified an unknown signal at a listening post in [[Maia]] this lead to heavily guarded relay posts. The final listening post had a Caesar Cypher encrypted location for the "nest". They traced it to planet B 1 C in HIP 19026. There, CMDR Lightningwing of [[The Canonn]] discovered the first known [[Thargoid Surface Site]].<ref name="Mystery">[https://www.reddit.com/r/EliteDangerous/comments/6jmzs7/a_mystery_is_afoot/ /r/EliteDangerous: A mystery is afoot]</ref><ref name="Found">[https://www.reddit.com/r/EliteDangerous/comments/6jnvjf/spoilers_mysterious_structures_found_by_cannon/ /r/EliteDangerous: (SPOILERS) Mysterious Structures Found By Cannon group]</ref> These contain functional thargoid Technology.<ref name=":3" />

==== Pleiades buildup and research efforts ====
In the wake of the earlier discoveries concerning the Thargoids, numerous state-sponsored and independent initiatives were launched to expand humanity's presence in the [[Pleiades Nebula]]. The Indra, a Wells-class Carrier [[Megaship]], was built and deployed by the [[Empire]] to HR 1185.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/595e07ff82824f10a91fc919 Galactic News: New Superpower Bases in the Pleiades]</ref> The [[Federation]] established Blackmount Orbital and Blackmount Habitation in HIP 17692 to monitor Thargoid activity.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/595e51e1478524147370660a Community Goal: New Federal Outpost]</ref> The Oracle, an [[Ocellus]] station, was relocated to Pleiades Sector IR-W d1-55 to serve as an independent hub for scientific research on the Thargoids.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/59675dff6d63ab788e4904da Galactic News: New Research Centre at Thargoid Site]</ref> Abroin Universal Plc led a campaign to establish their own Thargoid research base in the Pleiades.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5970b899dc4a6940976694d7 Community Goal: Pleiades Research Outpost]</ref> The Federation, Empire, and [[Alliance]] jointly funded the creation of [[Aegis]], a research organization intended to pool the scientific expertise of the three superpowers to coordinate investigations of the Thargoids; Aegis deployed a station named Donar's Oak to Pleiades Sector IR-W d1-55.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/59844fbe301ce614455222a1 Galactic News: Joint Superpower Initiative Announced]</ref> [[Sirius Corporation]] established two outposts in the [[Merope]] system, the station Reed's Rest and the surface port Omega Prospect.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/11-AUG-3303 Galactic News: Sirius Corporation Enters Merope]</ref>

On August 11, 3303, the Alliance launched a research initiative to build a range of state-of-the-art instruments to analyze various Thargoid materials, such as Unknown Ship Signatures and other objects recovered from Thargoid Surface Sites.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/598c793e3c5e0e1cf8555859 Community Goal: Alliance Research Initiative]</ref> The campaign was a success, but due to the nature of the research it would take some time for any results to be achieved.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5995b0d377678f36dc69b72f Galactic News: Alliance Campaign Concludes]</ref>

With events unfolding at a rapid pace, the superpowers had until recently struggled to formulate appropriate responses to the Thargoid situation. While Aegis' establishment suggested that the galaxy's leaders were beginning to address the issue, journalist Kelvin Masters offered a more frank analysis in an Imperial Herald article on August 25, 3303: "The barnacles seem to indicate that the Thargoids were in Maia and Merope long before we were. For all we know, humanity has expanded into what the Thargoids see as their territory. I have no interest in scaremongering, but my belief is that a Thargoid attack could be imminent – their behaviour certainly seems to suggest they are probing us for weaknesses."<ref name=":3">[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/599e9f98c10d1126640e8902 Galactic News: The Thargoid Situation]</ref>

==== Enemies of the Federation ====
On September 15, 3303, Chief of Federal Security Admiral Aden Tanner announced that another Thargoid attack had recently occurred in Pleiades Sector IR-W D1-55 which resulted in the destruction of multiple Federal vessels, including one Farragut Battle Cruiser. While the motives for this attack were unknown, Admiral Tanner confirmed that the Thargoids were now officially considered enemies of the Federation. President Hudson gave Tanner full authority over the [[Federal Navy]] to deal with the Thargoid threat.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/59bb9793d5777560b7216455 Galactic News: Federal Capital Ship Destroyed by Thargoids]</ref> Amid speculation that Federal forces had provoked the attack, the Federation insisted that black box data from the wreckage indicated no provocation on their part; this was confirmed by Aegis, which had also analyzed data from the attack.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/59c3a0e02468d745a72f97a0 Galactic News: Federation Addresses Rumours]</ref>

The incident spurred all three superpowers to widen Aegis' remit to focus on both research and defence on September 21, 3303. The organization's budget was dramatically increased, and it recruited the [[Engineers]] [[Liz Ryder]] and [[Professor Palin]] to produce a new anti-Thargoid weapon and a scanner for Thargoid ships, respectively.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/59c3a108ced3ff7f807f54b7 Galactic News: Aegis to Widen Remit]</ref><ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/59c3cb9dffff1a05c9770bdd Community Goal: Engineers Appeal for Thargoid Material]</ref>

=== The Return ===
==== Initial skirmishes ====
[[File:Thargoid Attack Aftermath Imperial.png|thumb|250px|A destroyed Imperial fleet above planet A 1 in HR 1185]]
On [[Elite Dangerous: Horizons#The Return - v2.4|September 26, 3303]], independent pilots reported being attacked unprovoked by Thargoid Interceptors at Non-Human Signal Sources. At least one of these attacks, in which CMDR Sapphire Horizons was the victim, occurred at a site with wreckage from an Imperial convoy, which was believed to have been destroyed by the Thargoid ship.<ref>[https://www.reddit.com/r/EliteDangerous/comments/72lzxb/so_i_just_got_killed_by_a_thargoid/ r/EliteDangerous: So I just got killed by a Thargoid]</ref><ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/59cd17dcf030a91ca721e243 Galactic News: Further Thargoid Attacks]</ref> In addition, Interceptors have demonstrated extreme hostility against any [[Guardians|Guardian]] artefacts jettisoned in their vicinity, using their weapons to destroy them.<ref>[https://www.reddit.com/r/EliteDangerous/comments/72mjyw/they_seriously_dont_like_guardian_stuff_monkas/ r/EliteDangerous: They seriously don't like Guardian stuff monkaS]</ref> New [[Barnacle]] sites have also been identified, with a greater concentration of the Structures and an octagonal formation that resembles a nascent [[Thargoid Surface Site]].<ref>[https://www.reddit.com/r/EliteDangerous/comments/72wjsi/the_new_barnacle_site_grows_in_a_familiar/ r/EliteDangerous: The new barnacle site grows in a familiar pattern...credit to CMDR PinPiper]</ref>

[[Aegis]] released the [[AX Missile Rack]] and [[AX Xeno Scanner]] on September 28, 3303. These new devices allowed CMDRs to both scan Interceptors and successfully penetrate their defenses for the first time, a major milestone.<ref>[https://www.reddit.com/r/EliteDangerous/comments/731ex8/psa_ax_missile_rack_and_ax_xeno_scanner_now/ PSA: AX Missile Rack and AX Xeno Scanner Now Available]</ref><ref>[https://www.reddit.com/r/EliteDangerous/comments/731oxn/thargoid_down_sdc/ Thargoid Down! - SDC!]</ref> However, it was also discovered that the Thargoids had begun attacking independent civilian vessels. A heavily-damaged [[Megaship]] identified as Samson Class Bulk Cargo Ship BTG-237 was found in Pleiades Sector IR-W d1-55, near planet A 5, the victim of Thargoid aggression.<ref>[https://www.reddit.com/r/EliteDangerous/comments/72zzvw/spoiler_something_new_has_happened_in_pleiades/ Something new has happened in pleiades Sector IR-W D1-55..]</ref> To cap off a day filled with new developments, wreckage from a new type of Thargoid vessel, the [[Thargoid Scout]], was also discovered on planet A 3 A in the HIP 17125 system.<ref>[https://www.reddit.com/r/EliteDangerous/comments/733mmb/elite_dangerous_24_new_unknown_ship_crashed_hip/ r/EliteDangerous: Elite Dangerous 2.4 new Unknown Ship (crashed) Hip 17125 A 3 A -65.8193 | 48.8662]</ref>

Despite early successes against the Thargoids in battle thanks to the AX Missile Rack, by October 3rd the Thargoid vessels had adapted by developing a resistance to the damaging compound within the missiles. Reports also indicated that countermeasures like chaff could no longer prevent Interceptors from locking on, that the Interceptors had begun evading long-range attacks more effectively, and that [[Thargon]] drone swarms had become much more accurate.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/59d3b59f493e8e3727091ead Galactic News: Thargoids Adapting Rapidly]</ref> On October 5th, the [[AX Multi-cannon]] was released. Combined with an AX Missile Rack to expose Thargoid Hearts on Interceptors, this new weapon was able to circumvent the Thargoid's adaptation. Two other anti-Thargoid countermeasures, the [[Remote Release Flak Launcher]] and [[Shutdown Field Neutraliser]], were made available over the following weeks, making human pilots more effective against their alien adversaries.

On October 6, 3303, Aegis' military liaison Admiral [[Aden Tanner]] confirmed that in recent days, Federal, Imperial, and civilian ships alike had been targeted and destroyed by Thargoids, and that the aliens were scanning the wreckage and seizing escape pods. Tanner reaffirmed that Aegis was dedicated to unraveling the Thargoids' motives.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/59d7523d7f2d0f16da5fbf78 Galactic News: Thargoid Threat Continues to Escalate]</ref> On October 12, an Aegis spokesperson confirmed that as well as adapting their defenses to human weapons technology, the Thargoids were also rapidly adapting to human strategies and tactics.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/59df892030484d21ea3c3ec5 Galactic News: Thargoids Continuing to Adapt]</ref> On October 27, as losses of Federal [[Farragut Battle Cruiser]]s and Imperial [[Majestic Class Interdictor]]s continued to mount, Admiral Tanner noted that although recent developments like the Shutdown Field Neutraliser had proven effective in protecting conventional spacecraft from Thargoid attacks, difficulties had been encountered in adapting the technology to larger spacecraft. As a result of capital ships' continued vulnerability, Tanner warned that deploying such vessels to protect stations and outposts was not a viable defensive strategy against Thargoids for the time being.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/59f30dd4826c1776ca623242 Galactic News: Capital Ships Vulnerable to Thargoid Attack]</ref>

=====Operation Andronicus=====
On November 2, 3303, Aegis launched Operation Andronicus, the first military operation intended to curb Thargoid aggression in the Pleiades Nebula. Admiral Tanner stated that Aegis would be offering substantial monetary rewards to independent pilots for confirmed Thargoid kills.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/59fb5178adf339781710741f Community Goal: Operation Andronicus]</ref> While Operation Andronicus was in effect, the Alliance organization Cooper Research Associates also announced they would reward pilots for the recovery of personal effects and escape pods from Thargoid attack sites.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/59fb51f4adf3397051674b5d Community Goal: Rescue Operation in the Pleiades]</ref> The operation concluded a week later, and both campaigns were hailed as successes.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5a04628c7c8ea44d3104a3d2 Galactic News: Operation Andronicus Concludes]</ref><ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5a046323cd1bcd187d490e8e Galactic News: Pleiades Rescue Operation Concludes]</ref>

=====Enter the Basilisks=====
[[File:Thargoid Interceptor Basilisk Variant 2.png|thumb|250px|A close-up of a Basilisk Variant]]
On November 13, 3303, the first sightings of a new variant of Thargoid Interceptor were reported by independent pilots in the Electra system. Classified as the "Basilisk Variant" by the [[Pilots Federation]], these heavily scarred Interceptors possessed demonstrably more powerful offensive and defensive capabilities.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5a0c1121b9e40e708759f664 Galactic News: Previously Unseen Thargoid Ships in Electra]</ref> Prior to this, only Cyclops Variant Thargoid Interceptors had been encountered. As Basilisk Variants and Cyclops Variants have yet to demonstrate any hostility towards each other, it is unknown if the presence of Basilisk Variants represents an escalation in the ongoing conflict between Thargoids and humans, or the arrival of a second Thargoid faction in the region.<ref>[https://www.reddit.com/r/EliteDangerous/comments/7cnxqj/threat_6_uss_in_electra_spoilers/ /r/EliteDangerous: Threat 6 USS in Electra]</ref>

With casualties from Thargoid attacks continuing to mount, President Zachary Hudson and Emperor Arissa Lavigny-Duval issued statements to reassure the public, insisting that the Thargoid presence would likely remain limited to the Pleiades Nebula and that the combined forces of the Federation and Empire could overcome any threat. Despite this optimism, Admiral Aden Tanner stated it was premature to assert that the Thargoids would not advance beyond the Pleiades, but that Aegis was actively investigating the Thargoids' long-term plans.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5a0eba46528d3924954cf324 Galactic News: Galactic Authorities Call for Calm]</ref>

====The Pleiades aflame====
=====Station attacks and Medusae=====
[[File:Station Attack The Oracle.png|thumb|250px|The Oracle in the aftermath of an attack]]
December 14, 3303 marked the most serious escalation of the Thargoid conflict yet. The stations Titan's Daughter in Taygeta, The Oracle in Pleiades Sector IR-W d1-55, and Liman Legacy in HIP 16753 were attacked and severely damaged by Thargoids, disrupting services and making the stations dangerously unstable.<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZFLBnqxuATg YouTube: Commander Chronicles: Devastation - Elite Dangerous]</ref> [[Station#Emergency Protocol|Emergency evacuation protocols]] were activated, and the Pilots Federation extracted the ships of the independent pilots docked at the affected Stations and transferred them to [[Rescue Vessel]]s. Pilots were encouraged to aid the ongoing evacuation of the stations' inhabitants.<ref name="Station Attack">[https://www.reddit.com/r/EliteDangerous/comments/7jqg5p/so_the_thargoids_attacked_a_station_images/?st=jb6b35m0&sh=f42ecad9 /r/EliteDangerous: So the Thargoids(?) Attacked a Station. Images Courtesy of CMDR Bad_Player]</ref>

[[File:Thargoid Interceptor Medusa Variant.png|thumb|250px|A close-up of a Medusa Variant]]
The attacks were confirmed to have been carried out by a new variant of Thargoid Interceptor classified as the "Medusa Variant".<ref name="GSABT">[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5a328aebaac37e273a5d4ea8 Galactic News: Starports Attacked by Thargoids]</ref> These ships also began interdicting pilots from hyperspace and appearing in Threat 7 Non-Human Signal Sources. Medusae surpass the capabilities of Basilisk Variant Interceptors, possessing even stronger defenses, more powerful weapons, and the ability to direct an even larger swarm of Thargon drones.<ref name="Medusa">[https://www.reddit.com/r/EliteDangerous/comments/7jqg5p/so_the_thargoids_attacked_a_station_images/dr8epgz/ /r/EliteDangerous: So the Thargoids(?) Attacked a Station. Images Courtesy of CMDR Bad_Player - Comment by ChristianM]</ref>

The death toll from the station attacks was believed to be in the thousands, but could have been far worse. Starport security feeds indicate that the Medusa Interceptors used their shutdown fields to disable station defenses before targeting the main reactor. An eyewitness speculated that the Thargoids' intent was to cripple the stations, not destroy them outright.<ref name="GSABT" /> While it was not clear why the Thargoids had targeted these three stations specifically and not others, Aegis was investigating the issue.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5a3a4ffbd27df13ee220cc2f Galactic News: Authorities Urge Public Not to Panic]</ref>

The following week on December 21, as the three stations were stabilized and repair work began on them, further attacks were reported at Bao Landing in HIP 17497, Cavalieri in Electra, and Hudson Observatory in HIP 17694.<ref>[https://i.imgur.com/hxTJhqt.png Imgur: Galactic News: Starport Status Update, December 21, 3303]</ref> Medusa Interceptors were once again confirmed to be the culprits, and hundreds more human casualties were tallied.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5a3ceced6a3e8049274181c5 Galactic News: More Starports Attacked]</ref> Three more attacks occurred two weeks later on January 4, 3304 at Copernicus Observatory in Asterope, Cyllene Orbital in Atlas, and Artemis Lodge in Celaeno, followed by two attacks on January 11 at Obsidian Orbital in Maia and Reed's Rest in Merope.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5a58d52808925a374348ba63 GalNet: Thargoid Assault Continues]</ref>

=====The Liberation of HIP 17692=====
Also on January 11, the Federation and Empire announced a joint initiative to counter Thargoid activity in the HIP 17692 system and attempt to reduce the Thargoids' presence in the Pleiades. The Empire-aligned Merope Expeditionary Fleet took charge of military operations, while the Federation-aligned Pleiades Resource Enterprise coordinated the rescue of attack survivors, personal effects, and data. Fleet Admiral [[Denton Patreus]] stated, "Starports throughout the Pleiades have been attacked. Thousands of lives have been lost. And we have failed to deliver an effective response. That changes now."<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5a578660b34e4b5d3c0ae199 The Liberation of HIP 17692]</ref>

The operation marked just over a year since the first encounter with an active Thargoid Interceptor. Political commentator Daxton Sung offered an analysis: "The situation continues to escalate and our leaders continue to offer the same tired platitudes – militaristic bombast from Hudson, noncommittal banalities from Lavigny-Duval and earnest sympathising from Mahon. It's clear that they have no idea how to counter the Thargoid threat, beyond pumping more money into Aegis's weapons programme."<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5a5787708a640c638d6d781d One Year On]</ref>

=====Advance on the Core Systems=====
[[File:ED-Thargoid-Attacked-Stations-Map.png|thumb|250px|The extent of Thargoid attacks on stations as of February 22, 3304]]
While the HIP 17692 operation proved to be a success,<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5a60b60073f627733619d852 GalNet: HIP 17692 Operation Concludes]</ref> Thargoid attacks on stations continued unabated on January 18, striking Kipling Orbital in Pleiades Sector KC-V c2-11 and Malthus Terminal in Pleiades Sector HR-W d1-41. After these attacks, a member of Kipling Orbital's starport personnel noted that the Thargoids seemed to be sweeping the region and slowly moving towards the [[Core Systems]].<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5a6a0ea379a7530bc462fb3f Starport Attacks Continue]</ref>

On January 25, Borrego's Vision in Pleiades Sector IH-V c2-7 and Kamov Survey in HIP 17892 were hit. On February 1, Asami Orbital in Pleiades Sector JC-V d2-62 and Cleaver Prospect in Pleiades Sector HR-W d1-57 suffered attacks; both stations were significantly closer to the Core Systems that the targets of the previous attacks. On February 8, Bennington's Restin 42 n Persei and Exodus Point in Hyades Sector AB-W b2-2 were attacked, continuing the trend of the Thargoids' movements. President [[Zachary Hudson]] and Emperor [[Arissa Lavigny-Duval]] both issued fresh appeals for aid for the affected stations, and the Emperor also confirmed that [[Aegis]] was actively investigating the Thargoids' shift toward the Core Systems.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5a7c2524b2837d57693651ee Galactic Leaders Renew Appeals for Aid]</ref>

On February 15, Gaiman Dock in 49 Arietis and Weyn Dock in 64 Arietis were hit, marking the Thargoids' arrival in the outer fringe of the Core Systems. As the public questioned the lack of an effective military response to the Thargoids, Imperial Senator [[Gianna Tachibana]] asserted that humanity was being reactive rather than proactive, and that the Pleiades were at risk of becoming a no-go zone even with the assistance of independent pilot militias and Aegis's research.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5a85a1361b13ca3edb048d1c Galactic News: Proactive or Reactive?]</ref> Meanwhile, the Federation launched the Bulwark Project, an initiative to develop autonomous military hardware to combat the Thargoids. While Imperial commentators criticized the initiative as a circumvention of long-standing conventions against the development of artificial intelligence, Federal [[Shadow President]] [[Felicia Winters]] dismissed those concerns, claiming that the Bulwark Project's purpose was to "investigate alternate defence strategies, not to develop machine intelligence".<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5a859fd09dd29d74a968382e Galactic News: The Bulwark Project]</ref> The Bulwark Project campaign was later successful, but Winters was careful to note that the Project's initial remit was merely to determine the economic and military feasibility of the creation of a fully-automated defence force.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5a8ee6340f36064f752cd607 GalNet: Federal Initiative Concludes]</ref>

[[File:Thargoid-Scouts-and-Interceptors.png|thumb|250px|Thargoid Scouts and Interceptors]]

On February 22, Armstrong Enterprise in Bhal and Beaufoy Vision in Nauni, both locations within the Core Systems, suffered Thargoid attacks. Coinciding with these latest incidents, Fleet Admiral Patreus coordinated a second Federal-Imperial joint operation against the Thargoids, this time centered on the Pleiades Sector OI-T c3-7 and Arietis Sector XE-Z b4 systems.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5a8ee5d25f3da10323076fbf GalNet: Anti-Thargoid Operation]</ref> The operation was subsequently declared a success.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5a9824bf78da4a2abd3af6d8 GalNet: Federal-Imperial Operation Concludes]</ref> Notably, no additional Thargoid attacks occurred on March 1, marking the first lull in the incursion, although sightings and encounters with [[Thargoid Interceptor]]s began occurring at various locations within the Core Systems, with hostile [[Thargoid Scout]] Marauders now appearing as well.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5a9960a7049802427b2b41cd GalNet: Week in Review (March 3, 3304)]</ref>

=====Eagle Eye=====
On March 9, Aegis unveiled a new initiative called [[Eagle Eye]]. Six orbital surveillance installations were set up in HIP 17225, HIP 17692, HIP 17892, HR 1185, Pleiades Sector IR-W d1-55, and Pleiades Sector KC-V c2-4 in order to monitor known [[Thargoid Surface Site]]s and collect data on Thargoid behavior outside of combat zones.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5aa12e112e30637590761b2c GalNet: Thargoid Surveillance in the Pleiades]</ref> By March 16, Aegis reported that Eagle Eye was already producing results. According to Admiral Tanner, the installations were able to track fluctuations in transmissions originating from Thargoid Surface Sites, and that these transmissions pointed to specific locations in human space which were likely future Thargoid attack targets. Tanner urged independent pilots to investigate a new set of signals detected by Eagle Eye to help thwart the Thargoids' plans.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5aab97a3bf2b063ade1cceca GalNet: Thargoid Surveillance Continues]</ref>

====War in the Core====
=====The Purge of Socho=====
With the Thargoids now wreaking havoc well within the [[Core Systems]], [[Aegis]] began coordinating the first counterattack. On March 15, 3304, Aegis Core announced an anti-Thargoid campaign in its home system of Socho. The operation's goal was not only to expel Thargoid forces from Socho, but to obtain specific technological components from Thargoid Interceptors and Scouts for comparison research.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5aaa63d040365a4fab270033 GalNet: The Purge of Socho]</ref> The operation concluded successfully.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5ab38926b72505384d3d896a GalNet: Socho Operation Complete]</ref>

=====Revelations=====
On March 22, 3304, Aegis published a report containing significant insights into the Thargoids that had been gleaned with the help of [[Ram Tah]] and his [[Guardian]] research. The findings indicated that the Thargoids had warred with the Guardians because of the latter's perceived encroachment on territory that the Thargoids had seeded with [[Barnacles]] millennia earlier. Despite attempts by the Guardians to communicate with the Thargoids, the Thargoids' survival instincts were so strong that they refused to tolerate any potential threat and continued hostilities until the Guardians eventually expelled them using automated war machines. Professor Alba Tesreau commented that the Guardians' situation mirrored humanity's own: the Thargoids had long ago seeded territory that humans had unknowingly expanded into, and the current conflict was essentially a dispute over territory and resources. Tesreau asserted that the next step the Thargoids would take would be to aggressively mine mineral resources. Ram Tah noted that these revelations finally provided some answers about the Thargoids' overall goals and could ultimately aid humanity in the conflict.<ref name=":2">[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5ab383f5b709787d505dd1a2 GalNet: Thargoid Revelations]</ref>

=====Onslaught and trepidation=====
[[File:Thargoid attacks May 10 3304.png|thumb|250px|The extent of Thargoid attacks on stations as of May 10, 3304]]
The same day as Aegis's report made waves in the media, the station Glazkov Terminal in Irandan was attacked by the Thargoids after a month of relative calm. Both Irandan and HIP 21559 had been identified as likely targets for imminent Thargoid attacks by [[Eagle Eye]], but only the latter system had seen a heavy influx of independent combat pilots come to its defense over the preceding week.

The attack on Glazkov Terminal would be only the first of a fresh wave of attacks that would strike deep within the Core Systems. On March 30, Doyle Landing in Lunguni fell victim of the Thargoids. On April 12, Guidoni Enterprise in HIP 9599 was attacked. On April 19, Weil Station in Kunuvii and Eyharts Enterprise in 32 c Piscium were attacked, along with six Bulk Cruiser Megaships found disabled across the LP 581-36, Chan Mina, Deriv-Dar, and Nankul systems. On April 26, Acton Dock in LP 581-36 was attacked. On May 3, Sturckow Port in SPOCS 253 was attacked. No stations were attacked during the weeks of May 10, May 17, May 24, May 31, June 7, and June 14 as pilots successfully rallied to the defense of the targeted systems.

Meanwhile, also on March 22, [[Yuri Grom]] of the EG Pilots launched a campaign led by the EG Union to construct a new shipyard in CPC 20 6743. A spokesperson for the EG Union explained that the shipyard would construct new [[Farragut Battle Cruiser]]s to bolster humanity's defenses against a Thargoid invasion.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5ab3831fb7097848e4581ed1 GalNet: EG Union Campaign]</ref> On March 30, Admiral Tanner formally debuted Aegis's two new military Megaships, the [[Acropolis]] and the [[Vanguard]], explaining that they would serve as mobile command centers for anti-Thargoid operations.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5aba59c254e40001335bcec8 GalNet: Anti-Thargoid Megaships Deployed by Aegis]</ref> On April 6, the Privateers Alliance and the Atlas Corporation both took similar approaches to fortifying the Core Systems against the Thargoids. The Privateers Alliance launched a campaign to build a military installation in HIP 33368,<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5ac5d40ace417a2962638d10 GalNet: Privateers Alliance Campaign]</ref> while the Atlas Corporation began work on the [[ACS Overwatch]] Megaship in Lambda Arae.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5ac5d322ce417a19346e147c GalNet: The ACS Overwatch]</ref>

Despite Aegis's proven successes in the conflict, Princess [[Aisling Duval]] controversially criticized the organization on April 6, stating that she and many other galactic citizens were concerned that Aegis lacked a clear, long-term strategy to combat the Thargoids and was being reactive rather than proactive.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5ac5d1a6ce417a1f6d04f2ae GalNet: Aisling Duval Criticises Aegis]</ref> While the Princess's opinion had its share of detractors who spoke out in defense of Aegis, others noted that Aegis lacked transparency and had done little to assuage the widespread fear of alien conquest among the public.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5acf23cdd6d6ba17992b3e6b Support for Aisling Duval]</ref>

On April 25, Simguru [[Pranav Antal]] of the [[Utopia]] movement addressed an even more controversial possibility: humanity could lose the war against the Thargoids. The Simguru urged galactic citizens to join Utopia and help protect the [[Sim-Archive]] to ensure that humanity could live beyond its potential extinction.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5adf3499b14e287e736eb6de GalNet: Utopia Plans for Humanity's Extinction]</ref> Pranav Antal's pessimism quickly triggered a backlash from such figures as [[Shadow President]] [[Felicia Winters]], [[Sirius Corporation]] CEO [[Li Yong-Rui]], and Admiral Tanner.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5aeae28e7d387844d650ef2e GalNet: Antal's Pessimism Triggers Backlash]</ref> Nonetheless, Utopia doubled down on the Simguru's statement on May 4, 3304 by launching a project to construct a military installation in its home system of Antal to defend the Sim-Archive from potential Thargoid attack.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5aeae37ed71b1a6f1923014d GalNet: Defending the Sim-Archive]</ref>

=====Thargoid worshipers=====
Meanwhile, as the Thargoid conflict wore on, journalists and scholars began noting the phenomenon of fringe doomsayer cults proliferating throughout the Core Systems. Independent reporter [[Gethin Okonkwo]] published an article on May 19 revealing that dozens of such cults had emerged, and while their natures varied, they were all adamant that the Thargoid conflict was a sign of an imminent apocalypse.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5afc3617b57fd80b460215ea GalNet: Fringe Doomsayer Cults on the Rise]</ref> On June 16, exotheologian [[Alfred Ulyanov|Dr. Alfred Ulyanov]] highlighted one [[Thargoid cult|unnamed cult that even worshiped the Thargoids]] as harbingers of an extra-dimensional, omnipotent being they called the Far God. The cult's followers believed that only they would survive the Far God's manifestation in this universe, and gathered in hive-chapels patterned after Thargoid vessel and structure designs.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5b23bc10e7c3870a79317183 GalNet: Worshipping the Thargoids]</ref>

By June 30, the nameless cult had garnered hostile reactions from the public, and security officials had arrested multiple individuals for committing various misdemeanors against cult members. Local authorities called for tolerance, with Councillor Quinn Damico of the Aranbarahun system assuring citizens that the cultists were harmless and reaffirming that freedom of religion was protected in all systems where the cult had established itself.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5b34b357d2702c1ea8152862 GalNet: Thargoid-Worshipping Cult Garners Hostility]</ref> Mistrust of the cult continued to grow, however, and on July 5 reporter [[Flint Lafosse|Flint "Firemaker" Lafosse]] stoked tensions further with speculation that the reclusive Thargoid cult was a "fifth column" of brainwashed abduction victims sent back to human systems as spies and saboteurs. Dr. Ulyanov refuted this, saying that the cult avoided socializing because they believed humanity would soon be dead and insisting that his studies had found no evidence that the cultists were a threat.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5b3dfd1321ffd9343218451a GalNet: A Thargoid Fifth Column?]</ref>

=====A fleeting victory=====
On June 21, 3304, the Thargoids ended humanity's string of victories with an attack on Hennepin Prospect in Assinda. The attack appeared to be an outlier rather than an indication of Thargoid resurgence, however, as Eagle Eye did not intercept any new signals from Thargoid sites, and all Eagle Eye installations began transmitting the same message: "no new signal detected thargoid activity unknown initiate protocol xeno 55". That same day, Aegis also declared that the Thargoids were retreating from the Core Systems and had been pushed back to their original beachhead of Bhal. Admiral Tanner thanked Commanders for their efforts in defending the Core Systems, but noted that while Thargoid incursions had been reversed in many regions, the Thargoids remained entrenched in the Pleiades Nebula.<ref name="TRFCS">[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5b28ebb3b98e8528935995c6 GalNet: Thargoids Repelled from Core Systems]</ref>

[[File:Thargoid Scouts 3.1.png|thumb|250px|A Thargoid Scout Berserker (center), Regenerator (left), and Inciter (right)]]
On [[Elite Dangerous: Beyond#Chapter Two - v3.1|June 28]], Aegis reported that Eagle Eye had detected a massive surge in Thargoid transmissions. Admiral Tanner asserted that the previous week's lull in activity in the Core Systems must have been only a brief delay while the Thargoids regrouped and summoned reinforcements from the Pleiades. Tanner issued an emergency call for aid for Garay Terminal in Deciat, which Eagle Eye identified as the Thargoids' main target; a number of disabled megaships had already been found in the system. A transmission from an unknown Commander in the Deciat system also indicated that a new type of [[Thargoid Scout]] was present among the invading force.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5b34b13246fe331e2f6ca222 GalNet: Thargoid Assault on the Deciat System]</ref> Three new types of Scouts were subsequently identified: the Berserker, the Regenerator, and the Inciter. The Berserker is a more powerful and aggressive variant of the Marauder, while the Regenerator possesses the ability to restore the hull of other damaged Scouts and the Inciter can enhance their weaponry.

While Deciat was successfully defended against the Thargoid assault, Eagle Eye confirmed on July 5, 3304 that the Thargoids had resumed their original pattern of activity, targeting systems for an eventual attack and massing their forces there in preparation for it. Parise Station in Tembala was attacked on July 12, followed by Metcalf Station in HIP 44811 on July 19, and Preuss Terminal in Di Jian and Zudov Hub in RMK 6 on July 26.

=====Settlement attacks and crash sites=====
Meanwhile, independent pilots patrolling the Pleiades Nebula discovered various [[listening post]]s that were monitoring certain planetside locations in various systems. Upon investigation, each site was found to be either a surface settlement or a crashed ship that had been attacked by Thargoids. Among the sites were the settlements Dominic's Corner, Scrump Landing, Sharpe Works, Site 94, Betterton Outpost, Penal Colony BV-2259, Comms Facility 89563, Research Base LV 8, Research Base KG-3362, and a crashed [[Anaconda]] named "The Bug Killer". While some of the settlements managed to evacuate before they were attacked, others were not so lucky, and recovered logs indicated that some survivors may have been abducted by the Thargoids. Peculiarly, a number of the logs also noted abrupt, widespread temperature decreases that preceded or coincided with the Thargoid attacks.
{| class="wikitable sortable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" border="1"
! Location Name
! System
! Planet
! Surface Coordinates
! Description
! Notes
|-
| The Bug Killer
| HIP 16613
| 1 a
| -11.00, -95.67
| Crash site of a Thargoid-hunting [[Anaconda]]
| Discovered on June 28, 3304
|-
| Dominic's Corner
| Pleiades Sector GW-W c1-15
| 12 a
| 5.55, -115.69
| Factory contracted by [[Aegis]] to produce AX weapons
| Discovered on June 28, 3304
|-
| Scrump Landing
| Pleiades Sector JN-S b4-3
| 2
| -0.34, 12.92
| Scrapyard and trading post
| Discovered on June 28, 3304
|-
| Sharpe Works
| Pleiades Sector IC-U b3-1
| 1
| -4.95, 85.7
| Independent colony
| Discovered on June 28, 3304
|-
| Site 94
| HIP 19284
| A 2 d
| -19.06, -99.45
| Mining operation that unearthed an "alien monument", possibly Thargoid tech
| Discovered on June 28, 3304
|-
| Betterton Outpost
| HIP 19792
| C 2
| -24.70, 6.55
| Independent colony
| Discovered on June 29, 3304
|-
| Penal Colony BV-2259
| HIP 16217
| AB 1 a
| -54.99, 30.33
| Penitentiary
| Discovered on June 29, 3304
|-
| Comms Facility 89563
| HR 1172
| A 5 b
| -0.25, -67.67
| Military outpost
| Discovered on June 29, 3304
|-
| Research Base LV 8
| HIP 17403
| A 4 a
| -51.19, 14.21
| Research center studying a [[Thargoid Probe]]
| Discovered on June 29, 3304
|-
| Research Base KG-3362
| Pleiades Sector HR-W d1-17
| 1 a
| 58.11, 19.45
| Agricultural research center
| Discovered on June 29, 3304
|}

== Biology ==

Thargoids are an insectoid species. Little is known about their physical appearance and biology. Their chemistry is carbon-based, but with ammonia as the solvent rather than water.<ref>http://www.rollingstone.com/glixel/features/elite-dangerous-creator-talks-sci-fi-politics-and-whats-next-w492781</ref> If the rumors are true that they come from [[Ammonia Planet|Ammonia-based planets]] then their physiology is drastically different from humans. For example, ammonia boils at -33 degrees C. Thargoids may well be acclimatised to temperatures far lower than humans.<ref>https://www.drewwagar.com/lore/elite-dangerous-lore-the-thargoids/</ref> They are presumed to be highly intelligent, more than the average human due to their superior technological capabilities.

This indicates they may have evolved in a harsh, low-temperature environment, which might explain their overdeveloped survival instincts and aggressive nature. Since the Thargoids are experts in bioengineering, they could have augmented their own biology and superseded natural evolutionary processes.<ref name="GOTT" />

According to [[The Club]], what humans consider to be a singular Thargoid species actually consists of two distinct "dynasties": the Oresrians and the Klaxians. How Oresrians and Klaxians differ biologically, if at all, is unknown.<ref name="EDP" />

Descriptions based on encounters centuries ago have yet to be verified.

==Society==

[[File:Thargoid-and-Diamondback-Ships.png|thumb|250px|Thargoid ship confronting a Diamondback Scout]]

Not much information has been obtained about Thargoid society or culture. The only known fact is that the society is hive based, with no sense of close family. It is thought that the society is divided into colonies, possibly along the lines of ant colonies. The Oresrian and Klaxian dynasties may be two such colonies.<ref name="EDP" />

Thargoids are thought to have a natural affinity with space, and with [[Hyperspace]] in particular. This is due to the fact that Thargoid warriors seem to spend a large amount of time in space. Naval pilots and crews report that the warships in the war zones are encountered on repeated occasions over a period of months often without respite.

At some point, the Oresrian and Klaxian dynasties became embroiled in a civil war. Prior to 3303, the Klaxians gained the upper hand in this conflict and forced the Oresrians into a slow, continuous retreat across the galaxy, a retreat which will take them directly through human space. [[The Club]] has learned that the Oresrians planned to use human civilization as a "bullet shield" to occupy the Klaxians' attention while they escape deeper into space. This poses a potentially apocalyptic threat to humanity's survival.<ref name="EDP" />

==Politics==
Nothing is known about internal Thargoid politics or government, or why the Oresrians and Klaxians have come into conflict.

Thargoid relations with other species, as far as what is currently known, was frighteningly simple: war. The Thargoid invasions usually seemed to be prompted by the need for either agricultural or mineral resources, rather than a sociological or anthropological need to expand or colonise. In fact, the animal life on an invaded world was largely ignored unless it poses a threat to Thargoids.

==Technology==
[[File:Thargoid-Wormhole.png|thumb|250px|Thargoid wormhole]]
Thargoid technology is vastly different from [[human]] technology. Not only are their ships currently invulnerable to conventional weapons, but they possess the ability to interdict human ships that are traveling through hyperspace, a feat previously believed to be impossible, as well as the ability to make untraceable hyperspace jumps and stymie any pursuers. Despite their advanced hyperspace capabilities, there is no evidence of Thargoid ships moving in [[Supercruise]], perhaps suggesting they do not have short-range FTL capabilities.

Thargoid ships can create stable wormholes to [[hyperspace]] (witch-space). This is used to e.g. travel astronomical distances in seconds and interdict vessels. Their vessels can hover in hyperspace so they may be comfortable with residing in this higher dimensional region.<ref>https://www.sharoma.com/frontierverse/thargoids.htm</ref><ref>[https://www.reddit.com/r/EliteDangerous/comments/7b3eyk/elite_dangerous_another_inra_base_found_linked_to/ /r/EliteDangerous: Elite: Dangerous: Another INRA Base Found, Linked To Hyperdrive Research]
</ref><ref>https://canonn.science/lore/drewwagar-the-thargoids/</ref><ref name="GOTT" />

[[INRA]] chief scientist [[Bexley Prince]] asserted that Thargoid technology is far ahead of humans. Understanding it could open up all kinds of possibilities. The applications are potentially limitless. His logs were found at the INRA base Hollis Gateway.<ref>https://www.reddit.com/r/EliteDangerous/comments/75axlh/inra_planetary_base_found_on_hermitage_4_a/</ref>

The decoded Guardian logs reveal that Thargoids engineered bio-mechanical technology to recognise anything of [[Guardian]] origin. This is why millions of years after the conflict, Thargoid devices still react aggressively to the presence of Guardian technology.<ref name=":1" />[[File:Thargoid_Surface_Site_Scavenger_close.png|thumb|250px|Scavenger]]

Analysis of the [[Scavenger]] shows that it contains organic and mechanical elements such as [[Thargoid Organic Circuitry]]. This discovery has lead many to question whether the Scavengers are sentient creatures or simple mechanical drones created by the Thargoids as workers.<ref>[http://elite-dangerous.wikia.com/wiki/Thargoid_Organic_Circuitry Thargoid Organic Circuitry] in-game description</ref> The [[Thargoid Interceptor]] also has intricate technological and biological elements<ref>[https://forums.frontier.co.uk/showthread.php/395094-Medusa-Tissue-Sample-Tissue-Sample-Prices Thargoid Medusa Tissue Sample]</ref> such as "Thargoid Hearts" which can repair hull damage.

Thargoid weaponry has proven to be very powerful, resulting in numerous destroyed Federal and Imperial vessels, including capital ships. CMDRs who reported being attacked by [[Thargoid Interceptor]]s have noted they lost their ships very quickly under an onslaught of powerful missiles and [[Thargon]] drone swarms.

There's speculation of a [[Thargoid Mothership]] which, according to recovered logs, attacked the [[INRA]] site Carmichael Point in HIP 16824.<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mB36F-rLlkI Elite: Dangerous: INRA Base Attacked By Thargoids]</ref>

The Thargoids seed planets with [[Alien Structure]]s, so-called "barnacles". The barnacles extract resources from a [[Planets|planet]] and transform them into [[meta-alloys]]. This is an essential ingredient in the creation of Thargoid ships and technologies. The seeding of an area with barnacles is an important process to prepare it for Thargoid occupation.<ref>[https://canonn.science/codex/guardians-codex/ Guardian Codex 1/28 : Thargoid Log – Barnacle Seeding]</ref>

After September 26, 3303, CMDRs reported sightings of larger fields of "[[barnacle]] forests" in a shape reminiscent of Thargoid Surface Sites, and also patrolled by [[Scavenger]]s.<ref>https://forums.frontier.co.uk/showthread.php/355713-Alien-archeology-and-other-mysteries-Thread-10-The-Canonn?p=5952184&viewfull=1#post5952184</ref>

[[File:Thargoid-Surface-Site.png|thumb|250px|Thargoid Surface Site]]

[[Thargoid Surface Site]]s demonstrate the Thargoids construct and utilize vast surface installations. Passive drone-like devices called Scavengers were first encountered at these locations. [[Thargoid Egg]]s can be found around and inside these sites. It's unknown what produces and lays these eggs.

[[Thargoid Sensor]]s and [[Thargoid Probe]]s were also confirmed to be related to Thargoids after it was discovered that carrying them allowed doors at Thargoid Surface Sites to open. The other functions of these objects remain an enigma, however. Thargoid Interceptors have been witnessed retrieving them after September 26, 3303.

It's unclear whether Thargoids are a Type II or [[Elite Universe#Type III Civilizations|Type III civilization]] based on the Kardashev scale. Their lack of control over the Milky Way galaxy indicates they are Type II. However, since Thargoids may originate from another galaxy, parallel [[universe]], or spatial dimension they could be Type III.

==Notes==
*Initially, it was only confirmed that Thargoids would eventually make an appearance in Elite Dangerous, and the specifics of that encounter were unknown.<ref>http://forums.frontier.co.uk/showthread.php?p=160991#post160991</ref><ref>https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1461411552/elite-dangerous/posts/377497#comment-2014816</ref><ref>https://forums.frontier.co.uk/showthread.php?t=77358&p=1262252&viewfull=1#post1262252</ref>
*Frontier Developments staff commented that all Thargoids are female.<ref>https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1461411552/elite-dangerous/comments?cursor=2332567#comment-2332566</ref> However, this is not confirmed in the lore of Elite Dangerous.
*David Braben hinted that should peace have ever been found with Thargoids, it would be a temporary measure.<ref>https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1461411552/elite-dangerous/comments?cursor=1970411#comment-1970410</ref>
*It has been rumoured that Thargoids could be capable of building large artificial structures which could possibly be on a scale with planets, and certainly large enough to negate a ship's warp ability.<ref>http://forums.frontier.co.uk/showthread.php?p=85034#post85034</ref>

==Trivia==
*The name "Thargoid" is believed to have come from the regular skit ''Captain Kremmen'' performed by radio and TV personality Kenny Everett on both his radio shows and, in animated form, on TV.<ref>http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Captain_Kremmen</ref> The animated skits show the Thargoids as a species of tall, transparent creatures who are part of a highly-wealthy monarchical society.<ref>http://youtu.be/pyjKPbkkW9k?t=2m26s</ref> It is assumed that their main source of income is profiting from the sale of natural resources taken from planets they have colonised stretching thousands of light years.

==Videos==
<gallery>
Elite_Dangerous_-_The_Return_2.4
The_Return_2.4_Announcement_-_Elite_Dangerous
The_Return_(Elite_Dangerous)
Elite_Dangerous_-_Where_are_the_Thargoids?_(And_what_are_they?)
DISTANT STORMS - Does Humanity Now Stand On The Brink Of A 2nd Thargoid War?
Elite_Dangerous_2.4_Teaser_-_Frontier_Expo_2017
Commander_Chronicles_Retaliation_-_Elite_Dangerous
Commander_Chronicles_Devastation_-_Elite_Dangerous
Commander_Chronicles_The_Deal
</gallery>

==Gallery==
<gallery hideaddbutton="true">
Elite Dangerous Unknown Ship HD.png|A Thargoid Interceptor Cyclops Variant in ''Elite Dangerous''
Evolution-of-the-Thargoids.png|Evolution of the Thargoids
First-Thargoid-Encounter-3125.png|An early Thargoid encounter circa 3125
Thargoids-Return-Message.png|Thargoids Return message
Thargoid-and-Diamondback-Ships.png|Thargoid and Diamondback ships
Thargoid Attack Aftermath.png|The destroyed Federal fleet
Unknown-Ships-Group-Thargoids.png|Thargoid Interceptors
Thargoid-Scouts.png|Thargoid Scouts
Thargoid Surface Site above.png|A Thargoid Surface Site
Thargoid-Surface-Site.png|Thargoid Surface Site
Thargoid Surface Site Scavenger close.png|A Scavenger
Thargoid-Wormhole.png|Thargoid wormhole
Thargoid Interceptor Basilisk Variant.png|A Thargoid Interceptor Basilisk Variant
Thargoid Interceptor Basilisk Variant 2.png|A close-up of a Basilisk Variant
Thargoid Interceptor Medusa Variant.png|A Thargoid Interceptor Medusa Variant
Thargoid Interceptor Medusa Variant 2.png|A Medusa Variant with its petals extended
</gallery>

==References==
<references />

{{Thargoids}}
{{SpeciesNavbox}}
[[Category:Lore]]
[[Category:Alien life]]
[[Category:Thargoids]]
[[Category:Species]]

Thargoid

2018-07-31T07:11:14Z

2601:648:8503:EE60:58EA:C81D:F47C:1781: /* First contact with humans */

[[File:Unknown-Ships-Group-Thargoids.png|thumb|300px|Thargoid Interceptors]]
The '''Thargoids''' are an intelligent, highly advanced insectoid [[species]] that have existed for millions of years. They are the only known living sapient species in the Milky Way [[galaxy]] other than [[Human|humanity]].<ref>http://forums.frontier.co.uk/showthread.php?p=38820#post38820</ref> Thargoids are highly territorial and seemingly rebuff all diplomatic overtures with unmitigated hostility, but are also known to be extremely slow to adapt.

Approximately 1 to 2 million years ago, the Thargoids instigated a war with another intelligent species called the [[Guardian]]s over territory.<ref name=":0">[https://www.reddit.com/r/EliteDangerous/comments/81bhy0/guardians_vs_thargoid_war_confirmed/ Guardian Codex 3 Decrypted. Thargoid Log - Unsuccessful Truce]</ref> Although the Guardians eventually prevailed, the Thargoids only opted to retreat because they were unprepared for a protracted campaign against a rival civilization. Thargoids and humanity have been embroiled in two wars. The first occurred between 3125 and 3151, and is believed to have ended in a human victory with the [[Intergalactic Naval Reserve Arm]]'s successful deployment of the [[mycoid]] bio-weapon. The second, ongoing conflict began in 3303 and has been rapidly escalating with no resolution in sight, affecting dozens of systems across the [[Pleiades Nebula]] and the [[Core Systems]].

==History==
The Thargoids are an ancient, sapient, insectoid species of enigmatic origin. Data obtained from [[Ancient Obelisk]]s built by the [[Guardian]]s indicates that the Thargoids are several millions of years old, and likely a far older species than the Guardians themselves.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":2" /> Professor [[Cora Shaw]] of the [[Palin Institute]] concluded that they were an established spacefaring species long before they encountered the Guardians. They have an affinity for [[Ammonia World|ammonia-based worlds]]. This suggests they may have evolved in a harsh, low-temperature environment, which might explain their overdeveloped survival instincts and aggressive nature. The Thargoids are experts in bioengineering, so they may have augmented their own biology to a point where natural evolutionary processes are meaningless.<ref name="GOTT" />

The location of the Thargoid [[homeworld]], if such a place exists, is unknown. Professor Shaw continued to speculate that it might be somewhere beyond known space or on the other side of the Milky Way [[galaxy]]. Alternatively, the Thargoids may have become a nomadic species, existing entirely in space or within fabricated hives. It is possible they journeyed across millions of light years, from [[Andromeda]] or beyond, like a swarm of locusts seeking fresh crops to consume. Since Thargoid vessels can hover in [[hyperspace]], it suggests that they could even originate from there, or that they may use hyperspace as a conduit from a dimensional plane entirely separate from real space. Thus, the Thargoids may not just be extragalactic in origin, but extra-universal.<ref name="GOTT">[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5ac6383563e2f04e9a610f73 GalNet: Genesis of the Thargoids?]</ref>

=== Guardian-Thargoid Conflict ===
[[File:Barnacle large cluster.png|thumb|250px|Barnacles]]The Thargoids seeded a number of planets with [[barnacles]] in what eventually became Guardian space 1 to 2 million years ago.<ref>[https://canonn.science/codex/guardians-codex/ Guardian 1/28 : Thargoid Log – Barnacle Seeding]</ref><ref name=":0" /> Several thousand years later the Thargoids returned and discovered that the planets they had seeded were occupied by the Guardians. The Thargoids immediately launched an assault making no effort to communicate with the Guardians. This tallies with the Thargoids’ behaviour in [[human]] space.<ref>[https://canonn.science/codex/guardians-codex/ 2/28 : Thargoid Log – The War Begins]</ref>

After the beginning of the war with the Thargoids, the Guardians were forced to make a partial retreat. They were reluctant to take up arms with the Thargoids and kept communicating with them. Eventually they gained enough understanding of the Thargoid language to communicate. It didn't benefit the Guardians much, because the Thargoids were determined to continue hostilities.<ref name=":0" /> The Guardians were forced to employ more aggressive methods to address the Thargoid threat.<ref name=":5">[https://canonn.science/codex/guardians-codex/ Guardian Codex 3 Decrypted. Thargoid Log - Unsuccessful Truce]</ref> The Guardians used drones, autonomous war machines that could target anything that utilised Thargoid engineering. Remarkably, Thargoid bio-mechanical technology was engineered to recognise anything of Guardian origin.<ref name=":1">[https://canonn.science/codex/guardians-codex/ 4/28 : Thargoid Log – The War Machine]</ref>

It appears the Thargoids entered Guardian space unprepared for a protracted military campaign, and after facing a relentless onslaught from the Guardians' war machines they were forced to retreat.<ref>[https://canonn.science/codex/guardians-codex/ 5/28 : Thargoid Log – Victory]</ref>

=== First contact with humans ===
[[File:First-Thargoid-Encounter-3125.png|thumb|250px|First Thargoid encounter in 3125]]
Officially, the first encounters between [[humans]] and Thargoids occurred around an [[Ammonia Planet|ammonia-based world]] in 3125,<ref name="GNTT">[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/57ada8969657baeb6e876c6c Galactic News: The Thargoids]</ref><ref name="DW">[https://canonn.science/lore/drewwagar-the-thargoids/ Canonn Research - Drew Wagar's Lore: The Thargoids]</ref><ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PX49v8zYutI The Return 2.4 Announcement - Elite Dangerous]</ref> but unverified incidents involving similar ships were reported as early as the 2810s.<ref name="EE">''[[Elite Encounters RPG]]''</ref> Between the 2810s and 2840s, the [[Galactic Cooperative]] documented a significant number of ship disappearances in its space and near the [[Pleiades Nebula]]. Investigations found no evidence of foul-play, but the disappearances and hyperdrive malfunctions continued intermittently, stoking anxiety among pilots. In 2849, the first footage surfaced of one of these "encounters", with one blurry image appearing to show an alien ship with the word "THARG" on its hull. The media immediately coined the term "Thargoid" as a name for the aliens. However, no conclusive proof of the Thargoids' existence was obtained, and they faded into folklore.<ref name="EE" /><ref>Data taken from Tourist Spot Beacon 0184, Lave system</ref><ref>[https://www.reddit.com/r/EliteDangerous/comments/53se4s/first_thargoid_contact_22_beacon/ First Thargoid Contact - 2.2 Beacon]</ref>

Centuries later in the early 3120s, new reports emerged of octagonal starships of unknown design and origin, as well as hyperdrive malfunctions. In 3123, GalCop discovered the wreckage of two ships in its space that had been destroyed by more powerful laser weapons than were known to exist at the time.<ref name="EE" /> In 3125, independent pilots claimed that they were being pulled out of [[hyperspace]] and attacked by octagonal ships. Those who survived the experience were convinced they had encountered an alien species, and named the aliens "Thargoids" after the 29th century incidents. As the news spread, leaked [[Federation|Federal]] intelligence reports indicated that the Thargoid attacks were likely provoked by human hostility; colonists in the Veliaze system had apparently come into contact with a Thargoid deputation and assaulted it out of ignorance shortly before the attacks began. Some years later, the Thargoids disappeared as mysteriously as they had arrived.<ref name="GNTT" /><ref name="EE" />

The events surrounding first contact with the Thargoids were mostly suppressed and forgotten, and by the 3300s the Thargoids themselves were generally regarded as fiction. According to [[Alliance]] [[Alliance Prime Minister|Prime Minister]] [[Edmund Mahon]], who is one of the few individuals with access to surviving records, the [[Intergalactic Naval Reserve Arm]], or INRA, fought a war against the Thargoids and eventually secured victory by deploying a bioweapon against the aliens. The Thargoids retreated, and for many years it was believed they had been driven to extinction or even never truly existed at all.<ref name="EDP">[[Elite Dangerous: Premonition]]</ref>

According to the logs of the [[Megaship]] GCS Sarasvati, the original war with the Thargoids ended in 3151. In the aftermath, the [[Galactic Cooperative]] set up a series of deep space monitoring stations, one of which was the GCS Sarasvati, to watch for a resurgent Thargoid threat. This initiative was called Project Equinox. However, by December 27, 3155, no Thargoid presence had been detected whatsoever and members of the project questioned its usefulness. By August 16, 3172, Galcop had become weakened and fractured, and Project Equinox was shut down. Unfortunately, this occurred just as project lead Dr. Cassandra Lockhart discovered that the Thargoids had been sowing the seeds for their future return all along, and her warnings were ignored.<ref>[https://forums.frontier.co.uk/showthread.php/380074-GCS-Sarasvati-early-Thargoid-lookout-megaship?p=5961637&viewfull=1#post5961637 Frontier Forums: GCS Sarasvati - early Thargoid lookout megaship]</ref>

In the course of the war, a number of Thargoid ships were captured by the Galactic Cooperative, and later fell into the possession of the Alliance in the years after Galcop collapsed. By the 3270s, the Alliance was able to reverse-engineer Thargoid technology to produce the single most consequential hyperdrive innovation in centuries: the [[Frame Shift Drive]]. FSDs reduced travel times in [[Hyperspace]] from hours to mere seconds, opening the floodgates for human exploration and expansion. Due to the machinations of [[The Club]], however, the Alliance did not leverage FSD technology to gain superiority over the Federation and Empire; instead, the tech fell into the hands of [[Sirius Corporation]], which monopolized it and distributed it to all the powers and factions, ensuring no one gained an advantage. Afterward, [[The Club]] suppressed information about the Thargoids so that it became a myth among the public.<ref name="EDP" />

=== Renewed activity ===

[[File:Thargoid second ship crash.png|thumb|250px|A crashed Thargoid Scout]]

In early 3301, [[Unknown Artefact]]s were discovered among the cargoes of secret Federal convoys. Their discovery marked the first indication that Thargoids yet existed in the depths of space, though the Artefacts, as well as the similar [[Unknown Probe]]s that would be found orbiting ammonia worlds in 3302, would not be conclusively linked to the Thargoids until later. Some CMDRs believed that the Artefacts and Probes originated from an entirely unknown alien race, while others asserted that they were examples of experimental human technology. Disputes and speculation over the objects continued for months. [[Barnacles]], were also discovered in 3302, but their even more pronounced organic appearance also stymied analysis.

On January 5, 3303, Commander DP Sayre reported the first known encounter with an [[Thargoid Interceptor|Unknown Ship]], which was later confirmed to be a type of Thargoid vessel and officially reclassified as a Thargoid Interceptor. The Unknown Ship interdicted the CMDR from [[hyperspace]] and apparently scanned him before departing to an untraceable destination. The acts of interdicting a target while in hyperspace and leaving an untraceable wake signature were both well beyond the capabilities of human technology. Previously, only the [[Alien Crash Site|wreckage of these ships]] had been documented.

Beginning April 11, 3303, reports surfaced of Unknown Ships apparently attacking [[Federation]] convoys. Upon dropping out of supercruise at the source of certain distress calls, Commanders arrived in a green, gaseous cloud and their ship was disabled. Multiple [[Federal Corvette]] wrecks, bearing luminescent green residue where they were damaged and with their crews apparently dead, were adrift in the cloud, and a single Unknown Ship could be seen jumping away. Presumably, the Unknown Ship destroyed all of the Corvettes on its own in each incident.

On June 2, 3303, CMDR Mobiusetti documented the first known interaction between an Unknown Ship and a [[Barnacle]] on Pleiades Sector OI-T C3-7 A 6 at coordinates -42.77, -21.7. This confirmed suspicions that they were related.<ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y8S-4Oq9Xvc</ref>

[[Kelvin Masters]] of the [[Imperial Herald]] said the barnacles indicate that the Thargoids were in [[Maia]] and [[Merope]] long before we were. [[Humans|Humanity]] has expanded into what the Thargoids see as their territory.<ref name=":3" />

====Identification and escalation====

[[File:Thargoids-Return-Message.png|thumb|250px|CMDR Edward Lewis' message]]

On June 12, 3303, [[Professor Palin]] issued a request for scan and wake signature data from Unknown Ships to be delivered to Orcus Crag in Pleiades Sector OI-T c3-7. Palin compared the collected data to older Thargoid samples and confirmed that Unknown Ships were Thargoid in origin. Shortly afterward, [[Federation]] military forces seized Palin's research for transport to a Federal research facility, but the fleet never arrived at its destination.<ref name="Return">[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5943ed6837e29c184d38b29b Galactic News: The Thargoids have Returned]</ref>

On June 13, wreckage was found with a transmitter which contained a recorded message:

''"This is an urgent message from Commander Edward Lewis. There are forces out there who do not want you to know the truth, but I have to make this public. I found a ship in HIP 17044. A Federal cap ship, shot to pieces. They were carrying the data the Feds stole from Professor Palin. The crew is dead, but they discovered something important about the Unknown Ships. There is a beacon in the wreckage broadcasting a message, over and over. It proves what we suspected. They are back. And the whole galaxy needs to know. The Thargoids have returned."''

[[File:Thargoid Attack Aftermath.png|thumb|250px|The destroyed Federal fleet]]

Two unnamed [[Farragut Battle Cruiser]]s were located at an [[Unregistered Comms Beacon]] approximately 11,000 ls in the direction of the Asterope system from planet 2 in the HIP 17044 system. The capital ships and an accompanying fleet of smaller Federal ships were all heavily damaged, their crews presumably dead, and adrift in the same green, gaseous cloud noted to be a signature of previous Unknown Ship attacks. A transmitter satellite was found among the debris. One Farragut was also discovered to be broadcasting a recording in Morse code in a small, 30-meter zone around its antenna array: "UNKNOWN VESSELS DETECTED. SERVER PURGE FAILED. SHIP ASSETS LIQUIDATED. PAYLOAD DESTROYED. SHIP STATUS LOST."<ref>[https://forums.frontier.co.uk/showthread.php/355713-Alien-archeology-and-other-mysteries-Thread-10-The-Canonn?s=7ddc1608a90a6581ce734397295c8a08&p=5611753&viewfull=1#post5611753 Frontier Forums: Alien archeology and other mysteries: Thread 10 - The Canonn]</ref>

Following the incident, on June 19, the leaders of the Federation, [[Empire]], and [[Alliance]] responded to the news that the aliens encountered in the Pleiades Nebula were Thargoids. President [[Zachary Hudson]] confirmed that the Federal military had been expanding in recent months in preparation for such a possibility. Emperor [[Arissa Lavigny-Duval]] urged calm and reminded the public that humanity had overcome seemingly insurmountable odds in the past. Prime Minister [[Edmund Mahon]] called for caution, arguing that it had not yet been proven that the destroyed Federal ships were the victims of Thargoid attacks, and that much could be learned from an advanced alien race like the Thargoids.<ref name="LeadersRespond">[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5947bb8ef0522a25d9666976 Galactic News: Galactic Leaders Address Thargoid Discovery]</ref>

==== Thargoid Surface Sites ====

[[File:Thargoid_Surface_Site_above.png|thumb|250px|Thargoid Surface Site]]

Following the incident, CMDRs identified an unknown signal at a listening post in [[Maia]] this lead to heavily guarded relay posts. The final listening post had a Caesar Cypher encrypted location for the "nest". They traced it to planet B 1 C in HIP 19026. There, CMDR Lightningwing of [[The Canonn]] discovered the first known [[Thargoid Surface Site]].<ref name="Mystery">[https://www.reddit.com/r/EliteDangerous/comments/6jmzs7/a_mystery_is_afoot/ /r/EliteDangerous: A mystery is afoot]</ref><ref name="Found">[https://www.reddit.com/r/EliteDangerous/comments/6jnvjf/spoilers_mysterious_structures_found_by_cannon/ /r/EliteDangerous: (SPOILERS) Mysterious Structures Found By Cannon group]</ref> These contain functional thargoid Technology.<ref name=":3" />

==== Pleiades buildup and research efforts ====
In the wake of the earlier discoveries concerning the Thargoids, numerous state-sponsored and independent initiatives were launched to expand humanity's presence in the [[Pleiades Nebula]]. The Indra, a Wells-class Carrier [[Megaship]], was built and deployed by the [[Empire]] to HR 1185.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/595e07ff82824f10a91fc919 Galactic News: New Superpower Bases in the Pleiades]</ref> The [[Federation]] established Blackmount Orbital and Blackmount Habitation in HIP 17692 to monitor Thargoid activity.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/595e51e1478524147370660a Community Goal: New Federal Outpost]</ref> The Oracle, an [[Ocellus]] station, was relocated to Pleiades Sector IR-W d1-55 to serve as an independent hub for scientific research on the Thargoids.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/59675dff6d63ab788e4904da Galactic News: New Research Centre at Thargoid Site]</ref> Abroin Universal Plc led a campaign to establish their own Thargoid research base in the Pleiades.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5970b899dc4a6940976694d7 Community Goal: Pleiades Research Outpost]</ref> The Federation, Empire, and [[Alliance]] jointly funded the creation of [[Aegis]], a research organization intended to pool the scientific expertise of the three superpowers to coordinate investigations of the Thargoids; Aegis deployed a station named Donar's Oak to Pleiades Sector IR-W d1-55.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/59844fbe301ce614455222a1 Galactic News: Joint Superpower Initiative Announced]</ref> [[Sirius Corporation]] established two outposts in the [[Merope]] system, the station Reed's Rest and the surface port Omega Prospect.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/11-AUG-3303 Galactic News: Sirius Corporation Enters Merope]</ref>

On August 11, 3303, the Alliance launched a research initiative to build a range of state-of-the-art instruments to analyze various Thargoid materials, such as Unknown Ship Signatures and other objects recovered from Thargoid Surface Sites.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/598c793e3c5e0e1cf8555859 Community Goal: Alliance Research Initiative]</ref> The campaign was a success, but due to the nature of the research it would take some time for any results to be achieved.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5995b0d377678f36dc69b72f Galactic News: Alliance Campaign Concludes]</ref>

With events unfolding at a rapid pace, the superpowers had until recently struggled to formulate appropriate responses to the Thargoid situation. While Aegis' establishment suggested that the galaxy's leaders were beginning to address the issue, journalist Kelvin Masters offered a more frank analysis in an Imperial Herald article on August 25, 3303: "The barnacles seem to indicate that the Thargoids were in Maia and Merope long before we were. For all we know, humanity has expanded into what the Thargoids see as their territory. I have no interest in scaremongering, but my belief is that a Thargoid attack could be imminent – their behaviour certainly seems to suggest they are probing us for weaknesses."<ref name=":3">[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/599e9f98c10d1126640e8902 Galactic News: The Thargoid Situation]</ref>

==== Enemies of the Federation ====
On September 15, 3303, Chief of Federal Security Admiral Aden Tanner announced that another Thargoid attack had recently occurred in Pleiades Sector IR-W D1-55 which resulted in the destruction of multiple Federal vessels, including one Farragut Battle Cruiser. While the motives for this attack were unknown, Admiral Tanner confirmed that the Thargoids were now officially considered enemies of the Federation. President Hudson gave Tanner full authority over the [[Federal Navy]] to deal with the Thargoid threat.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/59bb9793d5777560b7216455 Galactic News: Federal Capital Ship Destroyed by Thargoids]</ref> Amid speculation that Federal forces had provoked the attack, the Federation insisted that black box data from the wreckage indicated no provocation on their part; this was confirmed by Aegis, which had also analyzed data from the attack.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/59c3a0e02468d745a72f97a0 Galactic News: Federation Addresses Rumours]</ref>

The incident spurred all three superpowers to widen Aegis' remit to focus on both research and defence on September 21, 3303. The organization's budget was dramatically increased, and it recruited the [[Engineers]] [[Liz Ryder]] and [[Professor Palin]] to produce a new anti-Thargoid weapon and a scanner for Thargoid ships, respectively.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/59c3a108ced3ff7f807f54b7 Galactic News: Aegis to Widen Remit]</ref><ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/59c3cb9dffff1a05c9770bdd Community Goal: Engineers Appeal for Thargoid Material]</ref>

=== The Return ===
==== Initial skirmishes ====
[[File:Thargoid Attack Aftermath Imperial.png|thumb|250px|A destroyed Imperial fleet above planet A 1 in HR 1185]]
On [[Elite Dangerous: Horizons#The Return - v2.4|September 26, 3303]], independent pilots reported being attacked unprovoked by Thargoid Interceptors at Non-Human Signal Sources. At least one of these attacks, in which CMDR Sapphire Horizons was the victim, occurred at a site with wreckage from an Imperial convoy, which was believed to have been destroyed by the Thargoid ship.<ref>[https://www.reddit.com/r/EliteDangerous/comments/72lzxb/so_i_just_got_killed_by_a_thargoid/ r/EliteDangerous: So I just got killed by a Thargoid]</ref><ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/59cd17dcf030a91ca721e243 Galactic News: Further Thargoid Attacks]</ref> In addition, Interceptors have demonstrated extreme hostility against any [[Guardians|Guardian]] artefacts jettisoned in their vicinity, using their weapons to destroy them.<ref>[https://www.reddit.com/r/EliteDangerous/comments/72mjyw/they_seriously_dont_like_guardian_stuff_monkas/ r/EliteDangerous: They seriously don't like Guardian stuff monkaS]</ref> New [[Barnacle]] sites have also been identified, with a greater concentration of the Structures and an octagonal formation that resembles a nascent [[Thargoid Surface Site]].<ref>[https://www.reddit.com/r/EliteDangerous/comments/72wjsi/the_new_barnacle_site_grows_in_a_familiar/ r/EliteDangerous: The new barnacle site grows in a familiar pattern...credit to CMDR PinPiper]</ref>

[[Aegis]] released the [[AX Missile Rack]] and [[AX Xeno Scanner]] on September 28, 3303. These new devices allowed CMDRs to both scan Interceptors and successfully penetrate their defenses for the first time, a major milestone.<ref>[https://www.reddit.com/r/EliteDangerous/comments/731ex8/psa_ax_missile_rack_and_ax_xeno_scanner_now/ PSA: AX Missile Rack and AX Xeno Scanner Now Available]</ref><ref>[https://www.reddit.com/r/EliteDangerous/comments/731oxn/thargoid_down_sdc/ Thargoid Down! - SDC!]</ref> However, it was also discovered that the Thargoids had begun attacking independent civilian vessels. A heavily-damaged [[Megaship]] identified as Samson Class Bulk Cargo Ship BTG-237 was found in Pleiades Sector IR-W d1-55, near planet A 5, the victim of Thargoid aggression.<ref>[https://www.reddit.com/r/EliteDangerous/comments/72zzvw/spoiler_something_new_has_happened_in_pleiades/ Something new has happened in pleiades Sector IR-W D1-55..]</ref> To cap off a day filled with new developments, wreckage from a new type of Thargoid vessel, the [[Thargoid Scout]], was also discovered on planet A 3 A in the HIP 17125 system.<ref>[https://www.reddit.com/r/EliteDangerous/comments/733mmb/elite_dangerous_24_new_unknown_ship_crashed_hip/ r/EliteDangerous: Elite Dangerous 2.4 new Unknown Ship (crashed) Hip 17125 A 3 A -65.8193 | 48.8662]</ref>

Despite early successes against the Thargoids in battle thanks to the AX Missile Rack, by October 3rd the Thargoid vessels had adapted by developing a resistance to the damaging compound within the missiles. Reports also indicated that countermeasures like chaff could no longer prevent Interceptors from locking on, that the Interceptors had begun evading long-range attacks more effectively, and that [[Thargon]] drone swarms had become much more accurate.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/59d3b59f493e8e3727091ead Galactic News: Thargoids Adapting Rapidly]</ref> On October 5th, the [[AX Multi-cannon]] was released. Combined with an AX Missile Rack to expose Thargoid Hearts on Interceptors, this new weapon was able to circumvent the Thargoid's adaptation. Two other anti-Thargoid countermeasures, the [[Remote Release Flak Launcher]] and [[Shutdown Field Neutraliser]], were made available over the following weeks, making human pilots more effective against their alien adversaries.

On October 6, 3303, Aegis' military liaison Admiral [[Aden Tanner]] confirmed that in recent days, Federal, Imperial, and civilian ships alike had been targeted and destroyed by Thargoids, and that the aliens were scanning the wreckage and seizing escape pods. Tanner reaffirmed that Aegis was dedicated to unraveling the Thargoids' motives.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/59d7523d7f2d0f16da5fbf78 Galactic News: Thargoid Threat Continues to Escalate]</ref> On October 12, an Aegis spokesperson confirmed that as well as adapting their defenses to human weapons technology, the Thargoids were also rapidly adapting to human strategies and tactics.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/59df892030484d21ea3c3ec5 Galactic News: Thargoids Continuing to Adapt]</ref> On October 27, as losses of Federal [[Farragut Battle Cruiser]]s and Imperial [[Majestic Class Interdictor]]s continued to mount, Admiral Tanner noted that although recent developments like the Shutdown Field Neutraliser had proven effective in protecting conventional spacecraft from Thargoid attacks, difficulties had been encountered in adapting the technology to larger spacecraft. As a result of capital ships' continued vulnerability, Tanner warned that deploying such vessels to protect stations and outposts was not a viable defensive strategy against Thargoids for the time being.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/59f30dd4826c1776ca623242 Galactic News: Capital Ships Vulnerable to Thargoid Attack]</ref>

=====Operation Andronicus=====
On November 2, 3303, Aegis launched Operation Andronicus, the first military operation intended to curb Thargoid aggression in the Pleiades Nebula. Admiral Tanner stated that Aegis would be offering substantial monetary rewards to independent pilots for confirmed Thargoid kills.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/59fb5178adf339781710741f Community Goal: Operation Andronicus]</ref> While Operation Andronicus was in effect, the Alliance organization Cooper Research Associates also announced they would reward pilots for the recovery of personal effects and escape pods from Thargoid attack sites.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/59fb51f4adf3397051674b5d Community Goal: Rescue Operation in the Pleiades]</ref> The operation concluded a week later, and both campaigns were hailed as successes.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5a04628c7c8ea44d3104a3d2 Galactic News: Operation Andronicus Concludes]</ref><ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5a046323cd1bcd187d490e8e Galactic News: Pleiades Rescue Operation Concludes]</ref>

=====Enter the Basilisks=====
[[File:Thargoid Interceptor Basilisk Variant 2.png|thumb|250px|A close-up of a Basilisk Variant]]
On November 13, 3303, the first sightings of a new variant of Thargoid Interceptor were reported by independent pilots in the Electra system. Classified as the "Basilisk Variant" by the [[Pilots Federation]], these heavily scarred Interceptors possessed demonstrably more powerful offensive and defensive capabilities.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5a0c1121b9e40e708759f664 Galactic News: Previously Unseen Thargoid Ships in Electra]</ref> Prior to this, only Cyclops Variant Thargoid Interceptors had been encountered. As Basilisk Variants and Cyclops Variants have yet to demonstrate any hostility towards each other, it is unknown if the presence of Basilisk Variants represents an escalation in the ongoing conflict between Thargoids and humans, or the arrival of a second Thargoid faction in the region.<ref>[https://www.reddit.com/r/EliteDangerous/comments/7cnxqj/threat_6_uss_in_electra_spoilers/ /r/EliteDangerous: Threat 6 USS in Electra]</ref>

With casualties from Thargoid attacks continuing to mount, President Zachary Hudson and Emperor Arissa Lavigny-Duval issued statements to reassure the public, insisting that the Thargoid presence would likely remain limited to the Pleiades Nebula and that the combined forces of the Federation and Empire could overcome any threat. Despite this optimism, Admiral Aden Tanner stated it was premature to assert that the Thargoids would not advance beyond the Pleiades, but that Aegis was actively investigating the Thargoids' long-term plans.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5a0eba46528d3924954cf324 Galactic News: Galactic Authorities Call for Calm]</ref>

====The Pleiades aflame====
=====Station attacks and Medusae=====
[[File:Station Attack The Oracle.png|thumb|250px|The Oracle in the aftermath of an attack]]
December 14, 3303 marked the most serious escalation of the Thargoid conflict yet. The stations Titan's Daughter in Taygeta, The Oracle in Pleiades Sector IR-W d1-55, and Liman Legacy in HIP 16753 were attacked and severely damaged by Thargoids, disrupting services and making the stations dangerously unstable.<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZFLBnqxuATg YouTube: Commander Chronicles: Devastation - Elite Dangerous]</ref> [[Station#Emergency Protocol|Emergency evacuation protocols]] were activated, and the Pilots Federation extracted the ships of the independent pilots docked at the affected Stations and transferred them to [[Rescue Vessel]]s. Pilots were encouraged to aid the ongoing evacuation of the stations' inhabitants.<ref name="Station Attack">[https://www.reddit.com/r/EliteDangerous/comments/7jqg5p/so_the_thargoids_attacked_a_station_images/?st=jb6b35m0&sh=f42ecad9 /r/EliteDangerous: So the Thargoids(?) Attacked a Station. Images Courtesy of CMDR Bad_Player]</ref>

[[File:Thargoid Interceptor Medusa Variant.png|thumb|250px|A close-up of a Medusa Variant]]
The attacks were confirmed to have been carried out by a new variant of Thargoid Interceptor classified as the "Medusa Variant".<ref name="GSABT">[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5a328aebaac37e273a5d4ea8 Galactic News: Starports Attacked by Thargoids]</ref> These ships also began interdicting pilots from hyperspace and appearing in Threat 7 Non-Human Signal Sources. Medusae surpass the capabilities of Basilisk Variant Interceptors, possessing even stronger defenses, more powerful weapons, and the ability to direct an even larger swarm of Thargon drones.<ref name="Medusa">[https://www.reddit.com/r/EliteDangerous/comments/7jqg5p/so_the_thargoids_attacked_a_station_images/dr8epgz/ /r/EliteDangerous: So the Thargoids(?) Attacked a Station. Images Courtesy of CMDR Bad_Player - Comment by ChristianM]</ref>

The death toll from the station attacks was believed to be in the thousands, but could have been far worse. Starport security feeds indicate that the Medusa Interceptors used their shutdown fields to disable station defenses before targeting the main reactor. An eyewitness speculated that the Thargoids' intent was to cripple the stations, not destroy them outright.<ref name="GSABT" /> While it was not clear why the Thargoids had targeted these three stations specifically and not others, Aegis was investigating the issue.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5a3a4ffbd27df13ee220cc2f Galactic News: Authorities Urge Public Not to Panic]</ref>

The following week on December 21, as the three stations were stabilized and repair work began on them, further attacks were reported at Bao Landing in HIP 17497, Cavalieri in Electra, and Hudson Observatory in HIP 17694.<ref>[https://i.imgur.com/hxTJhqt.png Imgur: Galactic News: Starport Status Update, December 21, 3303]</ref> Medusa Interceptors were once again confirmed to be the culprits, and hundreds more human casualties were tallied.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5a3ceced6a3e8049274181c5 Galactic News: More Starports Attacked]</ref> Three more attacks occurred two weeks later on January 4, 3304 at Copernicus Observatory in Asterope, Cyllene Orbital in Atlas, and Artemis Lodge in Celaeno, followed by two attacks on January 11 at Obsidian Orbital in Maia and Reed's Rest in Merope.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5a58d52808925a374348ba63 GalNet: Thargoid Assault Continues]</ref>

=====The Liberation of HIP 17692=====
Also on January 11, the Federation and Empire announced a joint initiative to counter Thargoid activity in the HIP 17692 system and attempt to reduce the Thargoids' presence in the Pleiades. The Empire-aligned Merope Expeditionary Fleet took charge of military operations, while the Federation-aligned Pleiades Resource Enterprise coordinated the rescue of attack survivors, personal effects, and data. Fleet Admiral [[Denton Patreus]] stated, "Starports throughout the Pleiades have been attacked. Thousands of lives have been lost. And we have failed to deliver an effective response. That changes now."<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5a578660b34e4b5d3c0ae199 The Liberation of HIP 17692]</ref>

The operation marked just over a year since the first encounter with an active Thargoid Interceptor. Political commentator Daxton Sung offered an analysis: "The situation continues to escalate and our leaders continue to offer the same tired platitudes – militaristic bombast from Hudson, noncommittal banalities from Lavigny-Duval and earnest sympathising from Mahon. It's clear that they have no idea how to counter the Thargoid threat, beyond pumping more money into Aegis's weapons programme."<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5a5787708a640c638d6d781d One Year On]</ref>

=====Advance on the Core Systems=====
[[File:ED-Thargoid-Attacked-Stations-Map.png|thumb|250px|The extent of Thargoid attacks on stations as of February 22, 3304]]
While the HIP 17692 operation proved to be a success,<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5a60b60073f627733619d852 GalNet: HIP 17692 Operation Concludes]</ref> Thargoid attacks on stations continued unabated on January 18, striking Kipling Orbital in Pleiades Sector KC-V c2-11 and Malthus Terminal in Pleiades Sector HR-W d1-41. After these attacks, a member of Kipling Orbital's starport personnel noted that the Thargoids seemed to be sweeping the region and slowly moving towards the [[Core Systems]].<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5a6a0ea379a7530bc462fb3f Starport Attacks Continue]</ref>

On January 25, Borrego's Vision in Pleiades Sector IH-V c2-7 and Kamov Survey in HIP 17892 were hit. On February 1, Asami Orbital in Pleiades Sector JC-V d2-62 and Cleaver Prospect in Pleiades Sector HR-W d1-57 suffered attacks; both stations were significantly closer to the Core Systems that the targets of the previous attacks. On February 8, Bennington's Restin 42 n Persei and Exodus Point in Hyades Sector AB-W b2-2 were attacked, continuing the trend of the Thargoids' movements. President [[Zachary Hudson]] and Emperor [[Arissa Lavigny-Duval]] both issued fresh appeals for aid for the affected stations, and the Emperor also confirmed that [[Aegis]] was actively investigating the Thargoids' shift toward the Core Systems.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5a7c2524b2837d57693651ee Galactic Leaders Renew Appeals for Aid]</ref>

On February 15, Gaiman Dock in 49 Arietis and Weyn Dock in 64 Arietis were hit, marking the Thargoids' arrival in the outer fringe of the Core Systems. As the public questioned the lack of an effective military response to the Thargoids, Imperial Senator [[Gianna Tachibana]] asserted that humanity was being reactive rather than proactive, and that the Pleiades were at risk of becoming a no-go zone even with the assistance of independent pilot militias and Aegis's research.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5a85a1361b13ca3edb048d1c Galactic News: Proactive or Reactive?]</ref> Meanwhile, the Federation launched the Bulwark Project, an initiative to develop autonomous military hardware to combat the Thargoids. While Imperial commentators criticized the initiative as a circumvention of long-standing conventions against the development of artificial intelligence, Federal [[Shadow President]] [[Felicia Winters]] dismissed those concerns, claiming that the Bulwark Project's purpose was to "investigate alternate defence strategies, not to develop machine intelligence".<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5a859fd09dd29d74a968382e Galactic News: The Bulwark Project]</ref> The Bulwark Project campaign was later successful, but Winters was careful to note that the Project's initial remit was merely to determine the economic and military feasibility of the creation of a fully-automated defence force.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5a8ee6340f36064f752cd607 GalNet: Federal Initiative Concludes]</ref>

[[File:Thargoid-Scouts-and-Interceptors.png|thumb|250px|Thargoid Scouts and Interceptors]]

On February 22, Armstrong Enterprise in Bhal and Beaufoy Vision in Nauni, both locations within the Core Systems, suffered Thargoid attacks. Coinciding with these latest incidents, Fleet Admiral Patreus coordinated a second Federal-Imperial joint operation against the Thargoids, this time centered on the Pleiades Sector OI-T c3-7 and Arietis Sector XE-Z b4 systems.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5a8ee5d25f3da10323076fbf GalNet: Anti-Thargoid Operation]</ref> The operation was subsequently declared a success.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5a9824bf78da4a2abd3af6d8 GalNet: Federal-Imperial Operation Concludes]</ref> Notably, no additional Thargoid attacks occurred on March 1, marking the first lull in the incursion, although sightings and encounters with [[Thargoid Interceptor]]s began occurring at various locations within the Core Systems, with hostile [[Thargoid Scout]] Marauders now appearing as well.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5a9960a7049802427b2b41cd GalNet: Week in Review (March 3, 3304)]</ref>

=====Eagle Eye=====
On March 9, Aegis unveiled a new initiative called [[Eagle Eye]]. Six orbital surveillance installations were set up in HIP 17225, HIP 17692, HIP 17892, HR 1185, Pleiades Sector IR-W d1-55, and Pleiades Sector KC-V c2-4 in order to monitor known [[Thargoid Surface Site]]s and collect data on Thargoid behavior outside of combat zones.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5aa12e112e30637590761b2c GalNet: Thargoid Surveillance in the Pleiades]</ref> By March 16, Aegis reported that Eagle Eye was already producing results. According to Admiral Tanner, the installations were able to track fluctuations in transmissions originating from Thargoid Surface Sites, and that these transmissions pointed to specific locations in human space which were likely future Thargoid attack targets. Tanner urged independent pilots to investigate a new set of signals detected by Eagle Eye to help thwart the Thargoids' plans.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5aab97a3bf2b063ade1cceca GalNet: Thargoid Surveillance Continues]</ref>

====War in the Core====
=====The Purge of Socho=====
With the Thargoids now wreaking havoc well within the [[Core Systems]], [[Aegis]] began coordinating the first counterattack. On March 15, 3304, Aegis Core announced an anti-Thargoid campaign in its home system of Socho. The operation's goal was not only to expel Thargoid forces from Socho, but to obtain specific technological components from Thargoid Interceptors and Scouts for comparison research.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5aaa63d040365a4fab270033 GalNet: The Purge of Socho]</ref> The operation concluded successfully.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5ab38926b72505384d3d896a GalNet: Socho Operation Complete]</ref>

=====Revelations=====
On March 22, 3304, Aegis published a report containing significant insights into the Thargoids that had been gleaned with the help of [[Ram Tah]] and his [[Guardian]] research. The findings indicated that the Thargoids had warred with the Guardians because of the latter's perceived encroachment on territory that the Thargoids had seeded with [[Barnacles]] millennia earlier. Despite attempts by the Guardians to communicate with the Thargoids, the Thargoids' survival instincts were so strong that they refused to tolerate any potential threat and continued hostilities until the Guardians eventually expelled them using automated war machines. Professor Alba Tesreau commented that the Guardians' situation mirrored humanity's own: the Thargoids had long ago seeded territory that humans had unknowingly expanded into, and the current conflict was essentially a dispute over territory and resources. Tesreau asserted that the next step the Thargoids would take would be to aggressively mine mineral resources. Ram Tah noted that these revelations finally provided some answers about the Thargoids' overall goals and could ultimately aid humanity in the conflict.<ref name=":2">[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5ab383f5b709787d505dd1a2 GalNet: Thargoid Revelations]</ref>

=====Onslaught and trepidation=====
[[File:Thargoid attacks May 10 3304.png|thumb|250px|The extent of Thargoid attacks on stations as of May 10, 3304]]
The same day as Aegis's report made waves in the media, the station Glazkov Terminal in Irandan was attacked by the Thargoids after a month of relative calm. Both Irandan and HIP 21559 had been identified as likely targets for imminent Thargoid attacks by [[Eagle Eye]], but only the latter system had seen a heavy influx of independent combat pilots come to its defense over the preceding week.

The attack on Glazkov Terminal would be only the first of a fresh wave of attacks that would strike deep within the Core Systems. On March 30, Doyle Landing in Lunguni fell victim of the Thargoids. On April 12, Guidoni Enterprise in HIP 9599 was attacked. On April 19, Weil Station in Kunuvii and Eyharts Enterprise in 32 c Piscium were attacked, along with six Bulk Cruiser Megaships found disabled across the LP 581-36, Chan Mina, Deriv-Dar, and Nankul systems. On April 26, Acton Dock in LP 581-36 was attacked. On May 3, Sturckow Port in SPOCS 253 was attacked. No stations were attacked during the weeks of May 10, May 17, May 24, May 31, June 7, and June 14 as pilots successfully rallied to the defense of the targeted systems.

Meanwhile, also on March 22, [[Yuri Grom]] of the EG Pilots launched a campaign led by the EG Union to construct a new shipyard in CPC 20 6743. A spokesperson for the EG Union explained that the shipyard would construct new [[Farragut Battle Cruiser]]s to bolster humanity's defenses against a Thargoid invasion.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5ab3831fb7097848e4581ed1 GalNet: EG Union Campaign]</ref> On March 30, Admiral Tanner formally debuted Aegis's two new military Megaships, the [[Acropolis]] and the [[Vanguard]], explaining that they would serve as mobile command centers for anti-Thargoid operations.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5aba59c254e40001335bcec8 GalNet: Anti-Thargoid Megaships Deployed by Aegis]</ref> On April 6, the Privateers Alliance and the Atlas Corporation both took similar approaches to fortifying the Core Systems against the Thargoids. The Privateers Alliance launched a campaign to build a military installation in HIP 33368,<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5ac5d40ace417a2962638d10 GalNet: Privateers Alliance Campaign]</ref> while the Atlas Corporation began work on the [[ACS Overwatch]] Megaship in Lambda Arae.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5ac5d322ce417a19346e147c GalNet: The ACS Overwatch]</ref>

Despite Aegis's proven successes in the conflict, Princess [[Aisling Duval]] controversially criticized the organization on April 6, stating that she and many other galactic citizens were concerned that Aegis lacked a clear, long-term strategy to combat the Thargoids and was being reactive rather than proactive.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5ac5d1a6ce417a1f6d04f2ae GalNet: Aisling Duval Criticises Aegis]</ref> While the Princess's opinion had its share of detractors who spoke out in defense of Aegis, others noted that Aegis lacked transparency and had done little to assuage the widespread fear of alien conquest among the public.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5acf23cdd6d6ba17992b3e6b Support for Aisling Duval]</ref>

On April 25, Simguru [[Pranav Antal]] of the [[Utopia]] movement addressed an even more controversial possibility: humanity could lose the war against the Thargoids. The Simguru urged galactic citizens to join Utopia and help protect the [[Sim-Archive]] to ensure that humanity could live beyond its potential extinction.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5adf3499b14e287e736eb6de GalNet: Utopia Plans for Humanity's Extinction]</ref> Pranav Antal's pessimism quickly triggered a backlash from such figures as [[Shadow President]] [[Felicia Winters]], [[Sirius Corporation]] CEO [[Li Yong-Rui]], and Admiral Tanner.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5aeae28e7d387844d650ef2e GalNet: Antal's Pessimism Triggers Backlash]</ref> Nonetheless, Utopia doubled down on the Simguru's statement on May 4, 3304 by launching a project to construct a military installation in its home system of Antal to defend the Sim-Archive from potential Thargoid attack.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5aeae37ed71b1a6f1923014d GalNet: Defending the Sim-Archive]</ref>

=====Thargoid worshipers=====
Meanwhile, as the Thargoid conflict wore on, journalists and scholars began noting the phenomenon of fringe doomsayer cults proliferating throughout the Core Systems. Independent reporter [[Gethin Okonkwo]] published an article on May 19 revealing that dozens of such cults had emerged, and while their natures varied, they were all adamant that the Thargoid conflict was a sign of an imminent apocalypse.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5afc3617b57fd80b460215ea GalNet: Fringe Doomsayer Cults on the Rise]</ref> On June 16, exotheologian [[Alfred Ulyanov|Dr. Alfred Ulyanov]] highlighted one [[Thargoid cult|unnamed cult that even worshiped the Thargoids]] as harbingers of an extra-dimensional, omnipotent being they called the Far God. The cult's followers believed that only they would survive the Far God's manifestation in this universe, and gathered in hive-chapels patterned after Thargoid vessel and structure designs.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5b23bc10e7c3870a79317183 GalNet: Worshipping the Thargoids]</ref>

By June 30, the nameless cult had garnered hostile reactions from the public, and security officials had arrested multiple individuals for committing various misdemeanors against cult members. Local authorities called for tolerance, with Councillor Quinn Damico of the Aranbarahun system assuring citizens that the cultists were harmless and reaffirming that freedom of religion was protected in all systems where the cult had established itself.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5b34b357d2702c1ea8152862 GalNet: Thargoid-Worshipping Cult Garners Hostility]</ref> Mistrust of the cult continued to grow, however, and on July 5 reporter [[Flint Lafosse|Flint "Firemaker" Lafosse]] stoked tensions further with speculation that the reclusive Thargoid cult was a "fifth column" of brainwashed abduction victims sent back to human systems as spies and saboteurs. Dr. Ulyanov refuted this, saying that the cult avoided socializing because they believed humanity would soon be dead and insisting that his studies had found no evidence that the cultists were a threat.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5b3dfd1321ffd9343218451a GalNet: A Thargoid Fifth Column?]</ref>

=====A fleeting victory=====
On June 21, 3304, the Thargoids ended humanity's string of victories with an attack on Hennepin Prospect in Assinda. The attack appeared to be an outlier rather than an indication of Thargoid resurgence, however, as Eagle Eye did not intercept any new signals from Thargoid sites, and all Eagle Eye installations began transmitting the same message: "no new signal detected thargoid activity unknown initiate protocol xeno 55". That same day, Aegis also declared that the Thargoids were retreating from the Core Systems and had been pushed back to their original beachhead of Bhal. Admiral Tanner thanked Commanders for their efforts in defending the Core Systems, but noted that while Thargoid incursions had been reversed in many regions, the Thargoids remained entrenched in the Pleiades Nebula.<ref name="TRFCS">[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5b28ebb3b98e8528935995c6 GalNet: Thargoids Repelled from Core Systems]</ref>

[[File:Thargoid Scouts 3.1.png|thumb|250px|A Thargoid Scout Berserker (center), Regenerator (left), and Inciter (right)]]
On [[Elite Dangerous: Beyond#Chapter Two - v3.1|June 28]], Aegis reported that Eagle Eye had detected a massive surge in Thargoid transmissions. Admiral Tanner asserted that the previous week's lull in activity in the Core Systems must have been only a brief delay while the Thargoids regrouped and summoned reinforcements from the Pleiades. Tanner issued an emergency call for aid for Garay Terminal in Deciat, which Eagle Eye identified as the Thargoids' main target; a number of disabled megaships had already been found in the system. A transmission from an unknown Commander in the Deciat system also indicated that a new type of [[Thargoid Scout]] was present among the invading force.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5b34b13246fe331e2f6ca222 GalNet: Thargoid Assault on the Deciat System]</ref> Three new types of Scouts were subsequently identified: the Berserker, the Regenerator, and the Inciter. The Berserker is a more powerful and aggressive variant of the Marauder, while the Regenerator possesses the ability to restore the hull of other damaged Scouts and the Inciter can enhance their weaponry.

While Deciat was successfully defended against the Thargoid assault, Eagle Eye confirmed on July 5, 3304 that the Thargoids had resumed their original pattern of activity, targeting systems for an eventual attack and massing their forces there in preparation for it. Parise Station in Tembala was attacked on July 12, followed by Metcalf Station in HIP 44811 on July 19, and Preuss Terminal in Di Jian and Zudov Hub in RMK 6 on July 26.

=====Settlement attacks and crash sites=====
Meanwhile, independent pilots patrolling the Pleiades Nebula discovered various [[listening post]]s that were monitoring certain planetside locations in various systems. Upon investigation, each site was found to be either a surface settlement or a crashed ship that had been attacked by Thargoids. Among the sites were the settlements Dominic's Corner, Scrump Landing, Sharpe Works, Site 94, Betterton Outpost, Penal Colony BV-2259, Comms Facility 89563, Research Base LV 8, Research Base KG-3362, and a crashed [[Anaconda]] named "The Bug Killer". While some of the settlements managed to evacuate before they were attacked, others were not so lucky, and recovered logs indicated that some survivors may have been abducted by the Thargoids. Peculiarly, a number of the logs also noted abrupt, widespread temperature decreases that preceded or coincided with the Thargoid attacks.
{| class="wikitable sortable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" border="1"
! Location Name
! System
! Planet
! Surface Coordinates
! Description
! Notes
|-
| The Bug Killer
| HIP 16613
| 1 a
| -11.00, -95.67
| Crash site of a Thargoid-hunting [[Anaconda]]
| Discovered on June 28, 3304
|-
| Dominic's Corner
| Pleiades Sector GW-W c1-15
| 12 a
| 5.55, -115.69
| Factory contracted by [[Aegis]] to produce AX weapons
| Discovered on June 28, 3304
|-
| Scrump Landing
| Pleiades Sector JN-S b4-3
| 2
| -0.34, 12.92
| Scrapyard and trading post
| Discovered on June 28, 3304
|-
| Sharpe Works
| Pleiades Sector IC-U b3-1
| 1
| -4.95, 85.7
| Independent colony
| Discovered on June 28, 3304
|-
| Site 94
| HIP 19284
| A 2 d
| -19.06, -99.45
| Mining operation that unearthed an "alien monument", possibly Thargoid tech
| Discovered on June 28, 3304
|-
| Betterton Outpost
| HIP 19792
| C 2
| -24.70, 6.55
| Independent colony
| Discovered on June 29, 3304
|-
| Penal Colony BV-2259
| HIP 16217
| AB 1 a
| -54.99, 30.33
| Penitentiary
| Discovered on June 29, 3304
|-
| Comms Facility 89563
| HR 1172
| A 5 b
| -0.25, -67.67
| Military outpost
| Discovered on June 29, 3304
|-
| Research Base LV 8
| HIP 17403
| A 4 a
| -51.19, 14.21
| Research center studying a [[Thargoid Probe]]
| Discovered on June 29, 3304
|-
| Research Base KG-3362
| Pleiades Sector HR-W d1-17
| 1 a
| 58.11, 19.45
| Agricultural research center
| Discovered on June 29, 3304
|}

== Biology ==

Thargoids are an insectoid species. Little is known about their physical appearance and biology. Their chemistry is carbon-based, but with ammonia as the solvent rather than water.<ref>http://www.rollingstone.com/glixel/features/elite-dangerous-creator-talks-sci-fi-politics-and-whats-next-w492781</ref> If the rumors are true that they come from [[Ammonia Planet|Ammonia-based planets]] then their physiology is drastically different from humans. For example, ammonia boils at -33 degrees C. Thargoids may well be acclimatised to temperatures far lower than humans.<ref>https://www.drewwagar.com/lore/elite-dangerous-lore-the-thargoids/</ref> They are presumed to be highly intelligent, more than the average human due to their superior technological capabilities.

This indicates they may have evolved in a harsh, low-temperature environment, which might explain their overdeveloped survival instincts and aggressive nature. Since the Thargoids are experts in bioengineering, they could have augmented their own biology and superseded natural evolutionary processes.<ref name="GOTT" />

According to [[The Club]], what humans consider to be a singular Thargoid species actually consists of two distinct "dynasties": the Oresrians and the Klaxians. How Oresrians and Klaxians differ biologically, if at all, is unknown.<ref name="EDP" />

Descriptions based on encounters centuries ago have yet to be verified.

==Society==

[[File:Thargoid-and-Diamondback-Ships.png|thumb|250px|Thargoid ship confronting a Diamondback Scout]]

Not much information has been obtained about Thargoid society or culture. The only known fact is that the society is hive based, with no sense of close family. It is thought that the society is divided into colonies, possibly along the lines of ant colonies. The Oresrian and Klaxian dynasties may be two such colonies.<ref name="EDP" />

Thargoids are thought to have a natural affinity with space, and with [[Hyperspace]] in particular. This is due to the fact that Thargoid warriors seem to spend a large amount of time in space. Naval pilots and crews report that the warships in the war zones are encountered on repeated occasions over a period of months often without respite.

At some point, the Oresrian and Klaxian dynasties became embroiled in a civil war. Prior to 3303, the Klaxians gained the upper hand in this conflict and forced the Oresrians into a slow, continuous retreat across the galaxy, a retreat which will take them directly through human space. [[The Club]] has learned that the Oresrians planned to use human civilization as a "bullet shield" to occupy the Klaxians' attention while they escape deeper into space. This poses a potentially apocalyptic threat to humanity's survival.<ref name="EDP" />

==Politics==
Nothing is known about internal Thargoid politics or government, or why the Oresrians and Klaxians have come into conflict.

Thargoid relations with other species, as far as what is currently known, was frighteningly simple: war. The Thargoid invasions usually seemed to be prompted by the need for either agricultural or mineral resources, rather than a sociological or anthropological need to expand or colonise. In fact, the animal life on an invaded world was largely ignored unless it poses a threat to Thargoids.

==Technology==
[[File:Thargoid-Wormhole.png|thumb|250px|Thargoid wormhole]]
Thargoid technology is vastly different from [[human]] technology. Not only are their ships currently invulnerable to conventional weapons, but they possess the ability to interdict human ships that are traveling through hyperspace, a feat previously believed to be impossible, as well as the ability to make untraceable hyperspace jumps and stymie any pursuers. Despite their advanced hyperspace capabilities, there is no evidence of Thargoid ships moving in [[Supercruise]], perhaps suggesting they do not have short-range FTL capabilities.

Thargoid ships can create stable wormholes to [[hyperspace]] (witch-space). This is used to e.g. travel astronomical distances in seconds and interdict vessels. Their vessels can hover in hyperspace so they may be comfortable with residing in this higher dimensional region.<ref>https://www.sharoma.com/frontierverse/thargoids.htm</ref><ref>[https://www.reddit.com/r/EliteDangerous/comments/7b3eyk/elite_dangerous_another_inra_base_found_linked_to/ /r/EliteDangerous: Elite: Dangerous: Another INRA Base Found, Linked To Hyperdrive Research]
</ref><ref>https://canonn.science/lore/drewwagar-the-thargoids/</ref><ref name="GOTT" />

[[INRA]] chief scientist [[Bexley Prince]] asserted that Thargoid technology is far ahead of humans. Understanding it could open up all kinds of possibilities. The applications are potentially limitless. His logs were found at the INRA base Hollis Gateway.<ref>https://www.reddit.com/r/EliteDangerous/comments/75axlh/inra_planetary_base_found_on_hermitage_4_a/</ref>

The decoded Guardian logs reveal that Thargoids engineered bio-mechanical technology to recognise anything of [[Guardian]] origin. This is why millions of years after the conflict, Thargoid devices still react aggressively to the presence of Guardian technology.<ref name=":1" />[[File:Thargoid_Surface_Site_Scavenger_close.png|thumb|250px|Scavenger]]

Analysis of the [[Scavenger]] shows that it contains organic and mechanical elements such as [[Thargoid Organic Circuitry]]. This discovery has lead many to question whether the Scavengers are sentient creatures or simple mechanical drones created by the Thargoids as workers.<ref>[http://elite-dangerous.wikia.com/wiki/Thargoid_Organic_Circuitry Thargoid Organic Circuitry] in-game description</ref> The [[Thargoid Interceptor]] also has intricate technological and biological elements<ref>[https://forums.frontier.co.uk/showthread.php/395094-Medusa-Tissue-Sample-Tissue-Sample-Prices Thargoid Medusa Tissue Sample]</ref> such as "Thargoid Hearts" which can repair hull damage.

Thargoid weaponry has proven to be very powerful, resulting in numerous destroyed Federal and Imperial vessels, including capital ships. CMDRs who reported being attacked by [[Thargoid Interceptor]]s have noted they lost their ships very quickly under an onslaught of powerful missiles and [[Thargon]] drone swarms.

There's speculation of a [[Thargoid Mothership]] which, according to recovered logs, attacked the [[INRA]] site Carmichael Point in HIP 16824.<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mB36F-rLlkI Elite: Dangerous: INRA Base Attacked By Thargoids]</ref>

The Thargoids seed planets with [[Alien Structure]]s, so-called "barnacles". The barnacles extract resources from a [[Planets|planet]] and transform them into [[meta-alloys]]. This is an essential ingredient in the creation of Thargoid ships and technologies. The seeding of an area with barnacles is an important process to prepare it for Thargoid occupation.<ref>[https://canonn.science/codex/guardians-codex/ Guardian Codex 1/28 : Thargoid Log – Barnacle Seeding]</ref>

After September 26, 3303, CMDRs reported sightings of larger fields of "[[barnacle]] forests" in a shape reminiscent of Thargoid Surface Sites, and also patrolled by [[Scavenger]]s.<ref>https://forums.frontier.co.uk/showthread.php/355713-Alien-archeology-and-other-mysteries-Thread-10-The-Canonn?p=5952184&viewfull=1#post5952184</ref>

[[File:Thargoid-Surface-Site.png|thumb|250px|Thargoid Surface Site]]

[[Thargoid Surface Site]]s demonstrate the Thargoids construct and utilize vast surface installations. Passive drone-like devices called Scavengers were first encountered at these locations. [[Thargoid Egg]]s can be found around and inside these sites. It's unknown what produces and lays these eggs.

[[Thargoid Sensor]]s and [[Thargoid Probe]]s were also confirmed to be related to Thargoids after it was discovered that carrying them allowed doors at Thargoid Surface Sites to open. The other functions of these objects remain an enigma, however. Thargoid Interceptors have been witnessed retrieving them after September 26, 3303.

It's unclear whether Thargoids are a Type II or [[Elite Universe#Type III Civilizations|Type III civilization]] based on the Kardashev scale. Their lack of control over the Milky Way galaxy indicates they are Type II. However, since Thargoids may originate from another galaxy, parallel [[universe]], or spatial dimension they could be Type III.

==Notes==
*Initially, it was only confirmed that Thargoids would eventually make an appearance in Elite Dangerous, and the specifics of that encounter were unknown.<ref>http://forums.frontier.co.uk/showthread.php?p=160991#post160991</ref><ref>https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1461411552/elite-dangerous/posts/377497#comment-2014816</ref><ref>https://forums.frontier.co.uk/showthread.php?t=77358&p=1262252&viewfull=1#post1262252</ref>
*Frontier Developments staff commented that all Thargoids are female.<ref>https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1461411552/elite-dangerous/comments?cursor=2332567#comment-2332566</ref> However, this is not confirmed in the lore of Elite Dangerous.
*David Braben hinted that should peace have ever been found with Thargoids, it would be a temporary measure.<ref>https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1461411552/elite-dangerous/comments?cursor=1970411#comment-1970410</ref>
*It has been rumoured that Thargoids could be capable of building large artificial structures which could possibly be on a scale with planets, and certainly large enough to negate a ship's warp ability.<ref>http://forums.frontier.co.uk/showthread.php?p=85034#post85034</ref>

==Trivia==
*The name "Thargoid" is believed to have come from the regular skit ''Captain Kremmen'' performed by radio and TV personality Kenny Everett on both his radio shows and, in animated form, on TV.<ref>http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Captain_Kremmen</ref> The animated skits show the Thargoids as a species of tall, transparent creatures who are part of a highly-wealthy monarchical society.<ref>http://youtu.be/pyjKPbkkW9k?t=2m26s</ref> It is assumed that their main source of income is profiting from the sale of natural resources taken from planets they have colonised stretching thousands of light years.

==Videos==
<gallery>
Elite_Dangerous_-_The_Return_2.4
The_Return_2.4_Announcement_-_Elite_Dangerous
The_Return_(Elite_Dangerous)
Elite_Dangerous_-_Where_are_the_Thargoids?_(And_what_are_they?)
DISTANT STORMS - Does Humanity Now Stand On The Brink Of A 2nd Thargoid War?
Elite_Dangerous_2.4_Teaser_-_Frontier_Expo_2017
Commander_Chronicles_Retaliation_-_Elite_Dangerous
Commander_Chronicles_Devastation_-_Elite_Dangerous
Commander_Chronicles_The_Deal
</gallery>

==Gallery==
<gallery hideaddbutton="true">
Elite Dangerous Unknown Ship HD.png|A Thargoid Interceptor Cyclops Variant in ''Elite Dangerous''
Evolution-of-the-Thargoids.png|Evolution of the Thargoids
First-Thargoid-Encounter-3125.png|An early Thargoid encounter circa 3125
Thargoids-Return-Message.png|Thargoids Return message
Thargoid-and-Diamondback-Ships.png|Thargoid and Diamondback ships
Thargoid Attack Aftermath.png|The destroyed Federal fleet
Unknown-Ships-Group-Thargoids.png|Thargoid Interceptors
Thargoid-Scouts.png|Thargoid Scouts
Thargoid Surface Site above.png|A Thargoid Surface Site
Thargoid-Surface-Site.png|Thargoid Surface Site
Thargoid Surface Site Scavenger close.png|A Scavenger
Thargoid-Wormhole.png|Thargoid wormhole
Thargoid Interceptor Basilisk Variant.png|A Thargoid Interceptor Basilisk Variant
Thargoid Interceptor Basilisk Variant 2.png|A close-up of a Basilisk Variant
Thargoid Interceptor Medusa Variant.png|A Thargoid Interceptor Medusa Variant
Thargoid Interceptor Medusa Variant 2.png|A Medusa Variant with its petals extended
</gallery>

==References==
<references />

{{Thargoids}}
{{SpeciesNavbox}}
[[Category:Lore]]
[[Category:Alien life]]
[[Category:Thargoids]]
[[Category:Species]]

Thargoid

2018-07-31T07:09:29Z

2601:648:8503:EE60:58EA:C81D:F47C:1781: /* First contact with humans */

[[File:Unknown-Ships-Group-Thargoids.png|thumb|300px|Thargoid Interceptors]]
The '''Thargoids''' are an intelligent, highly advanced insectoid [[species]] that have existed for millions of years. They are the only known living sapient species in the Milky Way [[galaxy]] other than [[Human|humanity]].<ref>http://forums.frontier.co.uk/showthread.php?p=38820#post38820</ref> Thargoids are highly territorial and seemingly rebuff all diplomatic overtures with unmitigated hostility, but are also known to be extremely slow to adapt.

Approximately 1 to 2 million years ago, the Thargoids instigated a war with another intelligent species called the [[Guardian]]s over territory.<ref name=":0">[https://www.reddit.com/r/EliteDangerous/comments/81bhy0/guardians_vs_thargoid_war_confirmed/ Guardian Codex 3 Decrypted. Thargoid Log - Unsuccessful Truce]</ref> Although the Guardians eventually prevailed, the Thargoids only opted to retreat because they were unprepared for a protracted campaign against a rival civilization. Thargoids and humanity have been embroiled in two wars. The first occurred between 3125 and 3151, and is believed to have ended in a human victory with the [[Intergalactic Naval Reserve Arm]]'s successful deployment of the [[mycoid]] bio-weapon. The second, ongoing conflict began in 3303 and has been rapidly escalating with no resolution in sight, affecting dozens of systems across the [[Pleiades Nebula]] and the [[Core Systems]].

==History==
The Thargoids are an ancient, sapient, insectoid species of enigmatic origin. Data obtained from [[Ancient Obelisk]]s built by the [[Guardian]]s indicates that the Thargoids are several millions of years old, and likely a far older species than the Guardians themselves.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":2" /> Professor [[Cora Shaw]] of the [[Palin Institute]] concluded that they were an established spacefaring species long before they encountered the Guardians. They have an affinity for [[Ammonia World|ammonia-based worlds]]. This suggests they may have evolved in a harsh, low-temperature environment, which might explain their overdeveloped survival instincts and aggressive nature. The Thargoids are experts in bioengineering, so they may have augmented their own biology to a point where natural evolutionary processes are meaningless.<ref name="GOTT" />

The location of the Thargoid [[homeworld]], if such a place exists, is unknown. Professor Shaw continued to speculate that it might be somewhere beyond known space or on the other side of the Milky Way [[galaxy]]. Alternatively, the Thargoids may have become a nomadic species, existing entirely in space or within fabricated hives. It is possible they journeyed across millions of light years, from [[Andromeda]] or beyond, like a swarm of locusts seeking fresh crops to consume. Since Thargoid vessels can hover in [[hyperspace]], it suggests that they could even originate from there, or that they may use hyperspace as a conduit from a dimensional plane entirely separate from real space. Thus, the Thargoids may not just be extragalactic in origin, but extra-universal.<ref name="GOTT">[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5ac6383563e2f04e9a610f73 GalNet: Genesis of the Thargoids?]</ref>

=== Guardian-Thargoid Conflict ===
[[File:Barnacle large cluster.png|thumb|250px|Barnacles]]The Thargoids seeded a number of planets with [[barnacles]] in what eventually became Guardian space 1 to 2 million years ago.<ref>[https://canonn.science/codex/guardians-codex/ Guardian 1/28 : Thargoid Log – Barnacle Seeding]</ref><ref name=":0" /> Several thousand years later the Thargoids returned and discovered that the planets they had seeded were occupied by the Guardians. The Thargoids immediately launched an assault making no effort to communicate with the Guardians. This tallies with the Thargoids’ behaviour in [[human]] space.<ref>[https://canonn.science/codex/guardians-codex/ 2/28 : Thargoid Log – The War Begins]</ref>

After the beginning of the war with the Thargoids, the Guardians were forced to make a partial retreat. They were reluctant to take up arms with the Thargoids and kept communicating with them. Eventually they gained enough understanding of the Thargoid language to communicate. It didn't benefit the Guardians much, because the Thargoids were determined to continue hostilities.<ref name=":0" /> The Guardians were forced to employ more aggressive methods to address the Thargoid threat.<ref name=":5">[https://canonn.science/codex/guardians-codex/ Guardian Codex 3 Decrypted. Thargoid Log - Unsuccessful Truce]</ref> The Guardians used drones, autonomous war machines that could target anything that utilised Thargoid engineering. Remarkably, Thargoid bio-mechanical technology was engineered to recognise anything of Guardian origin.<ref name=":1">[https://canonn.science/codex/guardians-codex/ 4/28 : Thargoid Log – The War Machine]</ref>

It appears the Thargoids entered Guardian space unprepared for a protracted military campaign, and after facing a relentless onslaught from the Guardians' war machines they were forced to retreat.<ref>[https://canonn.science/codex/guardians-codex/ 5/28 : Thargoid Log – Victory]</ref>

=== First contact with humans ===
[[File:First-Thargoid-Encounter-3125.png|thumb|250px|First Thargoid encounter in 3125]]
Officially, the first encounters between [[humans]] and Thargoids occurred around an [[Ammonia Planet|ammonia-based world]] in 3125,<ref name="GNTT">[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/57ada8969657baeb6e876c6c Galactic News: The Thargoids]</ref><ref name="DW">[https://canonn.science/lore/drewwagar-the-thargoids/ Canonn Research - Drew Wagar's Lore: The Thargoids]</ref><ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PX49v8zYutI The Return 2.4 Announcement - Elite Dangerous]</ref> but unverified incidents involving similar ships were reported as early as the 2810s.<ref name="EE">''[[Elite Encounters RPG]]''</ref> Between the 2810s and 2840s, the [[Galactic Cooperative]] documented a significant number of ship disappearances in its space and near the [[Pleiades Nebula]]. Investigations found no evidence of foul-play, but the disappearances and hyperdrive malfunctions continued intermittently, stoking anxiety among pilots. In 2849, the first footage surfaced of one of these "encounters", with one blurry image appearing to show an alien ship with the word "THARG" on its hull. The media immediately coined the term "Thargoid" as a name for the aliens. However, no conclusive proof of the Thargoids' existence was obtained, and they faded into folklore.<ref name="EE" /><ref>Data taken from Tourist Spot Beacon 0184, Lave system</ref><ref>[https://www.reddit.com/r/EliteDangerous/comments/53se4s/first_thargoid_contact_22_beacon/ First Thargoid Contact - 2.2 Beacon]</ref>

Centuries later in the early 3120s, new reports emerged of octagonal starships of unknown design and origin, as well as hyperdrive malfunctions. In 3123, GalCop discovered the wreckage of two ships in its space that had been destroyed by more powerful laser weapons than were known to exist at the time.<ref name="EE" /> In 3125, independent pilots claimed that they were being pulled out of [[hyperspace]] and attacked by octagonal ships. Those who survived the experience were convinced they had encountered an alien species, and named the aliens "Thargoids" after the 29th century incidents. As the news spread, leaked [[Federation|Federal]] intelligence reports indicated that the Thargoid attacks were likely provoked by human hostility; colonists in the Veliaze system had apparently come into contact with a Thargoid deputation and assaulted it out of ignorance shortly before the attacks began. Some years later, the Thargoids disappeared as mysteriously as they had arrived.<ref name="GNTT" /><ref name="EE" />

The events surrounding first contact with the Thargoids were mostly suppressed and forgotten, and by the 3300s the Thargoids themselves were generally regarded as fiction. According to [[Alliance]] [[Alliance Prime Minister|Prime Minister]] [[Edmund Mahon]], who is one of the few individuals with access to surviving records, the [[Intergalactic Naval Reserve Arm]], or INRA, fought a war against the Thargoids and eventually secured victory by deploying a bioweapon against the aliens. The Thargoids retreated, and for many years it was believed they had been driven to extinction or even never truly existed at all.<ref name="EDP">[[Elite Dangerous: Premonition]]</ref>

According to the logs of the [[Megaship]] GCS Sarasvati, the original war with the Thargoids ended in 3151. In the aftermath, the [[Galactic Cooperative]] set up a series of deep space monitoring stations, one of which was the GCS Sarasvati, to watch for a resurgent Thargoid threat. This initiative was called Project Equinox. However, by December 27, 3155, no Thargoid presence had been detected whatsoever and members of the project questioned its usefulness. By August 16, 3172, Galcop had become weakened and fractured, and Project Equinox was shut down. Unfortunately, this occurred just as project lead Dr. Cassandra Lockhart discovered that the Thargoids had been sowing the seeds for their future return all along, and her warnings were ignored.<ref>[https://forums.frontier.co.uk/showthread.php/380074-GCS-Sarasvati-early-Thargoid-lookout-megaship?p=5961637&viewfull=1#post5961637 Frontier Forums: GCS Sarasvati - early Thargoid lookout megaship]</ref>

In the course of the war, a number of Thargoid ships were captured by the Galactic Cooperative, and later fell into the possession of the Alliance in the years after Galcop collapsed. By the 3270's, the Alliance was able to reverse-engineer Thargoid technology to produce the single most consequential hyperdrive innovation in centuries: the [[Frame Shift Drive]]. FSDs reduced travel times in [[Hyperspace]] from hours to mere seconds, opening the floodgates for human exploration and expansion. Due to the machinations of [[The Club]], however, the Alliance did not leverage FSD technology to gain superiority over the Federation and Empire; instead, the tech fell into the hands of [[Sirius Corporation]], which monopolized it and distributed it to all the powers and factions, ensuring no one gained an advantage. Afterward, [[The Club]] suppressed information about the Thargoids so that it became a myth among the public.<ref name="EDP" />

=== Renewed activity ===

[[File:Thargoid second ship crash.png|thumb|250px|A crashed Thargoid Scout]]

In early 3301, [[Unknown Artefact]]s were discovered among the cargoes of secret Federal convoys. Their discovery marked the first indication that Thargoids yet existed in the depths of space, though the Artefacts, as well as the similar [[Unknown Probe]]s that would be found orbiting ammonia worlds in 3302, would not be conclusively linked to the Thargoids until later. Some CMDRs believed that the Artefacts and Probes originated from an entirely unknown alien race, while others asserted that they were examples of experimental human technology. Disputes and speculation over the objects continued for months. [[Barnacles]], were also discovered in 3302, but their even more pronounced organic appearance also stymied analysis.

On January 5, 3303, Commander DP Sayre reported the first known encounter with an [[Thargoid Interceptor|Unknown Ship]], which was later confirmed to be a type of Thargoid vessel and officially reclassified as a Thargoid Interceptor. The Unknown Ship interdicted the CMDR from [[hyperspace]] and apparently scanned him before departing to an untraceable destination. The acts of interdicting a target while in hyperspace and leaving an untraceable wake signature were both well beyond the capabilities of human technology. Previously, only the [[Alien Crash Site|wreckage of these ships]] had been documented.

Beginning April 11, 3303, reports surfaced of Unknown Ships apparently attacking [[Federation]] convoys. Upon dropping out of supercruise at the source of certain distress calls, Commanders arrived in a green, gaseous cloud and their ship was disabled. Multiple [[Federal Corvette]] wrecks, bearing luminescent green residue where they were damaged and with their crews apparently dead, were adrift in the cloud, and a single Unknown Ship could be seen jumping away. Presumably, the Unknown Ship destroyed all of the Corvettes on its own in each incident.

On June 2, 3303, CMDR Mobiusetti documented the first known interaction between an Unknown Ship and a [[Barnacle]] on Pleiades Sector OI-T C3-7 A 6 at coordinates -42.77, -21.7. This confirmed suspicions that they were related.<ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y8S-4Oq9Xvc</ref>

[[Kelvin Masters]] of the [[Imperial Herald]] said the barnacles indicate that the Thargoids were in [[Maia]] and [[Merope]] long before we were. [[Humans|Humanity]] has expanded into what the Thargoids see as their territory.<ref name=":3" />

====Identification and escalation====

[[File:Thargoids-Return-Message.png|thumb|250px|CMDR Edward Lewis' message]]

On June 12, 3303, [[Professor Palin]] issued a request for scan and wake signature data from Unknown Ships to be delivered to Orcus Crag in Pleiades Sector OI-T c3-7. Palin compared the collected data to older Thargoid samples and confirmed that Unknown Ships were Thargoid in origin. Shortly afterward, [[Federation]] military forces seized Palin's research for transport to a Federal research facility, but the fleet never arrived at its destination.<ref name="Return">[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5943ed6837e29c184d38b29b Galactic News: The Thargoids have Returned]</ref>

On June 13, wreckage was found with a transmitter which contained a recorded message:

''"This is an urgent message from Commander Edward Lewis. There are forces out there who do not want you to know the truth, but I have to make this public. I found a ship in HIP 17044. A Federal cap ship, shot to pieces. They were carrying the data the Feds stole from Professor Palin. The crew is dead, but they discovered something important about the Unknown Ships. There is a beacon in the wreckage broadcasting a message, over and over. It proves what we suspected. They are back. And the whole galaxy needs to know. The Thargoids have returned."''

[[File:Thargoid Attack Aftermath.png|thumb|250px|The destroyed Federal fleet]]

Two unnamed [[Farragut Battle Cruiser]]s were located at an [[Unregistered Comms Beacon]] approximately 11,000 ls in the direction of the Asterope system from planet 2 in the HIP 17044 system. The capital ships and an accompanying fleet of smaller Federal ships were all heavily damaged, their crews presumably dead, and adrift in the same green, gaseous cloud noted to be a signature of previous Unknown Ship attacks. A transmitter satellite was found among the debris. One Farragut was also discovered to be broadcasting a recording in Morse code in a small, 30-meter zone around its antenna array: "UNKNOWN VESSELS DETECTED. SERVER PURGE FAILED. SHIP ASSETS LIQUIDATED. PAYLOAD DESTROYED. SHIP STATUS LOST."<ref>[https://forums.frontier.co.uk/showthread.php/355713-Alien-archeology-and-other-mysteries-Thread-10-The-Canonn?s=7ddc1608a90a6581ce734397295c8a08&p=5611753&viewfull=1#post5611753 Frontier Forums: Alien archeology and other mysteries: Thread 10 - The Canonn]</ref>

Following the incident, on June 19, the leaders of the Federation, [[Empire]], and [[Alliance]] responded to the news that the aliens encountered in the Pleiades Nebula were Thargoids. President [[Zachary Hudson]] confirmed that the Federal military had been expanding in recent months in preparation for such a possibility. Emperor [[Arissa Lavigny-Duval]] urged calm and reminded the public that humanity had overcome seemingly insurmountable odds in the past. Prime Minister [[Edmund Mahon]] called for caution, arguing that it had not yet been proven that the destroyed Federal ships were the victims of Thargoid attacks, and that much could be learned from an advanced alien race like the Thargoids.<ref name="LeadersRespond">[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5947bb8ef0522a25d9666976 Galactic News: Galactic Leaders Address Thargoid Discovery]</ref>

==== Thargoid Surface Sites ====

[[File:Thargoid_Surface_Site_above.png|thumb|250px|Thargoid Surface Site]]

Following the incident, CMDRs identified an unknown signal at a listening post in [[Maia]] this lead to heavily guarded relay posts. The final listening post had a Caesar Cypher encrypted location for the "nest". They traced it to planet B 1 C in HIP 19026. There, CMDR Lightningwing of [[The Canonn]] discovered the first known [[Thargoid Surface Site]].<ref name="Mystery">[https://www.reddit.com/r/EliteDangerous/comments/6jmzs7/a_mystery_is_afoot/ /r/EliteDangerous: A mystery is afoot]</ref><ref name="Found">[https://www.reddit.com/r/EliteDangerous/comments/6jnvjf/spoilers_mysterious_structures_found_by_cannon/ /r/EliteDangerous: (SPOILERS) Mysterious Structures Found By Cannon group]</ref> These contain functional thargoid Technology.<ref name=":3" />

==== Pleiades buildup and research efforts ====
In the wake of the earlier discoveries concerning the Thargoids, numerous state-sponsored and independent initiatives were launched to expand humanity's presence in the [[Pleiades Nebula]]. The Indra, a Wells-class Carrier [[Megaship]], was built and deployed by the [[Empire]] to HR 1185.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/595e07ff82824f10a91fc919 Galactic News: New Superpower Bases in the Pleiades]</ref> The [[Federation]] established Blackmount Orbital and Blackmount Habitation in HIP 17692 to monitor Thargoid activity.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/595e51e1478524147370660a Community Goal: New Federal Outpost]</ref> The Oracle, an [[Ocellus]] station, was relocated to Pleiades Sector IR-W d1-55 to serve as an independent hub for scientific research on the Thargoids.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/59675dff6d63ab788e4904da Galactic News: New Research Centre at Thargoid Site]</ref> Abroin Universal Plc led a campaign to establish their own Thargoid research base in the Pleiades.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5970b899dc4a6940976694d7 Community Goal: Pleiades Research Outpost]</ref> The Federation, Empire, and [[Alliance]] jointly funded the creation of [[Aegis]], a research organization intended to pool the scientific expertise of the three superpowers to coordinate investigations of the Thargoids; Aegis deployed a station named Donar's Oak to Pleiades Sector IR-W d1-55.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/59844fbe301ce614455222a1 Galactic News: Joint Superpower Initiative Announced]</ref> [[Sirius Corporation]] established two outposts in the [[Merope]] system, the station Reed's Rest and the surface port Omega Prospect.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/11-AUG-3303 Galactic News: Sirius Corporation Enters Merope]</ref>

On August 11, 3303, the Alliance launched a research initiative to build a range of state-of-the-art instruments to analyze various Thargoid materials, such as Unknown Ship Signatures and other objects recovered from Thargoid Surface Sites.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/598c793e3c5e0e1cf8555859 Community Goal: Alliance Research Initiative]</ref> The campaign was a success, but due to the nature of the research it would take some time for any results to be achieved.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5995b0d377678f36dc69b72f Galactic News: Alliance Campaign Concludes]</ref>

With events unfolding at a rapid pace, the superpowers had until recently struggled to formulate appropriate responses to the Thargoid situation. While Aegis' establishment suggested that the galaxy's leaders were beginning to address the issue, journalist Kelvin Masters offered a more frank analysis in an Imperial Herald article on August 25, 3303: "The barnacles seem to indicate that the Thargoids were in Maia and Merope long before we were. For all we know, humanity has expanded into what the Thargoids see as their territory. I have no interest in scaremongering, but my belief is that a Thargoid attack could be imminent – their behaviour certainly seems to suggest they are probing us for weaknesses."<ref name=":3">[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/599e9f98c10d1126640e8902 Galactic News: The Thargoid Situation]</ref>

==== Enemies of the Federation ====
On September 15, 3303, Chief of Federal Security Admiral Aden Tanner announced that another Thargoid attack had recently occurred in Pleiades Sector IR-W D1-55 which resulted in the destruction of multiple Federal vessels, including one Farragut Battle Cruiser. While the motives for this attack were unknown, Admiral Tanner confirmed that the Thargoids were now officially considered enemies of the Federation. President Hudson gave Tanner full authority over the [[Federal Navy]] to deal with the Thargoid threat.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/59bb9793d5777560b7216455 Galactic News: Federal Capital Ship Destroyed by Thargoids]</ref> Amid speculation that Federal forces had provoked the attack, the Federation insisted that black box data from the wreckage indicated no provocation on their part; this was confirmed by Aegis, which had also analyzed data from the attack.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/59c3a0e02468d745a72f97a0 Galactic News: Federation Addresses Rumours]</ref>

The incident spurred all three superpowers to widen Aegis' remit to focus on both research and defence on September 21, 3303. The organization's budget was dramatically increased, and it recruited the [[Engineers]] [[Liz Ryder]] and [[Professor Palin]] to produce a new anti-Thargoid weapon and a scanner for Thargoid ships, respectively.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/59c3a108ced3ff7f807f54b7 Galactic News: Aegis to Widen Remit]</ref><ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/59c3cb9dffff1a05c9770bdd Community Goal: Engineers Appeal for Thargoid Material]</ref>

=== The Return ===
==== Initial skirmishes ====
[[File:Thargoid Attack Aftermath Imperial.png|thumb|250px|A destroyed Imperial fleet above planet A 1 in HR 1185]]
On [[Elite Dangerous: Horizons#The Return - v2.4|September 26, 3303]], independent pilots reported being attacked unprovoked by Thargoid Interceptors at Non-Human Signal Sources. At least one of these attacks, in which CMDR Sapphire Horizons was the victim, occurred at a site with wreckage from an Imperial convoy, which was believed to have been destroyed by the Thargoid ship.<ref>[https://www.reddit.com/r/EliteDangerous/comments/72lzxb/so_i_just_got_killed_by_a_thargoid/ r/EliteDangerous: So I just got killed by a Thargoid]</ref><ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/59cd17dcf030a91ca721e243 Galactic News: Further Thargoid Attacks]</ref> In addition, Interceptors have demonstrated extreme hostility against any [[Guardians|Guardian]] artefacts jettisoned in their vicinity, using their weapons to destroy them.<ref>[https://www.reddit.com/r/EliteDangerous/comments/72mjyw/they_seriously_dont_like_guardian_stuff_monkas/ r/EliteDangerous: They seriously don't like Guardian stuff monkaS]</ref> New [[Barnacle]] sites have also been identified, with a greater concentration of the Structures and an octagonal formation that resembles a nascent [[Thargoid Surface Site]].<ref>[https://www.reddit.com/r/EliteDangerous/comments/72wjsi/the_new_barnacle_site_grows_in_a_familiar/ r/EliteDangerous: The new barnacle site grows in a familiar pattern...credit to CMDR PinPiper]</ref>

[[Aegis]] released the [[AX Missile Rack]] and [[AX Xeno Scanner]] on September 28, 3303. These new devices allowed CMDRs to both scan Interceptors and successfully penetrate their defenses for the first time, a major milestone.<ref>[https://www.reddit.com/r/EliteDangerous/comments/731ex8/psa_ax_missile_rack_and_ax_xeno_scanner_now/ PSA: AX Missile Rack and AX Xeno Scanner Now Available]</ref><ref>[https://www.reddit.com/r/EliteDangerous/comments/731oxn/thargoid_down_sdc/ Thargoid Down! - SDC!]</ref> However, it was also discovered that the Thargoids had begun attacking independent civilian vessels. A heavily-damaged [[Megaship]] identified as Samson Class Bulk Cargo Ship BTG-237 was found in Pleiades Sector IR-W d1-55, near planet A 5, the victim of Thargoid aggression.<ref>[https://www.reddit.com/r/EliteDangerous/comments/72zzvw/spoiler_something_new_has_happened_in_pleiades/ Something new has happened in pleiades Sector IR-W D1-55..]</ref> To cap off a day filled with new developments, wreckage from a new type of Thargoid vessel, the [[Thargoid Scout]], was also discovered on planet A 3 A in the HIP 17125 system.<ref>[https://www.reddit.com/r/EliteDangerous/comments/733mmb/elite_dangerous_24_new_unknown_ship_crashed_hip/ r/EliteDangerous: Elite Dangerous 2.4 new Unknown Ship (crashed) Hip 17125 A 3 A -65.8193 | 48.8662]</ref>

Despite early successes against the Thargoids in battle thanks to the AX Missile Rack, by October 3rd the Thargoid vessels had adapted by developing a resistance to the damaging compound within the missiles. Reports also indicated that countermeasures like chaff could no longer prevent Interceptors from locking on, that the Interceptors had begun evading long-range attacks more effectively, and that [[Thargon]] drone swarms had become much more accurate.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/59d3b59f493e8e3727091ead Galactic News: Thargoids Adapting Rapidly]</ref> On October 5th, the [[AX Multi-cannon]] was released. Combined with an AX Missile Rack to expose Thargoid Hearts on Interceptors, this new weapon was able to circumvent the Thargoid's adaptation. Two other anti-Thargoid countermeasures, the [[Remote Release Flak Launcher]] and [[Shutdown Field Neutraliser]], were made available over the following weeks, making human pilots more effective against their alien adversaries.

On October 6, 3303, Aegis' military liaison Admiral [[Aden Tanner]] confirmed that in recent days, Federal, Imperial, and civilian ships alike had been targeted and destroyed by Thargoids, and that the aliens were scanning the wreckage and seizing escape pods. Tanner reaffirmed that Aegis was dedicated to unraveling the Thargoids' motives.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/59d7523d7f2d0f16da5fbf78 Galactic News: Thargoid Threat Continues to Escalate]</ref> On October 12, an Aegis spokesperson confirmed that as well as adapting their defenses to human weapons technology, the Thargoids were also rapidly adapting to human strategies and tactics.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/59df892030484d21ea3c3ec5 Galactic News: Thargoids Continuing to Adapt]</ref> On October 27, as losses of Federal [[Farragut Battle Cruiser]]s and Imperial [[Majestic Class Interdictor]]s continued to mount, Admiral Tanner noted that although recent developments like the Shutdown Field Neutraliser had proven effective in protecting conventional spacecraft from Thargoid attacks, difficulties had been encountered in adapting the technology to larger spacecraft. As a result of capital ships' continued vulnerability, Tanner warned that deploying such vessels to protect stations and outposts was not a viable defensive strategy against Thargoids for the time being.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/59f30dd4826c1776ca623242 Galactic News: Capital Ships Vulnerable to Thargoid Attack]</ref>

=====Operation Andronicus=====
On November 2, 3303, Aegis launched Operation Andronicus, the first military operation intended to curb Thargoid aggression in the Pleiades Nebula. Admiral Tanner stated that Aegis would be offering substantial monetary rewards to independent pilots for confirmed Thargoid kills.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/59fb5178adf339781710741f Community Goal: Operation Andronicus]</ref> While Operation Andronicus was in effect, the Alliance organization Cooper Research Associates also announced they would reward pilots for the recovery of personal effects and escape pods from Thargoid attack sites.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/59fb51f4adf3397051674b5d Community Goal: Rescue Operation in the Pleiades]</ref> The operation concluded a week later, and both campaigns were hailed as successes.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5a04628c7c8ea44d3104a3d2 Galactic News: Operation Andronicus Concludes]</ref><ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5a046323cd1bcd187d490e8e Galactic News: Pleiades Rescue Operation Concludes]</ref>

=====Enter the Basilisks=====
[[File:Thargoid Interceptor Basilisk Variant 2.png|thumb|250px|A close-up of a Basilisk Variant]]
On November 13, 3303, the first sightings of a new variant of Thargoid Interceptor were reported by independent pilots in the Electra system. Classified as the "Basilisk Variant" by the [[Pilots Federation]], these heavily scarred Interceptors possessed demonstrably more powerful offensive and defensive capabilities.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5a0c1121b9e40e708759f664 Galactic News: Previously Unseen Thargoid Ships in Electra]</ref> Prior to this, only Cyclops Variant Thargoid Interceptors had been encountered. As Basilisk Variants and Cyclops Variants have yet to demonstrate any hostility towards each other, it is unknown if the presence of Basilisk Variants represents an escalation in the ongoing conflict between Thargoids and humans, or the arrival of a second Thargoid faction in the region.<ref>[https://www.reddit.com/r/EliteDangerous/comments/7cnxqj/threat_6_uss_in_electra_spoilers/ /r/EliteDangerous: Threat 6 USS in Electra]</ref>

With casualties from Thargoid attacks continuing to mount, President Zachary Hudson and Emperor Arissa Lavigny-Duval issued statements to reassure the public, insisting that the Thargoid presence would likely remain limited to the Pleiades Nebula and that the combined forces of the Federation and Empire could overcome any threat. Despite this optimism, Admiral Aden Tanner stated it was premature to assert that the Thargoids would not advance beyond the Pleiades, but that Aegis was actively investigating the Thargoids' long-term plans.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5a0eba46528d3924954cf324 Galactic News: Galactic Authorities Call for Calm]</ref>

====The Pleiades aflame====
=====Station attacks and Medusae=====
[[File:Station Attack The Oracle.png|thumb|250px|The Oracle in the aftermath of an attack]]
December 14, 3303 marked the most serious escalation of the Thargoid conflict yet. The stations Titan's Daughter in Taygeta, The Oracle in Pleiades Sector IR-W d1-55, and Liman Legacy in HIP 16753 were attacked and severely damaged by Thargoids, disrupting services and making the stations dangerously unstable.<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZFLBnqxuATg YouTube: Commander Chronicles: Devastation - Elite Dangerous]</ref> [[Station#Emergency Protocol|Emergency evacuation protocols]] were activated, and the Pilots Federation extracted the ships of the independent pilots docked at the affected Stations and transferred them to [[Rescue Vessel]]s. Pilots were encouraged to aid the ongoing evacuation of the stations' inhabitants.<ref name="Station Attack">[https://www.reddit.com/r/EliteDangerous/comments/7jqg5p/so_the_thargoids_attacked_a_station_images/?st=jb6b35m0&sh=f42ecad9 /r/EliteDangerous: So the Thargoids(?) Attacked a Station. Images Courtesy of CMDR Bad_Player]</ref>

[[File:Thargoid Interceptor Medusa Variant.png|thumb|250px|A close-up of a Medusa Variant]]
The attacks were confirmed to have been carried out by a new variant of Thargoid Interceptor classified as the "Medusa Variant".<ref name="GSABT">[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5a328aebaac37e273a5d4ea8 Galactic News: Starports Attacked by Thargoids]</ref> These ships also began interdicting pilots from hyperspace and appearing in Threat 7 Non-Human Signal Sources. Medusae surpass the capabilities of Basilisk Variant Interceptors, possessing even stronger defenses, more powerful weapons, and the ability to direct an even larger swarm of Thargon drones.<ref name="Medusa">[https://www.reddit.com/r/EliteDangerous/comments/7jqg5p/so_the_thargoids_attacked_a_station_images/dr8epgz/ /r/EliteDangerous: So the Thargoids(?) Attacked a Station. Images Courtesy of CMDR Bad_Player - Comment by ChristianM]</ref>

The death toll from the station attacks was believed to be in the thousands, but could have been far worse. Starport security feeds indicate that the Medusa Interceptors used their shutdown fields to disable station defenses before targeting the main reactor. An eyewitness speculated that the Thargoids' intent was to cripple the stations, not destroy them outright.<ref name="GSABT" /> While it was not clear why the Thargoids had targeted these three stations specifically and not others, Aegis was investigating the issue.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5a3a4ffbd27df13ee220cc2f Galactic News: Authorities Urge Public Not to Panic]</ref>

The following week on December 21, as the three stations were stabilized and repair work began on them, further attacks were reported at Bao Landing in HIP 17497, Cavalieri in Electra, and Hudson Observatory in HIP 17694.<ref>[https://i.imgur.com/hxTJhqt.png Imgur: Galactic News: Starport Status Update, December 21, 3303]</ref> Medusa Interceptors were once again confirmed to be the culprits, and hundreds more human casualties were tallied.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5a3ceced6a3e8049274181c5 Galactic News: More Starports Attacked]</ref> Three more attacks occurred two weeks later on January 4, 3304 at Copernicus Observatory in Asterope, Cyllene Orbital in Atlas, and Artemis Lodge in Celaeno, followed by two attacks on January 11 at Obsidian Orbital in Maia and Reed's Rest in Merope.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5a58d52808925a374348ba63 GalNet: Thargoid Assault Continues]</ref>

=====The Liberation of HIP 17692=====
Also on January 11, the Federation and Empire announced a joint initiative to counter Thargoid activity in the HIP 17692 system and attempt to reduce the Thargoids' presence in the Pleiades. The Empire-aligned Merope Expeditionary Fleet took charge of military operations, while the Federation-aligned Pleiades Resource Enterprise coordinated the rescue of attack survivors, personal effects, and data. Fleet Admiral [[Denton Patreus]] stated, "Starports throughout the Pleiades have been attacked. Thousands of lives have been lost. And we have failed to deliver an effective response. That changes now."<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5a578660b34e4b5d3c0ae199 The Liberation of HIP 17692]</ref>

The operation marked just over a year since the first encounter with an active Thargoid Interceptor. Political commentator Daxton Sung offered an analysis: "The situation continues to escalate and our leaders continue to offer the same tired platitudes – militaristic bombast from Hudson, noncommittal banalities from Lavigny-Duval and earnest sympathising from Mahon. It's clear that they have no idea how to counter the Thargoid threat, beyond pumping more money into Aegis's weapons programme."<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5a5787708a640c638d6d781d One Year On]</ref>

=====Advance on the Core Systems=====
[[File:ED-Thargoid-Attacked-Stations-Map.png|thumb|250px|The extent of Thargoid attacks on stations as of February 22, 3304]]
While the HIP 17692 operation proved to be a success,<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5a60b60073f627733619d852 GalNet: HIP 17692 Operation Concludes]</ref> Thargoid attacks on stations continued unabated on January 18, striking Kipling Orbital in Pleiades Sector KC-V c2-11 and Malthus Terminal in Pleiades Sector HR-W d1-41. After these attacks, a member of Kipling Orbital's starport personnel noted that the Thargoids seemed to be sweeping the region and slowly moving towards the [[Core Systems]].<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5a6a0ea379a7530bc462fb3f Starport Attacks Continue]</ref>

On January 25, Borrego's Vision in Pleiades Sector IH-V c2-7 and Kamov Survey in HIP 17892 were hit. On February 1, Asami Orbital in Pleiades Sector JC-V d2-62 and Cleaver Prospect in Pleiades Sector HR-W d1-57 suffered attacks; both stations were significantly closer to the Core Systems that the targets of the previous attacks. On February 8, Bennington's Restin 42 n Persei and Exodus Point in Hyades Sector AB-W b2-2 were attacked, continuing the trend of the Thargoids' movements. President [[Zachary Hudson]] and Emperor [[Arissa Lavigny-Duval]] both issued fresh appeals for aid for the affected stations, and the Emperor also confirmed that [[Aegis]] was actively investigating the Thargoids' shift toward the Core Systems.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5a7c2524b2837d57693651ee Galactic Leaders Renew Appeals for Aid]</ref>

On February 15, Gaiman Dock in 49 Arietis and Weyn Dock in 64 Arietis were hit, marking the Thargoids' arrival in the outer fringe of the Core Systems. As the public questioned the lack of an effective military response to the Thargoids, Imperial Senator [[Gianna Tachibana]] asserted that humanity was being reactive rather than proactive, and that the Pleiades were at risk of becoming a no-go zone even with the assistance of independent pilot militias and Aegis's research.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5a85a1361b13ca3edb048d1c Galactic News: Proactive or Reactive?]</ref> Meanwhile, the Federation launched the Bulwark Project, an initiative to develop autonomous military hardware to combat the Thargoids. While Imperial commentators criticized the initiative as a circumvention of long-standing conventions against the development of artificial intelligence, Federal [[Shadow President]] [[Felicia Winters]] dismissed those concerns, claiming that the Bulwark Project's purpose was to "investigate alternate defence strategies, not to develop machine intelligence".<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5a859fd09dd29d74a968382e Galactic News: The Bulwark Project]</ref> The Bulwark Project campaign was later successful, but Winters was careful to note that the Project's initial remit was merely to determine the economic and military feasibility of the creation of a fully-automated defence force.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5a8ee6340f36064f752cd607 GalNet: Federal Initiative Concludes]</ref>

[[File:Thargoid-Scouts-and-Interceptors.png|thumb|250px|Thargoid Scouts and Interceptors]]

On February 22, Armstrong Enterprise in Bhal and Beaufoy Vision in Nauni, both locations within the Core Systems, suffered Thargoid attacks. Coinciding with these latest incidents, Fleet Admiral Patreus coordinated a second Federal-Imperial joint operation against the Thargoids, this time centered on the Pleiades Sector OI-T c3-7 and Arietis Sector XE-Z b4 systems.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5a8ee5d25f3da10323076fbf GalNet: Anti-Thargoid Operation]</ref> The operation was subsequently declared a success.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5a9824bf78da4a2abd3af6d8 GalNet: Federal-Imperial Operation Concludes]</ref> Notably, no additional Thargoid attacks occurred on March 1, marking the first lull in the incursion, although sightings and encounters with [[Thargoid Interceptor]]s began occurring at various locations within the Core Systems, with hostile [[Thargoid Scout]] Marauders now appearing as well.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5a9960a7049802427b2b41cd GalNet: Week in Review (March 3, 3304)]</ref>

=====Eagle Eye=====
On March 9, Aegis unveiled a new initiative called [[Eagle Eye]]. Six orbital surveillance installations were set up in HIP 17225, HIP 17692, HIP 17892, HR 1185, Pleiades Sector IR-W d1-55, and Pleiades Sector KC-V c2-4 in order to monitor known [[Thargoid Surface Site]]s and collect data on Thargoid behavior outside of combat zones.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5aa12e112e30637590761b2c GalNet: Thargoid Surveillance in the Pleiades]</ref> By March 16, Aegis reported that Eagle Eye was already producing results. According to Admiral Tanner, the installations were able to track fluctuations in transmissions originating from Thargoid Surface Sites, and that these transmissions pointed to specific locations in human space which were likely future Thargoid attack targets. Tanner urged independent pilots to investigate a new set of signals detected by Eagle Eye to help thwart the Thargoids' plans.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5aab97a3bf2b063ade1cceca GalNet: Thargoid Surveillance Continues]</ref>

====War in the Core====
=====The Purge of Socho=====
With the Thargoids now wreaking havoc well within the [[Core Systems]], [[Aegis]] began coordinating the first counterattack. On March 15, 3304, Aegis Core announced an anti-Thargoid campaign in its home system of Socho. The operation's goal was not only to expel Thargoid forces from Socho, but to obtain specific technological components from Thargoid Interceptors and Scouts for comparison research.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5aaa63d040365a4fab270033 GalNet: The Purge of Socho]</ref> The operation concluded successfully.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5ab38926b72505384d3d896a GalNet: Socho Operation Complete]</ref>

=====Revelations=====
On March 22, 3304, Aegis published a report containing significant insights into the Thargoids that had been gleaned with the help of [[Ram Tah]] and his [[Guardian]] research. The findings indicated that the Thargoids had warred with the Guardians because of the latter's perceived encroachment on territory that the Thargoids had seeded with [[Barnacles]] millennia earlier. Despite attempts by the Guardians to communicate with the Thargoids, the Thargoids' survival instincts were so strong that they refused to tolerate any potential threat and continued hostilities until the Guardians eventually expelled them using automated war machines. Professor Alba Tesreau commented that the Guardians' situation mirrored humanity's own: the Thargoids had long ago seeded territory that humans had unknowingly expanded into, and the current conflict was essentially a dispute over territory and resources. Tesreau asserted that the next step the Thargoids would take would be to aggressively mine mineral resources. Ram Tah noted that these revelations finally provided some answers about the Thargoids' overall goals and could ultimately aid humanity in the conflict.<ref name=":2">[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5ab383f5b709787d505dd1a2 GalNet: Thargoid Revelations]</ref>

=====Onslaught and trepidation=====
[[File:Thargoid attacks May 10 3304.png|thumb|250px|The extent of Thargoid attacks on stations as of May 10, 3304]]
The same day as Aegis's report made waves in the media, the station Glazkov Terminal in Irandan was attacked by the Thargoids after a month of relative calm. Both Irandan and HIP 21559 had been identified as likely targets for imminent Thargoid attacks by [[Eagle Eye]], but only the latter system had seen a heavy influx of independent combat pilots come to its defense over the preceding week.

The attack on Glazkov Terminal would be only the first of a fresh wave of attacks that would strike deep within the Core Systems. On March 30, Doyle Landing in Lunguni fell victim of the Thargoids. On April 12, Guidoni Enterprise in HIP 9599 was attacked. On April 19, Weil Station in Kunuvii and Eyharts Enterprise in 32 c Piscium were attacked, along with six Bulk Cruiser Megaships found disabled across the LP 581-36, Chan Mina, Deriv-Dar, and Nankul systems. On April 26, Acton Dock in LP 581-36 was attacked. On May 3, Sturckow Port in SPOCS 253 was attacked. No stations were attacked during the weeks of May 10, May 17, May 24, May 31, June 7, and June 14 as pilots successfully rallied to the defense of the targeted systems.

Meanwhile, also on March 22, [[Yuri Grom]] of the EG Pilots launched a campaign led by the EG Union to construct a new shipyard in CPC 20 6743. A spokesperson for the EG Union explained that the shipyard would construct new [[Farragut Battle Cruiser]]s to bolster humanity's defenses against a Thargoid invasion.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5ab3831fb7097848e4581ed1 GalNet: EG Union Campaign]</ref> On March 30, Admiral Tanner formally debuted Aegis's two new military Megaships, the [[Acropolis]] and the [[Vanguard]], explaining that they would serve as mobile command centers for anti-Thargoid operations.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5aba59c254e40001335bcec8 GalNet: Anti-Thargoid Megaships Deployed by Aegis]</ref> On April 6, the Privateers Alliance and the Atlas Corporation both took similar approaches to fortifying the Core Systems against the Thargoids. The Privateers Alliance launched a campaign to build a military installation in HIP 33368,<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5ac5d40ace417a2962638d10 GalNet: Privateers Alliance Campaign]</ref> while the Atlas Corporation began work on the [[ACS Overwatch]] Megaship in Lambda Arae.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5ac5d322ce417a19346e147c GalNet: The ACS Overwatch]</ref>

Despite Aegis's proven successes in the conflict, Princess [[Aisling Duval]] controversially criticized the organization on April 6, stating that she and many other galactic citizens were concerned that Aegis lacked a clear, long-term strategy to combat the Thargoids and was being reactive rather than proactive.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5ac5d1a6ce417a1f6d04f2ae GalNet: Aisling Duval Criticises Aegis]</ref> While the Princess's opinion had its share of detractors who spoke out in defense of Aegis, others noted that Aegis lacked transparency and had done little to assuage the widespread fear of alien conquest among the public.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5acf23cdd6d6ba17992b3e6b Support for Aisling Duval]</ref>

On April 25, Simguru [[Pranav Antal]] of the [[Utopia]] movement addressed an even more controversial possibility: humanity could lose the war against the Thargoids. The Simguru urged galactic citizens to join Utopia and help protect the [[Sim-Archive]] to ensure that humanity could live beyond its potential extinction.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5adf3499b14e287e736eb6de GalNet: Utopia Plans for Humanity's Extinction]</ref> Pranav Antal's pessimism quickly triggered a backlash from such figures as [[Shadow President]] [[Felicia Winters]], [[Sirius Corporation]] CEO [[Li Yong-Rui]], and Admiral Tanner.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5aeae28e7d387844d650ef2e GalNet: Antal's Pessimism Triggers Backlash]</ref> Nonetheless, Utopia doubled down on the Simguru's statement on May 4, 3304 by launching a project to construct a military installation in its home system of Antal to defend the Sim-Archive from potential Thargoid attack.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5aeae37ed71b1a6f1923014d GalNet: Defending the Sim-Archive]</ref>

=====Thargoid worshipers=====
Meanwhile, as the Thargoid conflict wore on, journalists and scholars began noting the phenomenon of fringe doomsayer cults proliferating throughout the Core Systems. Independent reporter [[Gethin Okonkwo]] published an article on May 19 revealing that dozens of such cults had emerged, and while their natures varied, they were all adamant that the Thargoid conflict was a sign of an imminent apocalypse.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5afc3617b57fd80b460215ea GalNet: Fringe Doomsayer Cults on the Rise]</ref> On June 16, exotheologian [[Alfred Ulyanov|Dr. Alfred Ulyanov]] highlighted one [[Thargoid cult|unnamed cult that even worshiped the Thargoids]] as harbingers of an extra-dimensional, omnipotent being they called the Far God. The cult's followers believed that only they would survive the Far God's manifestation in this universe, and gathered in hive-chapels patterned after Thargoid vessel and structure designs.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5b23bc10e7c3870a79317183 GalNet: Worshipping the Thargoids]</ref>

By June 30, the nameless cult had garnered hostile reactions from the public, and security officials had arrested multiple individuals for committing various misdemeanors against cult members. Local authorities called for tolerance, with Councillor Quinn Damico of the Aranbarahun system assuring citizens that the cultists were harmless and reaffirming that freedom of religion was protected in all systems where the cult had established itself.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5b34b357d2702c1ea8152862 GalNet: Thargoid-Worshipping Cult Garners Hostility]</ref> Mistrust of the cult continued to grow, however, and on July 5 reporter [[Flint Lafosse|Flint "Firemaker" Lafosse]] stoked tensions further with speculation that the reclusive Thargoid cult was a "fifth column" of brainwashed abduction victims sent back to human systems as spies and saboteurs. Dr. Ulyanov refuted this, saying that the cult avoided socializing because they believed humanity would soon be dead and insisting that his studies had found no evidence that the cultists were a threat.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5b3dfd1321ffd9343218451a GalNet: A Thargoid Fifth Column?]</ref>

=====A fleeting victory=====
On June 21, 3304, the Thargoids ended humanity's string of victories with an attack on Hennepin Prospect in Assinda. The attack appeared to be an outlier rather than an indication of Thargoid resurgence, however, as Eagle Eye did not intercept any new signals from Thargoid sites, and all Eagle Eye installations began transmitting the same message: "no new signal detected thargoid activity unknown initiate protocol xeno 55". That same day, Aegis also declared that the Thargoids were retreating from the Core Systems and had been pushed back to their original beachhead of Bhal. Admiral Tanner thanked Commanders for their efforts in defending the Core Systems, but noted that while Thargoid incursions had been reversed in many regions, the Thargoids remained entrenched in the Pleiades Nebula.<ref name="TRFCS">[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5b28ebb3b98e8528935995c6 GalNet: Thargoids Repelled from Core Systems]</ref>

[[File:Thargoid Scouts 3.1.png|thumb|250px|A Thargoid Scout Berserker (center), Regenerator (left), and Inciter (right)]]
On [[Elite Dangerous: Beyond#Chapter Two - v3.1|June 28]], Aegis reported that Eagle Eye had detected a massive surge in Thargoid transmissions. Admiral Tanner asserted that the previous week's lull in activity in the Core Systems must have been only a brief delay while the Thargoids regrouped and summoned reinforcements from the Pleiades. Tanner issued an emergency call for aid for Garay Terminal in Deciat, which Eagle Eye identified as the Thargoids' main target; a number of disabled megaships had already been found in the system. A transmission from an unknown Commander in the Deciat system also indicated that a new type of [[Thargoid Scout]] was present among the invading force.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5b34b13246fe331e2f6ca222 GalNet: Thargoid Assault on the Deciat System]</ref> Three new types of Scouts were subsequently identified: the Berserker, the Regenerator, and the Inciter. The Berserker is a more powerful and aggressive variant of the Marauder, while the Regenerator possesses the ability to restore the hull of other damaged Scouts and the Inciter can enhance their weaponry.

While Deciat was successfully defended against the Thargoid assault, Eagle Eye confirmed on July 5, 3304 that the Thargoids had resumed their original pattern of activity, targeting systems for an eventual attack and massing their forces there in preparation for it. Parise Station in Tembala was attacked on July 12, followed by Metcalf Station in HIP 44811 on July 19, and Preuss Terminal in Di Jian and Zudov Hub in RMK 6 on July 26.

=====Settlement attacks and crash sites=====
Meanwhile, independent pilots patrolling the Pleiades Nebula discovered various [[listening post]]s that were monitoring certain planetside locations in various systems. Upon investigation, each site was found to be either a surface settlement or a crashed ship that had been attacked by Thargoids. Among the sites were the settlements Dominic's Corner, Scrump Landing, Sharpe Works, Site 94, Betterton Outpost, Penal Colony BV-2259, Comms Facility 89563, Research Base LV 8, Research Base KG-3362, and a crashed [[Anaconda]] named "The Bug Killer". While some of the settlements managed to evacuate before they were attacked, others were not so lucky, and recovered logs indicated that some survivors may have been abducted by the Thargoids. Peculiarly, a number of the logs also noted abrupt, widespread temperature decreases that preceded or coincided with the Thargoid attacks.
{| class="wikitable sortable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" border="1"
! Location Name
! System
! Planet
! Surface Coordinates
! Description
! Notes
|-
| The Bug Killer
| HIP 16613
| 1 a
| -11.00, -95.67
| Crash site of a Thargoid-hunting [[Anaconda]]
| Discovered on June 28, 3304
|-
| Dominic's Corner
| Pleiades Sector GW-W c1-15
| 12 a
| 5.55, -115.69
| Factory contracted by [[Aegis]] to produce AX weapons
| Discovered on June 28, 3304
|-
| Scrump Landing
| Pleiades Sector JN-S b4-3
| 2
| -0.34, 12.92
| Scrapyard and trading post
| Discovered on June 28, 3304
|-
| Sharpe Works
| Pleiades Sector IC-U b3-1
| 1
| -4.95, 85.7
| Independent colony
| Discovered on June 28, 3304
|-
| Site 94
| HIP 19284
| A 2 d
| -19.06, -99.45
| Mining operation that unearthed an "alien monument", possibly Thargoid tech
| Discovered on June 28, 3304
|-
| Betterton Outpost
| HIP 19792
| C 2
| -24.70, 6.55
| Independent colony
| Discovered on June 29, 3304
|-
| Penal Colony BV-2259
| HIP 16217
| AB 1 a
| -54.99, 30.33
| Penitentiary
| Discovered on June 29, 3304
|-
| Comms Facility 89563
| HR 1172
| A 5 b
| -0.25, -67.67
| Military outpost
| Discovered on June 29, 3304
|-
| Research Base LV 8
| HIP 17403
| A 4 a
| -51.19, 14.21
| Research center studying a [[Thargoid Probe]]
| Discovered on June 29, 3304
|-
| Research Base KG-3362
| Pleiades Sector HR-W d1-17
| 1 a
| 58.11, 19.45
| Agricultural research center
| Discovered on June 29, 3304
|}

== Biology ==

Thargoids are an insectoid species. Little is known about their physical appearance and biology. Their chemistry is carbon-based, but with ammonia as the solvent rather than water.<ref>http://www.rollingstone.com/glixel/features/elite-dangerous-creator-talks-sci-fi-politics-and-whats-next-w492781</ref> If the rumors are true that they come from [[Ammonia Planet|Ammonia-based planets]] then their physiology is drastically different from humans. For example, ammonia boils at -33 degrees C. Thargoids may well be acclimatised to temperatures far lower than humans.<ref>https://www.drewwagar.com/lore/elite-dangerous-lore-the-thargoids/</ref> They are presumed to be highly intelligent, more than the average human due to their superior technological capabilities.

This indicates they may have evolved in a harsh, low-temperature environment, which might explain their overdeveloped survival instincts and aggressive nature. Since the Thargoids are experts in bioengineering, they could have augmented their own biology and superseded natural evolutionary processes.<ref name="GOTT" />

According to [[The Club]], what humans consider to be a singular Thargoid species actually consists of two distinct "dynasties": the Oresrians and the Klaxians. How Oresrians and Klaxians differ biologically, if at all, is unknown.<ref name="EDP" />

Descriptions based on encounters centuries ago have yet to be verified.

==Society==

[[File:Thargoid-and-Diamondback-Ships.png|thumb|250px|Thargoid ship confronting a Diamondback Scout]]

Not much information has been obtained about Thargoid society or culture. The only known fact is that the society is hive based, with no sense of close family. It is thought that the society is divided into colonies, possibly along the lines of ant colonies. The Oresrian and Klaxian dynasties may be two such colonies.<ref name="EDP" />

Thargoids are thought to have a natural affinity with space, and with [[Hyperspace]] in particular. This is due to the fact that Thargoid warriors seem to spend a large amount of time in space. Naval pilots and crews report that the warships in the war zones are encountered on repeated occasions over a period of months often without respite.

At some point, the Oresrian and Klaxian dynasties became embroiled in a civil war. Prior to 3303, the Klaxians gained the upper hand in this conflict and forced the Oresrians into a slow, continuous retreat across the galaxy, a retreat which will take them directly through human space. [[The Club]] has learned that the Oresrians planned to use human civilization as a "bullet shield" to occupy the Klaxians' attention while they escape deeper into space. This poses a potentially apocalyptic threat to humanity's survival.<ref name="EDP" />

==Politics==
Nothing is known about internal Thargoid politics or government, or why the Oresrians and Klaxians have come into conflict.

Thargoid relations with other species, as far as what is currently known, was frighteningly simple: war. The Thargoid invasions usually seemed to be prompted by the need for either agricultural or mineral resources, rather than a sociological or anthropological need to expand or colonise. In fact, the animal life on an invaded world was largely ignored unless it poses a threat to Thargoids.

==Technology==
[[File:Thargoid-Wormhole.png|thumb|250px|Thargoid wormhole]]
Thargoid technology is vastly different from [[human]] technology. Not only are their ships currently invulnerable to conventional weapons, but they possess the ability to interdict human ships that are traveling through hyperspace, a feat previously believed to be impossible, as well as the ability to make untraceable hyperspace jumps and stymie any pursuers. Despite their advanced hyperspace capabilities, there is no evidence of Thargoid ships moving in [[Supercruise]], perhaps suggesting they do not have short-range FTL capabilities.

Thargoid ships can create stable wormholes to [[hyperspace]] (witch-space). This is used to e.g. travel astronomical distances in seconds and interdict vessels. Their vessels can hover in hyperspace so they may be comfortable with residing in this higher dimensional region.<ref>https://www.sharoma.com/frontierverse/thargoids.htm</ref><ref>[https://www.reddit.com/r/EliteDangerous/comments/7b3eyk/elite_dangerous_another_inra_base_found_linked_to/ /r/EliteDangerous: Elite: Dangerous: Another INRA Base Found, Linked To Hyperdrive Research]
</ref><ref>https://canonn.science/lore/drewwagar-the-thargoids/</ref><ref name="GOTT" />

[[INRA]] chief scientist [[Bexley Prince]] asserted that Thargoid technology is far ahead of humans. Understanding it could open up all kinds of possibilities. The applications are potentially limitless. His logs were found at the INRA base Hollis Gateway.<ref>https://www.reddit.com/r/EliteDangerous/comments/75axlh/inra_planetary_base_found_on_hermitage_4_a/</ref>

The decoded Guardian logs reveal that Thargoids engineered bio-mechanical technology to recognise anything of [[Guardian]] origin. This is why millions of years after the conflict, Thargoid devices still react aggressively to the presence of Guardian technology.<ref name=":1" />[[File:Thargoid_Surface_Site_Scavenger_close.png|thumb|250px|Scavenger]]

Analysis of the [[Scavenger]] shows that it contains organic and mechanical elements such as [[Thargoid Organic Circuitry]]. This discovery has lead many to question whether the Scavengers are sentient creatures or simple mechanical drones created by the Thargoids as workers.<ref>[http://elite-dangerous.wikia.com/wiki/Thargoid_Organic_Circuitry Thargoid Organic Circuitry] in-game description</ref> The [[Thargoid Interceptor]] also has intricate technological and biological elements<ref>[https://forums.frontier.co.uk/showthread.php/395094-Medusa-Tissue-Sample-Tissue-Sample-Prices Thargoid Medusa Tissue Sample]</ref> such as "Thargoid Hearts" which can repair hull damage.

Thargoid weaponry has proven to be very powerful, resulting in numerous destroyed Federal and Imperial vessels, including capital ships. CMDRs who reported being attacked by [[Thargoid Interceptor]]s have noted they lost their ships very quickly under an onslaught of powerful missiles and [[Thargon]] drone swarms.

There's speculation of a [[Thargoid Mothership]] which, according to recovered logs, attacked the [[INRA]] site Carmichael Point in HIP 16824.<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mB36F-rLlkI Elite: Dangerous: INRA Base Attacked By Thargoids]</ref>

The Thargoids seed planets with [[Alien Structure]]s, so-called "barnacles". The barnacles extract resources from a [[Planets|planet]] and transform them into [[meta-alloys]]. This is an essential ingredient in the creation of Thargoid ships and technologies. The seeding of an area with barnacles is an important process to prepare it for Thargoid occupation.<ref>[https://canonn.science/codex/guardians-codex/ Guardian Codex 1/28 : Thargoid Log – Barnacle Seeding]</ref>

After September 26, 3303, CMDRs reported sightings of larger fields of "[[barnacle]] forests" in a shape reminiscent of Thargoid Surface Sites, and also patrolled by [[Scavenger]]s.<ref>https://forums.frontier.co.uk/showthread.php/355713-Alien-archeology-and-other-mysteries-Thread-10-The-Canonn?p=5952184&viewfull=1#post5952184</ref>

[[File:Thargoid-Surface-Site.png|thumb|250px|Thargoid Surface Site]]

[[Thargoid Surface Site]]s demonstrate the Thargoids construct and utilize vast surface installations. Passive drone-like devices called Scavengers were first encountered at these locations. [[Thargoid Egg]]s can be found around and inside these sites. It's unknown what produces and lays these eggs.

[[Thargoid Sensor]]s and [[Thargoid Probe]]s were also confirmed to be related to Thargoids after it was discovered that carrying them allowed doors at Thargoid Surface Sites to open. The other functions of these objects remain an enigma, however. Thargoid Interceptors have been witnessed retrieving them after September 26, 3303.

It's unclear whether Thargoids are a Type II or [[Elite Universe#Type III Civilizations|Type III civilization]] based on the Kardashev scale. Their lack of control over the Milky Way galaxy indicates they are Type II. However, since Thargoids may originate from another galaxy, parallel [[universe]], or spatial dimension they could be Type III.

==Notes==
*Initially, it was only confirmed that Thargoids would eventually make an appearance in Elite Dangerous, and the specifics of that encounter were unknown.<ref>http://forums.frontier.co.uk/showthread.php?p=160991#post160991</ref><ref>https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1461411552/elite-dangerous/posts/377497#comment-2014816</ref><ref>https://forums.frontier.co.uk/showthread.php?t=77358&p=1262252&viewfull=1#post1262252</ref>
*Frontier Developments staff commented that all Thargoids are female.<ref>https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1461411552/elite-dangerous/comments?cursor=2332567#comment-2332566</ref> However, this is not confirmed in the lore of Elite Dangerous.
*David Braben hinted that should peace have ever been found with Thargoids, it would be a temporary measure.<ref>https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1461411552/elite-dangerous/comments?cursor=1970411#comment-1970410</ref>
*It has been rumoured that Thargoids could be capable of building large artificial structures which could possibly be on a scale with planets, and certainly large enough to negate a ship's warp ability.<ref>http://forums.frontier.co.uk/showthread.php?p=85034#post85034</ref>

==Trivia==
*The name "Thargoid" is believed to have come from the regular skit ''Captain Kremmen'' performed by radio and TV personality Kenny Everett on both his radio shows and, in animated form, on TV.<ref>http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Captain_Kremmen</ref> The animated skits show the Thargoids as a species of tall, transparent creatures who are part of a highly-wealthy monarchical society.<ref>http://youtu.be/pyjKPbkkW9k?t=2m26s</ref> It is assumed that their main source of income is profiting from the sale of natural resources taken from planets they have colonised stretching thousands of light years.

==Videos==
<gallery>
Elite_Dangerous_-_The_Return_2.4
The_Return_2.4_Announcement_-_Elite_Dangerous
The_Return_(Elite_Dangerous)
Elite_Dangerous_-_Where_are_the_Thargoids?_(And_what_are_they?)
DISTANT STORMS - Does Humanity Now Stand On The Brink Of A 2nd Thargoid War?
Elite_Dangerous_2.4_Teaser_-_Frontier_Expo_2017
Commander_Chronicles_Retaliation_-_Elite_Dangerous
Commander_Chronicles_Devastation_-_Elite_Dangerous
Commander_Chronicles_The_Deal
</gallery>

==Gallery==
<gallery hideaddbutton="true">
Elite Dangerous Unknown Ship HD.png|A Thargoid Interceptor Cyclops Variant in ''Elite Dangerous''
Evolution-of-the-Thargoids.png|Evolution of the Thargoids
First-Thargoid-Encounter-3125.png|An early Thargoid encounter circa 3125
Thargoids-Return-Message.png|Thargoids Return message
Thargoid-and-Diamondback-Ships.png|Thargoid and Diamondback ships
Thargoid Attack Aftermath.png|The destroyed Federal fleet
Unknown-Ships-Group-Thargoids.png|Thargoid Interceptors
Thargoid-Scouts.png|Thargoid Scouts
Thargoid Surface Site above.png|A Thargoid Surface Site
Thargoid-Surface-Site.png|Thargoid Surface Site
Thargoid Surface Site Scavenger close.png|A Scavenger
Thargoid-Wormhole.png|Thargoid wormhole
Thargoid Interceptor Basilisk Variant.png|A Thargoid Interceptor Basilisk Variant
Thargoid Interceptor Basilisk Variant 2.png|A close-up of a Basilisk Variant
Thargoid Interceptor Medusa Variant.png|A Thargoid Interceptor Medusa Variant
Thargoid Interceptor Medusa Variant 2.png|A Medusa Variant with its petals extended
</gallery>

==References==
<references />

{{Thargoids}}
{{SpeciesNavbox}}
[[Category:Lore]]
[[Category:Alien life]]
[[Category:Thargoids]]
[[Category:Species]]

Thargoid

2018-07-31T07:08:59Z

2601:648:8503:EE60:58EA:C81D:F47C:1781: /* First contact with humans */

[[File:Unknown-Ships-Group-Thargoids.png|thumb|300px|Thargoid Interceptors]]
The '''Thargoids''' are an intelligent, highly advanced insectoid [[species]] that have existed for millions of years. They are the only known living sapient species in the Milky Way [[galaxy]] other than [[Human|humanity]].<ref>http://forums.frontier.co.uk/showthread.php?p=38820#post38820</ref> Thargoids are highly territorial and seemingly rebuff all diplomatic overtures with unmitigated hostility, but are also known to be extremely slow to adapt.

Approximately 1 to 2 million years ago, the Thargoids instigated a war with another intelligent species called the [[Guardian]]s over territory.<ref name=":0">[https://www.reddit.com/r/EliteDangerous/comments/81bhy0/guardians_vs_thargoid_war_confirmed/ Guardian Codex 3 Decrypted. Thargoid Log - Unsuccessful Truce]</ref> Although the Guardians eventually prevailed, the Thargoids only opted to retreat because they were unprepared for a protracted campaign against a rival civilization. Thargoids and humanity have been embroiled in two wars. The first occurred between 3125 and 3151, and is believed to have ended in a human victory with the [[Intergalactic Naval Reserve Arm]]'s successful deployment of the [[mycoid]] bio-weapon. The second, ongoing conflict began in 3303 and has been rapidly escalating with no resolution in sight, affecting dozens of systems across the [[Pleiades Nebula]] and the [[Core Systems]].

==History==
The Thargoids are an ancient, sapient, insectoid species of enigmatic origin. Data obtained from [[Ancient Obelisk]]s built by the [[Guardian]]s indicates that the Thargoids are several millions of years old, and likely a far older species than the Guardians themselves.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":2" /> Professor [[Cora Shaw]] of the [[Palin Institute]] concluded that they were an established spacefaring species long before they encountered the Guardians. They have an affinity for [[Ammonia World|ammonia-based worlds]]. This suggests they may have evolved in a harsh, low-temperature environment, which might explain their overdeveloped survival instincts and aggressive nature. The Thargoids are experts in bioengineering, so they may have augmented their own biology to a point where natural evolutionary processes are meaningless.<ref name="GOTT" />

The location of the Thargoid [[homeworld]], if such a place exists, is unknown. Professor Shaw continued to speculate that it might be somewhere beyond known space or on the other side of the Milky Way [[galaxy]]. Alternatively, the Thargoids may have become a nomadic species, existing entirely in space or within fabricated hives. It is possible they journeyed across millions of light years, from [[Andromeda]] or beyond, like a swarm of locusts seeking fresh crops to consume. Since Thargoid vessels can hover in [[hyperspace]], it suggests that they could even originate from there, or that they may use hyperspace as a conduit from a dimensional plane entirely separate from real space. Thus, the Thargoids may not just be extragalactic in origin, but extra-universal.<ref name="GOTT">[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5ac6383563e2f04e9a610f73 GalNet: Genesis of the Thargoids?]</ref>

=== Guardian-Thargoid Conflict ===
[[File:Barnacle large cluster.png|thumb|250px|Barnacles]]The Thargoids seeded a number of planets with [[barnacles]] in what eventually became Guardian space 1 to 2 million years ago.<ref>[https://canonn.science/codex/guardians-codex/ Guardian 1/28 : Thargoid Log – Barnacle Seeding]</ref><ref name=":0" /> Several thousand years later the Thargoids returned and discovered that the planets they had seeded were occupied by the Guardians. The Thargoids immediately launched an assault making no effort to communicate with the Guardians. This tallies with the Thargoids’ behaviour in [[human]] space.<ref>[https://canonn.science/codex/guardians-codex/ 2/28 : Thargoid Log – The War Begins]</ref>

After the beginning of the war with the Thargoids, the Guardians were forced to make a partial retreat. They were reluctant to take up arms with the Thargoids and kept communicating with them. Eventually they gained enough understanding of the Thargoid language to communicate. It didn't benefit the Guardians much, because the Thargoids were determined to continue hostilities.<ref name=":0" /> The Guardians were forced to employ more aggressive methods to address the Thargoid threat.<ref name=":5">[https://canonn.science/codex/guardians-codex/ Guardian Codex 3 Decrypted. Thargoid Log - Unsuccessful Truce]</ref> The Guardians used drones, autonomous war machines that could target anything that utilised Thargoid engineering. Remarkably, Thargoid bio-mechanical technology was engineered to recognise anything of Guardian origin.<ref name=":1">[https://canonn.science/codex/guardians-codex/ 4/28 : Thargoid Log – The War Machine]</ref>

It appears the Thargoids entered Guardian space unprepared for a protracted military campaign, and after facing a relentless onslaught from the Guardians' war machines they were forced to retreat.<ref>[https://canonn.science/codex/guardians-codex/ 5/28 : Thargoid Log – Victory]</ref>

=== First contact with humans ===
[[File:First-Thargoid-Encounter-3125.png|thumb|250px|First Thargoid encounter in 3125]]
Officially, the first encounters between [[humans]] and Thargoids occurred around an [[Ammonia Planet|ammonia-based world]] in 3125,<ref name="GNTT">[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/57ada8969657baeb6e876c6c Galactic News: The Thargoids]</ref><ref name="DW">[https://canonn.science/lore/drewwagar-the-thargoids/ Canonn Research - Drew Wagar's Lore: The Thargoids]</ref><ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PX49v8zYutI The Return 2.4 Announcement - Elite Dangerous]</ref> but unverified incidents involving similar ships were reported as early as the 2810s.<ref name="EE">''[[Elite Encounters RPG]]''</ref> Between the 2810s and 2840s, the [[Galactic Cooperative]] documented a significant number of ship disappearances in its space and near the [[Pleiades Nebula]]. Investigations found no evidence of foul-play, but the disappearances and hyperdrive malfunctions continued intermittently, stoking anxiety among pilots. In 2849, the first footage surfaced of one of these "encounters", with one blurry image appearing to show an alien ship with the word "THARG" on its hull. The media immediately coined the term "Thargoid" as a name for the aliens. However, no conclusive proof of the Thargoids' existence was obtained, and they faded into folklore.<ref name="EE" /><ref>Data taken from Tourist Spot Beacon 0184, Lave system</ref><ref>[https://www.reddit.com/r/EliteDangerous/comments/53se4s/first_thargoid_contact_22_beacon/ First Thargoid Contact - 2.2 Beacon]</ref>

Centuries later in the early 3120's, new reports emerged of octagonal starships of unknown design and origin, as well as hyperdrive malfunctions. In 3123, GalCop discovered the wreckage of two ships in its space that had been destroyed by more powerful laser weapons than were known to exist at the time.<ref name="EE" /> In 3125, independent pilots claimed that they were being pulled out of [[hyperspace]] and attacked by octagonal ships. Those who survived the experience were convinced they had encountered an alien species, and named the aliens "Thargoids" after the 29th century incidents. As the news spread, leaked [[Federation|Federal]] intelligence reports indicated that the Thargoid attacks were likely provoked by human hostility; colonists in the Veliaze system had apparently come into contact with a Thargoid deputation and assaulted it out of ignorance shortly before the attacks began. Some years later, the Thargoids disappeared as mysteriously as they had arrived.<ref name="GNTT" /><ref name="EE" />

The events surrounding first contact with the Thargoids were mostly suppressed and forgotten, and by the 3300's the Thargoids themselves were generally regarded as fiction. According to [[Alliance]] [[Alliance Prime Minister|Prime Minister]] [[Edmund Mahon]], who is one of the few individuals with access to surviving records, the [[Intergalactic Naval Reserve Arm]], or INRA, fought a war against the Thargoids and eventually secured victory by deploying a bioweapon against the aliens. The Thargoids retreated, and for many years it was believed they had been driven to extinction or even never truly existed at all.<ref name="EDP">[[Elite Dangerous: Premonition]]</ref>

According to the logs of the [[Megaship]] GCS Sarasvati, the original war with the Thargoids ended in 3151. In the aftermath, the [[Galactic Cooperative]] set up a series of deep space monitoring stations, one of which was the GCS Sarasvati, to watch for a resurgent Thargoid threat. This initiative was called Project Equinox. However, by December 27, 3155, no Thargoid presence had been detected whatsoever and members of the project questioned its usefulness. By August 16, 3172, Galcop had become weakened and fractured, and Project Equinox was shut down. Unfortunately, this occurred just as project lead Dr. Cassandra Lockhart discovered that the Thargoids had been sowing the seeds for their future return all along, and her warnings were ignored.<ref>[https://forums.frontier.co.uk/showthread.php/380074-GCS-Sarasvati-early-Thargoid-lookout-megaship?p=5961637&viewfull=1#post5961637 Frontier Forums: GCS Sarasvati - early Thargoid lookout megaship]</ref>

In the course of the war, a number of Thargoid ships were captured by the Galactic Cooperative, and later fell into the possession of the Alliance in the years after Galcop collapsed. By the 3270's, the Alliance was able to reverse-engineer Thargoid technology to produce the single most consequential hyperdrive innovation in centuries: the [[Frame Shift Drive]]. FSDs reduced travel times in [[Hyperspace]] from hours to mere seconds, opening the floodgates for human exploration and expansion. Due to the machinations of [[The Club]], however, the Alliance did not leverage FSD technology to gain superiority over the Federation and Empire; instead, the tech fell into the hands of [[Sirius Corporation]], which monopolized it and distributed it to all the powers and factions, ensuring no one gained an advantage. Afterward, [[The Club]] suppressed information about the Thargoids so that it became a myth among the public.<ref name="EDP" />

=== Renewed activity ===

[[File:Thargoid second ship crash.png|thumb|250px|A crashed Thargoid Scout]]

In early 3301, [[Unknown Artefact]]s were discovered among the cargoes of secret Federal convoys. Their discovery marked the first indication that Thargoids yet existed in the depths of space, though the Artefacts, as well as the similar [[Unknown Probe]]s that would be found orbiting ammonia worlds in 3302, would not be conclusively linked to the Thargoids until later. Some CMDRs believed that the Artefacts and Probes originated from an entirely unknown alien race, while others asserted that they were examples of experimental human technology. Disputes and speculation over the objects continued for months. [[Barnacles]], were also discovered in 3302, but their even more pronounced organic appearance also stymied analysis.

On January 5, 3303, Commander DP Sayre reported the first known encounter with an [[Thargoid Interceptor|Unknown Ship]], which was later confirmed to be a type of Thargoid vessel and officially reclassified as a Thargoid Interceptor. The Unknown Ship interdicted the CMDR from [[hyperspace]] and apparently scanned him before departing to an untraceable destination. The acts of interdicting a target while in hyperspace and leaving an untraceable wake signature were both well beyond the capabilities of human technology. Previously, only the [[Alien Crash Site|wreckage of these ships]] had been documented.

Beginning April 11, 3303, reports surfaced of Unknown Ships apparently attacking [[Federation]] convoys. Upon dropping out of supercruise at the source of certain distress calls, Commanders arrived in a green, gaseous cloud and their ship was disabled. Multiple [[Federal Corvette]] wrecks, bearing luminescent green residue where they were damaged and with their crews apparently dead, were adrift in the cloud, and a single Unknown Ship could be seen jumping away. Presumably, the Unknown Ship destroyed all of the Corvettes on its own in each incident.

On June 2, 3303, CMDR Mobiusetti documented the first known interaction between an Unknown Ship and a [[Barnacle]] on Pleiades Sector OI-T C3-7 A 6 at coordinates -42.77, -21.7. This confirmed suspicions that they were related.<ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y8S-4Oq9Xvc</ref>

[[Kelvin Masters]] of the [[Imperial Herald]] said the barnacles indicate that the Thargoids were in [[Maia]] and [[Merope]] long before we were. [[Humans|Humanity]] has expanded into what the Thargoids see as their territory.<ref name=":3" />

====Identification and escalation====

[[File:Thargoids-Return-Message.png|thumb|250px|CMDR Edward Lewis' message]]

On June 12, 3303, [[Professor Palin]] issued a request for scan and wake signature data from Unknown Ships to be delivered to Orcus Crag in Pleiades Sector OI-T c3-7. Palin compared the collected data to older Thargoid samples and confirmed that Unknown Ships were Thargoid in origin. Shortly afterward, [[Federation]] military forces seized Palin's research for transport to a Federal research facility, but the fleet never arrived at its destination.<ref name="Return">[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5943ed6837e29c184d38b29b Galactic News: The Thargoids have Returned]</ref>

On June 13, wreckage was found with a transmitter which contained a recorded message:

''"This is an urgent message from Commander Edward Lewis. There are forces out there who do not want you to know the truth, but I have to make this public. I found a ship in HIP 17044. A Federal cap ship, shot to pieces. They were carrying the data the Feds stole from Professor Palin. The crew is dead, but they discovered something important about the Unknown Ships. There is a beacon in the wreckage broadcasting a message, over and over. It proves what we suspected. They are back. And the whole galaxy needs to know. The Thargoids have returned."''

[[File:Thargoid Attack Aftermath.png|thumb|250px|The destroyed Federal fleet]]

Two unnamed [[Farragut Battle Cruiser]]s were located at an [[Unregistered Comms Beacon]] approximately 11,000 ls in the direction of the Asterope system from planet 2 in the HIP 17044 system. The capital ships and an accompanying fleet of smaller Federal ships were all heavily damaged, their crews presumably dead, and adrift in the same green, gaseous cloud noted to be a signature of previous Unknown Ship attacks. A transmitter satellite was found among the debris. One Farragut was also discovered to be broadcasting a recording in Morse code in a small, 30-meter zone around its antenna array: "UNKNOWN VESSELS DETECTED. SERVER PURGE FAILED. SHIP ASSETS LIQUIDATED. PAYLOAD DESTROYED. SHIP STATUS LOST."<ref>[https://forums.frontier.co.uk/showthread.php/355713-Alien-archeology-and-other-mysteries-Thread-10-The-Canonn?s=7ddc1608a90a6581ce734397295c8a08&p=5611753&viewfull=1#post5611753 Frontier Forums: Alien archeology and other mysteries: Thread 10 - The Canonn]</ref>

Following the incident, on June 19, the leaders of the Federation, [[Empire]], and [[Alliance]] responded to the news that the aliens encountered in the Pleiades Nebula were Thargoids. President [[Zachary Hudson]] confirmed that the Federal military had been expanding in recent months in preparation for such a possibility. Emperor [[Arissa Lavigny-Duval]] urged calm and reminded the public that humanity had overcome seemingly insurmountable odds in the past. Prime Minister [[Edmund Mahon]] called for caution, arguing that it had not yet been proven that the destroyed Federal ships were the victims of Thargoid attacks, and that much could be learned from an advanced alien race like the Thargoids.<ref name="LeadersRespond">[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5947bb8ef0522a25d9666976 Galactic News: Galactic Leaders Address Thargoid Discovery]</ref>

==== Thargoid Surface Sites ====

[[File:Thargoid_Surface_Site_above.png|thumb|250px|Thargoid Surface Site]]

Following the incident, CMDRs identified an unknown signal at a listening post in [[Maia]] this lead to heavily guarded relay posts. The final listening post had a Caesar Cypher encrypted location for the "nest". They traced it to planet B 1 C in HIP 19026. There, CMDR Lightningwing of [[The Canonn]] discovered the first known [[Thargoid Surface Site]].<ref name="Mystery">[https://www.reddit.com/r/EliteDangerous/comments/6jmzs7/a_mystery_is_afoot/ /r/EliteDangerous: A mystery is afoot]</ref><ref name="Found">[https://www.reddit.com/r/EliteDangerous/comments/6jnvjf/spoilers_mysterious_structures_found_by_cannon/ /r/EliteDangerous: (SPOILERS) Mysterious Structures Found By Cannon group]</ref> These contain functional thargoid Technology.<ref name=":3" />

==== Pleiades buildup and research efforts ====
In the wake of the earlier discoveries concerning the Thargoids, numerous state-sponsored and independent initiatives were launched to expand humanity's presence in the [[Pleiades Nebula]]. The Indra, a Wells-class Carrier [[Megaship]], was built and deployed by the [[Empire]] to HR 1185.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/595e07ff82824f10a91fc919 Galactic News: New Superpower Bases in the Pleiades]</ref> The [[Federation]] established Blackmount Orbital and Blackmount Habitation in HIP 17692 to monitor Thargoid activity.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/595e51e1478524147370660a Community Goal: New Federal Outpost]</ref> The Oracle, an [[Ocellus]] station, was relocated to Pleiades Sector IR-W d1-55 to serve as an independent hub for scientific research on the Thargoids.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/59675dff6d63ab788e4904da Galactic News: New Research Centre at Thargoid Site]</ref> Abroin Universal Plc led a campaign to establish their own Thargoid research base in the Pleiades.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5970b899dc4a6940976694d7 Community Goal: Pleiades Research Outpost]</ref> The Federation, Empire, and [[Alliance]] jointly funded the creation of [[Aegis]], a research organization intended to pool the scientific expertise of the three superpowers to coordinate investigations of the Thargoids; Aegis deployed a station named Donar's Oak to Pleiades Sector IR-W d1-55.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/59844fbe301ce614455222a1 Galactic News: Joint Superpower Initiative Announced]</ref> [[Sirius Corporation]] established two outposts in the [[Merope]] system, the station Reed's Rest and the surface port Omega Prospect.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/11-AUG-3303 Galactic News: Sirius Corporation Enters Merope]</ref>

On August 11, 3303, the Alliance launched a research initiative to build a range of state-of-the-art instruments to analyze various Thargoid materials, such as Unknown Ship Signatures and other objects recovered from Thargoid Surface Sites.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/598c793e3c5e0e1cf8555859 Community Goal: Alliance Research Initiative]</ref> The campaign was a success, but due to the nature of the research it would take some time for any results to be achieved.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5995b0d377678f36dc69b72f Galactic News: Alliance Campaign Concludes]</ref>

With events unfolding at a rapid pace, the superpowers had until recently struggled to formulate appropriate responses to the Thargoid situation. While Aegis' establishment suggested that the galaxy's leaders were beginning to address the issue, journalist Kelvin Masters offered a more frank analysis in an Imperial Herald article on August 25, 3303: "The barnacles seem to indicate that the Thargoids were in Maia and Merope long before we were. For all we know, humanity has expanded into what the Thargoids see as their territory. I have no interest in scaremongering, but my belief is that a Thargoid attack could be imminent – their behaviour certainly seems to suggest they are probing us for weaknesses."<ref name=":3">[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/599e9f98c10d1126640e8902 Galactic News: The Thargoid Situation]</ref>

==== Enemies of the Federation ====
On September 15, 3303, Chief of Federal Security Admiral Aden Tanner announced that another Thargoid attack had recently occurred in Pleiades Sector IR-W D1-55 which resulted in the destruction of multiple Federal vessels, including one Farragut Battle Cruiser. While the motives for this attack were unknown, Admiral Tanner confirmed that the Thargoids were now officially considered enemies of the Federation. President Hudson gave Tanner full authority over the [[Federal Navy]] to deal with the Thargoid threat.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/59bb9793d5777560b7216455 Galactic News: Federal Capital Ship Destroyed by Thargoids]</ref> Amid speculation that Federal forces had provoked the attack, the Federation insisted that black box data from the wreckage indicated no provocation on their part; this was confirmed by Aegis, which had also analyzed data from the attack.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/59c3a0e02468d745a72f97a0 Galactic News: Federation Addresses Rumours]</ref>

The incident spurred all three superpowers to widen Aegis' remit to focus on both research and defence on September 21, 3303. The organization's budget was dramatically increased, and it recruited the [[Engineers]] [[Liz Ryder]] and [[Professor Palin]] to produce a new anti-Thargoid weapon and a scanner for Thargoid ships, respectively.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/59c3a108ced3ff7f807f54b7 Galactic News: Aegis to Widen Remit]</ref><ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/59c3cb9dffff1a05c9770bdd Community Goal: Engineers Appeal for Thargoid Material]</ref>

=== The Return ===
==== Initial skirmishes ====
[[File:Thargoid Attack Aftermath Imperial.png|thumb|250px|A destroyed Imperial fleet above planet A 1 in HR 1185]]
On [[Elite Dangerous: Horizons#The Return - v2.4|September 26, 3303]], independent pilots reported being attacked unprovoked by Thargoid Interceptors at Non-Human Signal Sources. At least one of these attacks, in which CMDR Sapphire Horizons was the victim, occurred at a site with wreckage from an Imperial convoy, which was believed to have been destroyed by the Thargoid ship.<ref>[https://www.reddit.com/r/EliteDangerous/comments/72lzxb/so_i_just_got_killed_by_a_thargoid/ r/EliteDangerous: So I just got killed by a Thargoid]</ref><ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/59cd17dcf030a91ca721e243 Galactic News: Further Thargoid Attacks]</ref> In addition, Interceptors have demonstrated extreme hostility against any [[Guardians|Guardian]] artefacts jettisoned in their vicinity, using their weapons to destroy them.<ref>[https://www.reddit.com/r/EliteDangerous/comments/72mjyw/they_seriously_dont_like_guardian_stuff_monkas/ r/EliteDangerous: They seriously don't like Guardian stuff monkaS]</ref> New [[Barnacle]] sites have also been identified, with a greater concentration of the Structures and an octagonal formation that resembles a nascent [[Thargoid Surface Site]].<ref>[https://www.reddit.com/r/EliteDangerous/comments/72wjsi/the_new_barnacle_site_grows_in_a_familiar/ r/EliteDangerous: The new barnacle site grows in a familiar pattern...credit to CMDR PinPiper]</ref>

[[Aegis]] released the [[AX Missile Rack]] and [[AX Xeno Scanner]] on September 28, 3303. These new devices allowed CMDRs to both scan Interceptors and successfully penetrate their defenses for the first time, a major milestone.<ref>[https://www.reddit.com/r/EliteDangerous/comments/731ex8/psa_ax_missile_rack_and_ax_xeno_scanner_now/ PSA: AX Missile Rack and AX Xeno Scanner Now Available]</ref><ref>[https://www.reddit.com/r/EliteDangerous/comments/731oxn/thargoid_down_sdc/ Thargoid Down! - SDC!]</ref> However, it was also discovered that the Thargoids had begun attacking independent civilian vessels. A heavily-damaged [[Megaship]] identified as Samson Class Bulk Cargo Ship BTG-237 was found in Pleiades Sector IR-W d1-55, near planet A 5, the victim of Thargoid aggression.<ref>[https://www.reddit.com/r/EliteDangerous/comments/72zzvw/spoiler_something_new_has_happened_in_pleiades/ Something new has happened in pleiades Sector IR-W D1-55..]</ref> To cap off a day filled with new developments, wreckage from a new type of Thargoid vessel, the [[Thargoid Scout]], was also discovered on planet A 3 A in the HIP 17125 system.<ref>[https://www.reddit.com/r/EliteDangerous/comments/733mmb/elite_dangerous_24_new_unknown_ship_crashed_hip/ r/EliteDangerous: Elite Dangerous 2.4 new Unknown Ship (crashed) Hip 17125 A 3 A -65.8193 | 48.8662]</ref>

Despite early successes against the Thargoids in battle thanks to the AX Missile Rack, by October 3rd the Thargoid vessels had adapted by developing a resistance to the damaging compound within the missiles. Reports also indicated that countermeasures like chaff could no longer prevent Interceptors from locking on, that the Interceptors had begun evading long-range attacks more effectively, and that [[Thargon]] drone swarms had become much more accurate.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/59d3b59f493e8e3727091ead Galactic News: Thargoids Adapting Rapidly]</ref> On October 5th, the [[AX Multi-cannon]] was released. Combined with an AX Missile Rack to expose Thargoid Hearts on Interceptors, this new weapon was able to circumvent the Thargoid's adaptation. Two other anti-Thargoid countermeasures, the [[Remote Release Flak Launcher]] and [[Shutdown Field Neutraliser]], were made available over the following weeks, making human pilots more effective against their alien adversaries.

On October 6, 3303, Aegis' military liaison Admiral [[Aden Tanner]] confirmed that in recent days, Federal, Imperial, and civilian ships alike had been targeted and destroyed by Thargoids, and that the aliens were scanning the wreckage and seizing escape pods. Tanner reaffirmed that Aegis was dedicated to unraveling the Thargoids' motives.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/59d7523d7f2d0f16da5fbf78 Galactic News: Thargoid Threat Continues to Escalate]</ref> On October 12, an Aegis spokesperson confirmed that as well as adapting their defenses to human weapons technology, the Thargoids were also rapidly adapting to human strategies and tactics.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/59df892030484d21ea3c3ec5 Galactic News: Thargoids Continuing to Adapt]</ref> On October 27, as losses of Federal [[Farragut Battle Cruiser]]s and Imperial [[Majestic Class Interdictor]]s continued to mount, Admiral Tanner noted that although recent developments like the Shutdown Field Neutraliser had proven effective in protecting conventional spacecraft from Thargoid attacks, difficulties had been encountered in adapting the technology to larger spacecraft. As a result of capital ships' continued vulnerability, Tanner warned that deploying such vessels to protect stations and outposts was not a viable defensive strategy against Thargoids for the time being.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/59f30dd4826c1776ca623242 Galactic News: Capital Ships Vulnerable to Thargoid Attack]</ref>

=====Operation Andronicus=====
On November 2, 3303, Aegis launched Operation Andronicus, the first military operation intended to curb Thargoid aggression in the Pleiades Nebula. Admiral Tanner stated that Aegis would be offering substantial monetary rewards to independent pilots for confirmed Thargoid kills.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/59fb5178adf339781710741f Community Goal: Operation Andronicus]</ref> While Operation Andronicus was in effect, the Alliance organization Cooper Research Associates also announced they would reward pilots for the recovery of personal effects and escape pods from Thargoid attack sites.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/59fb51f4adf3397051674b5d Community Goal: Rescue Operation in the Pleiades]</ref> The operation concluded a week later, and both campaigns were hailed as successes.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5a04628c7c8ea44d3104a3d2 Galactic News: Operation Andronicus Concludes]</ref><ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5a046323cd1bcd187d490e8e Galactic News: Pleiades Rescue Operation Concludes]</ref>

=====Enter the Basilisks=====
[[File:Thargoid Interceptor Basilisk Variant 2.png|thumb|250px|A close-up of a Basilisk Variant]]
On November 13, 3303, the first sightings of a new variant of Thargoid Interceptor were reported by independent pilots in the Electra system. Classified as the "Basilisk Variant" by the [[Pilots Federation]], these heavily scarred Interceptors possessed demonstrably more powerful offensive and defensive capabilities.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5a0c1121b9e40e708759f664 Galactic News: Previously Unseen Thargoid Ships in Electra]</ref> Prior to this, only Cyclops Variant Thargoid Interceptors had been encountered. As Basilisk Variants and Cyclops Variants have yet to demonstrate any hostility towards each other, it is unknown if the presence of Basilisk Variants represents an escalation in the ongoing conflict between Thargoids and humans, or the arrival of a second Thargoid faction in the region.<ref>[https://www.reddit.com/r/EliteDangerous/comments/7cnxqj/threat_6_uss_in_electra_spoilers/ /r/EliteDangerous: Threat 6 USS in Electra]</ref>

With casualties from Thargoid attacks continuing to mount, President Zachary Hudson and Emperor Arissa Lavigny-Duval issued statements to reassure the public, insisting that the Thargoid presence would likely remain limited to the Pleiades Nebula and that the combined forces of the Federation and Empire could overcome any threat. Despite this optimism, Admiral Aden Tanner stated it was premature to assert that the Thargoids would not advance beyond the Pleiades, but that Aegis was actively investigating the Thargoids' long-term plans.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5a0eba46528d3924954cf324 Galactic News: Galactic Authorities Call for Calm]</ref>

====The Pleiades aflame====
=====Station attacks and Medusae=====
[[File:Station Attack The Oracle.png|thumb|250px|The Oracle in the aftermath of an attack]]
December 14, 3303 marked the most serious escalation of the Thargoid conflict yet. The stations Titan's Daughter in Taygeta, The Oracle in Pleiades Sector IR-W d1-55, and Liman Legacy in HIP 16753 were attacked and severely damaged by Thargoids, disrupting services and making the stations dangerously unstable.<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZFLBnqxuATg YouTube: Commander Chronicles: Devastation - Elite Dangerous]</ref> [[Station#Emergency Protocol|Emergency evacuation protocols]] were activated, and the Pilots Federation extracted the ships of the independent pilots docked at the affected Stations and transferred them to [[Rescue Vessel]]s. Pilots were encouraged to aid the ongoing evacuation of the stations' inhabitants.<ref name="Station Attack">[https://www.reddit.com/r/EliteDangerous/comments/7jqg5p/so_the_thargoids_attacked_a_station_images/?st=jb6b35m0&sh=f42ecad9 /r/EliteDangerous: So the Thargoids(?) Attacked a Station. Images Courtesy of CMDR Bad_Player]</ref>

[[File:Thargoid Interceptor Medusa Variant.png|thumb|250px|A close-up of a Medusa Variant]]
The attacks were confirmed to have been carried out by a new variant of Thargoid Interceptor classified as the "Medusa Variant".<ref name="GSABT">[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5a328aebaac37e273a5d4ea8 Galactic News: Starports Attacked by Thargoids]</ref> These ships also began interdicting pilots from hyperspace and appearing in Threat 7 Non-Human Signal Sources. Medusae surpass the capabilities of Basilisk Variant Interceptors, possessing even stronger defenses, more powerful weapons, and the ability to direct an even larger swarm of Thargon drones.<ref name="Medusa">[https://www.reddit.com/r/EliteDangerous/comments/7jqg5p/so_the_thargoids_attacked_a_station_images/dr8epgz/ /r/EliteDangerous: So the Thargoids(?) Attacked a Station. Images Courtesy of CMDR Bad_Player - Comment by ChristianM]</ref>

The death toll from the station attacks was believed to be in the thousands, but could have been far worse. Starport security feeds indicate that the Medusa Interceptors used their shutdown fields to disable station defenses before targeting the main reactor. An eyewitness speculated that the Thargoids' intent was to cripple the stations, not destroy them outright.<ref name="GSABT" /> While it was not clear why the Thargoids had targeted these three stations specifically and not others, Aegis was investigating the issue.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5a3a4ffbd27df13ee220cc2f Galactic News: Authorities Urge Public Not to Panic]</ref>

The following week on December 21, as the three stations were stabilized and repair work began on them, further attacks were reported at Bao Landing in HIP 17497, Cavalieri in Electra, and Hudson Observatory in HIP 17694.<ref>[https://i.imgur.com/hxTJhqt.png Imgur: Galactic News: Starport Status Update, December 21, 3303]</ref> Medusa Interceptors were once again confirmed to be the culprits, and hundreds more human casualties were tallied.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5a3ceced6a3e8049274181c5 Galactic News: More Starports Attacked]</ref> Three more attacks occurred two weeks later on January 4, 3304 at Copernicus Observatory in Asterope, Cyllene Orbital in Atlas, and Artemis Lodge in Celaeno, followed by two attacks on January 11 at Obsidian Orbital in Maia and Reed's Rest in Merope.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5a58d52808925a374348ba63 GalNet: Thargoid Assault Continues]</ref>

=====The Liberation of HIP 17692=====
Also on January 11, the Federation and Empire announced a joint initiative to counter Thargoid activity in the HIP 17692 system and attempt to reduce the Thargoids' presence in the Pleiades. The Empire-aligned Merope Expeditionary Fleet took charge of military operations, while the Federation-aligned Pleiades Resource Enterprise coordinated the rescue of attack survivors, personal effects, and data. Fleet Admiral [[Denton Patreus]] stated, "Starports throughout the Pleiades have been attacked. Thousands of lives have been lost. And we have failed to deliver an effective response. That changes now."<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5a578660b34e4b5d3c0ae199 The Liberation of HIP 17692]</ref>

The operation marked just over a year since the first encounter with an active Thargoid Interceptor. Political commentator Daxton Sung offered an analysis: "The situation continues to escalate and our leaders continue to offer the same tired platitudes – militaristic bombast from Hudson, noncommittal banalities from Lavigny-Duval and earnest sympathising from Mahon. It's clear that they have no idea how to counter the Thargoid threat, beyond pumping more money into Aegis's weapons programme."<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5a5787708a640c638d6d781d One Year On]</ref>

=====Advance on the Core Systems=====
[[File:ED-Thargoid-Attacked-Stations-Map.png|thumb|250px|The extent of Thargoid attacks on stations as of February 22, 3304]]
While the HIP 17692 operation proved to be a success,<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5a60b60073f627733619d852 GalNet: HIP 17692 Operation Concludes]</ref> Thargoid attacks on stations continued unabated on January 18, striking Kipling Orbital in Pleiades Sector KC-V c2-11 and Malthus Terminal in Pleiades Sector HR-W d1-41. After these attacks, a member of Kipling Orbital's starport personnel noted that the Thargoids seemed to be sweeping the region and slowly moving towards the [[Core Systems]].<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5a6a0ea379a7530bc462fb3f Starport Attacks Continue]</ref>

On January 25, Borrego's Vision in Pleiades Sector IH-V c2-7 and Kamov Survey in HIP 17892 were hit. On February 1, Asami Orbital in Pleiades Sector JC-V d2-62 and Cleaver Prospect in Pleiades Sector HR-W d1-57 suffered attacks; both stations were significantly closer to the Core Systems that the targets of the previous attacks. On February 8, Bennington's Restin 42 n Persei and Exodus Point in Hyades Sector AB-W b2-2 were attacked, continuing the trend of the Thargoids' movements. President [[Zachary Hudson]] and Emperor [[Arissa Lavigny-Duval]] both issued fresh appeals for aid for the affected stations, and the Emperor also confirmed that [[Aegis]] was actively investigating the Thargoids' shift toward the Core Systems.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5a7c2524b2837d57693651ee Galactic Leaders Renew Appeals for Aid]</ref>

On February 15, Gaiman Dock in 49 Arietis and Weyn Dock in 64 Arietis were hit, marking the Thargoids' arrival in the outer fringe of the Core Systems. As the public questioned the lack of an effective military response to the Thargoids, Imperial Senator [[Gianna Tachibana]] asserted that humanity was being reactive rather than proactive, and that the Pleiades were at risk of becoming a no-go zone even with the assistance of independent pilot militias and Aegis's research.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5a85a1361b13ca3edb048d1c Galactic News: Proactive or Reactive?]</ref> Meanwhile, the Federation launched the Bulwark Project, an initiative to develop autonomous military hardware to combat the Thargoids. While Imperial commentators criticized the initiative as a circumvention of long-standing conventions against the development of artificial intelligence, Federal [[Shadow President]] [[Felicia Winters]] dismissed those concerns, claiming that the Bulwark Project's purpose was to "investigate alternate defence strategies, not to develop machine intelligence".<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5a859fd09dd29d74a968382e Galactic News: The Bulwark Project]</ref> The Bulwark Project campaign was later successful, but Winters was careful to note that the Project's initial remit was merely to determine the economic and military feasibility of the creation of a fully-automated defence force.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5a8ee6340f36064f752cd607 GalNet: Federal Initiative Concludes]</ref>

[[File:Thargoid-Scouts-and-Interceptors.png|thumb|250px|Thargoid Scouts and Interceptors]]

On February 22, Armstrong Enterprise in Bhal and Beaufoy Vision in Nauni, both locations within the Core Systems, suffered Thargoid attacks. Coinciding with these latest incidents, Fleet Admiral Patreus coordinated a second Federal-Imperial joint operation against the Thargoids, this time centered on the Pleiades Sector OI-T c3-7 and Arietis Sector XE-Z b4 systems.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5a8ee5d25f3da10323076fbf GalNet: Anti-Thargoid Operation]</ref> The operation was subsequently declared a success.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5a9824bf78da4a2abd3af6d8 GalNet: Federal-Imperial Operation Concludes]</ref> Notably, no additional Thargoid attacks occurred on March 1, marking the first lull in the incursion, although sightings and encounters with [[Thargoid Interceptor]]s began occurring at various locations within the Core Systems, with hostile [[Thargoid Scout]] Marauders now appearing as well.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5a9960a7049802427b2b41cd GalNet: Week in Review (March 3, 3304)]</ref>

=====Eagle Eye=====
On March 9, Aegis unveiled a new initiative called [[Eagle Eye]]. Six orbital surveillance installations were set up in HIP 17225, HIP 17692, HIP 17892, HR 1185, Pleiades Sector IR-W d1-55, and Pleiades Sector KC-V c2-4 in order to monitor known [[Thargoid Surface Site]]s and collect data on Thargoid behavior outside of combat zones.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5aa12e112e30637590761b2c GalNet: Thargoid Surveillance in the Pleiades]</ref> By March 16, Aegis reported that Eagle Eye was already producing results. According to Admiral Tanner, the installations were able to track fluctuations in transmissions originating from Thargoid Surface Sites, and that these transmissions pointed to specific locations in human space which were likely future Thargoid attack targets. Tanner urged independent pilots to investigate a new set of signals detected by Eagle Eye to help thwart the Thargoids' plans.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5aab97a3bf2b063ade1cceca GalNet: Thargoid Surveillance Continues]</ref>

====War in the Core====
=====The Purge of Socho=====
With the Thargoids now wreaking havoc well within the [[Core Systems]], [[Aegis]] began coordinating the first counterattack. On March 15, 3304, Aegis Core announced an anti-Thargoid campaign in its home system of Socho. The operation's goal was not only to expel Thargoid forces from Socho, but to obtain specific technological components from Thargoid Interceptors and Scouts for comparison research.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5aaa63d040365a4fab270033 GalNet: The Purge of Socho]</ref> The operation concluded successfully.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5ab38926b72505384d3d896a GalNet: Socho Operation Complete]</ref>

=====Revelations=====
On March 22, 3304, Aegis published a report containing significant insights into the Thargoids that had been gleaned with the help of [[Ram Tah]] and his [[Guardian]] research. The findings indicated that the Thargoids had warred with the Guardians because of the latter's perceived encroachment on territory that the Thargoids had seeded with [[Barnacles]] millennia earlier. Despite attempts by the Guardians to communicate with the Thargoids, the Thargoids' survival instincts were so strong that they refused to tolerate any potential threat and continued hostilities until the Guardians eventually expelled them using automated war machines. Professor Alba Tesreau commented that the Guardians' situation mirrored humanity's own: the Thargoids had long ago seeded territory that humans had unknowingly expanded into, and the current conflict was essentially a dispute over territory and resources. Tesreau asserted that the next step the Thargoids would take would be to aggressively mine mineral resources. Ram Tah noted that these revelations finally provided some answers about the Thargoids' overall goals and could ultimately aid humanity in the conflict.<ref name=":2">[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5ab383f5b709787d505dd1a2 GalNet: Thargoid Revelations]</ref>

=====Onslaught and trepidation=====
[[File:Thargoid attacks May 10 3304.png|thumb|250px|The extent of Thargoid attacks on stations as of May 10, 3304]]
The same day as Aegis's report made waves in the media, the station Glazkov Terminal in Irandan was attacked by the Thargoids after a month of relative calm. Both Irandan and HIP 21559 had been identified as likely targets for imminent Thargoid attacks by [[Eagle Eye]], but only the latter system had seen a heavy influx of independent combat pilots come to its defense over the preceding week.

The attack on Glazkov Terminal would be only the first of a fresh wave of attacks that would strike deep within the Core Systems. On March 30, Doyle Landing in Lunguni fell victim of the Thargoids. On April 12, Guidoni Enterprise in HIP 9599 was attacked. On April 19, Weil Station in Kunuvii and Eyharts Enterprise in 32 c Piscium were attacked, along with six Bulk Cruiser Megaships found disabled across the LP 581-36, Chan Mina, Deriv-Dar, and Nankul systems. On April 26, Acton Dock in LP 581-36 was attacked. On May 3, Sturckow Port in SPOCS 253 was attacked. No stations were attacked during the weeks of May 10, May 17, May 24, May 31, June 7, and June 14 as pilots successfully rallied to the defense of the targeted systems.

Meanwhile, also on March 22, [[Yuri Grom]] of the EG Pilots launched a campaign led by the EG Union to construct a new shipyard in CPC 20 6743. A spokesperson for the EG Union explained that the shipyard would construct new [[Farragut Battle Cruiser]]s to bolster humanity's defenses against a Thargoid invasion.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5ab3831fb7097848e4581ed1 GalNet: EG Union Campaign]</ref> On March 30, Admiral Tanner formally debuted Aegis's two new military Megaships, the [[Acropolis]] and the [[Vanguard]], explaining that they would serve as mobile command centers for anti-Thargoid operations.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5aba59c254e40001335bcec8 GalNet: Anti-Thargoid Megaships Deployed by Aegis]</ref> On April 6, the Privateers Alliance and the Atlas Corporation both took similar approaches to fortifying the Core Systems against the Thargoids. The Privateers Alliance launched a campaign to build a military installation in HIP 33368,<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5ac5d40ace417a2962638d10 GalNet: Privateers Alliance Campaign]</ref> while the Atlas Corporation began work on the [[ACS Overwatch]] Megaship in Lambda Arae.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5ac5d322ce417a19346e147c GalNet: The ACS Overwatch]</ref>

Despite Aegis's proven successes in the conflict, Princess [[Aisling Duval]] controversially criticized the organization on April 6, stating that she and many other galactic citizens were concerned that Aegis lacked a clear, long-term strategy to combat the Thargoids and was being reactive rather than proactive.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5ac5d1a6ce417a1f6d04f2ae GalNet: Aisling Duval Criticises Aegis]</ref> While the Princess's opinion had its share of detractors who spoke out in defense of Aegis, others noted that Aegis lacked transparency and had done little to assuage the widespread fear of alien conquest among the public.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5acf23cdd6d6ba17992b3e6b Support for Aisling Duval]</ref>

On April 25, Simguru [[Pranav Antal]] of the [[Utopia]] movement addressed an even more controversial possibility: humanity could lose the war against the Thargoids. The Simguru urged galactic citizens to join Utopia and help protect the [[Sim-Archive]] to ensure that humanity could live beyond its potential extinction.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5adf3499b14e287e736eb6de GalNet: Utopia Plans for Humanity's Extinction]</ref> Pranav Antal's pessimism quickly triggered a backlash from such figures as [[Shadow President]] [[Felicia Winters]], [[Sirius Corporation]] CEO [[Li Yong-Rui]], and Admiral Tanner.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5aeae28e7d387844d650ef2e GalNet: Antal's Pessimism Triggers Backlash]</ref> Nonetheless, Utopia doubled down on the Simguru's statement on May 4, 3304 by launching a project to construct a military installation in its home system of Antal to defend the Sim-Archive from potential Thargoid attack.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5aeae37ed71b1a6f1923014d GalNet: Defending the Sim-Archive]</ref>

=====Thargoid worshipers=====
Meanwhile, as the Thargoid conflict wore on, journalists and scholars began noting the phenomenon of fringe doomsayer cults proliferating throughout the Core Systems. Independent reporter [[Gethin Okonkwo]] published an article on May 19 revealing that dozens of such cults had emerged, and while their natures varied, they were all adamant that the Thargoid conflict was a sign of an imminent apocalypse.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5afc3617b57fd80b460215ea GalNet: Fringe Doomsayer Cults on the Rise]</ref> On June 16, exotheologian [[Alfred Ulyanov|Dr. Alfred Ulyanov]] highlighted one [[Thargoid cult|unnamed cult that even worshiped the Thargoids]] as harbingers of an extra-dimensional, omnipotent being they called the Far God. The cult's followers believed that only they would survive the Far God's manifestation in this universe, and gathered in hive-chapels patterned after Thargoid vessel and structure designs.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5b23bc10e7c3870a79317183 GalNet: Worshipping the Thargoids]</ref>

By June 30, the nameless cult had garnered hostile reactions from the public, and security officials had arrested multiple individuals for committing various misdemeanors against cult members. Local authorities called for tolerance, with Councillor Quinn Damico of the Aranbarahun system assuring citizens that the cultists were harmless and reaffirming that freedom of religion was protected in all systems where the cult had established itself.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5b34b357d2702c1ea8152862 GalNet: Thargoid-Worshipping Cult Garners Hostility]</ref> Mistrust of the cult continued to grow, however, and on July 5 reporter [[Flint Lafosse|Flint "Firemaker" Lafosse]] stoked tensions further with speculation that the reclusive Thargoid cult was a "fifth column" of brainwashed abduction victims sent back to human systems as spies and saboteurs. Dr. Ulyanov refuted this, saying that the cult avoided socializing because they believed humanity would soon be dead and insisting that his studies had found no evidence that the cultists were a threat.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5b3dfd1321ffd9343218451a GalNet: A Thargoid Fifth Column?]</ref>

=====A fleeting victory=====
On June 21, 3304, the Thargoids ended humanity's string of victories with an attack on Hennepin Prospect in Assinda. The attack appeared to be an outlier rather than an indication of Thargoid resurgence, however, as Eagle Eye did not intercept any new signals from Thargoid sites, and all Eagle Eye installations began transmitting the same message: "no new signal detected thargoid activity unknown initiate protocol xeno 55". That same day, Aegis also declared that the Thargoids were retreating from the Core Systems and had been pushed back to their original beachhead of Bhal. Admiral Tanner thanked Commanders for their efforts in defending the Core Systems, but noted that while Thargoid incursions had been reversed in many regions, the Thargoids remained entrenched in the Pleiades Nebula.<ref name="TRFCS">[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5b28ebb3b98e8528935995c6 GalNet: Thargoids Repelled from Core Systems]</ref>

[[File:Thargoid Scouts 3.1.png|thumb|250px|A Thargoid Scout Berserker (center), Regenerator (left), and Inciter (right)]]
On [[Elite Dangerous: Beyond#Chapter Two - v3.1|June 28]], Aegis reported that Eagle Eye had detected a massive surge in Thargoid transmissions. Admiral Tanner asserted that the previous week's lull in activity in the Core Systems must have been only a brief delay while the Thargoids regrouped and summoned reinforcements from the Pleiades. Tanner issued an emergency call for aid for Garay Terminal in Deciat, which Eagle Eye identified as the Thargoids' main target; a number of disabled megaships had already been found in the system. A transmission from an unknown Commander in the Deciat system also indicated that a new type of [[Thargoid Scout]] was present among the invading force.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5b34b13246fe331e2f6ca222 GalNet: Thargoid Assault on the Deciat System]</ref> Three new types of Scouts were subsequently identified: the Berserker, the Regenerator, and the Inciter. The Berserker is a more powerful and aggressive variant of the Marauder, while the Regenerator possesses the ability to restore the hull of other damaged Scouts and the Inciter can enhance their weaponry.

While Deciat was successfully defended against the Thargoid assault, Eagle Eye confirmed on July 5, 3304 that the Thargoids had resumed their original pattern of activity, targeting systems for an eventual attack and massing their forces there in preparation for it. Parise Station in Tembala was attacked on July 12, followed by Metcalf Station in HIP 44811 on July 19, and Preuss Terminal in Di Jian and Zudov Hub in RMK 6 on July 26.

=====Settlement attacks and crash sites=====
Meanwhile, independent pilots patrolling the Pleiades Nebula discovered various [[listening post]]s that were monitoring certain planetside locations in various systems. Upon investigation, each site was found to be either a surface settlement or a crashed ship that had been attacked by Thargoids. Among the sites were the settlements Dominic's Corner, Scrump Landing, Sharpe Works, Site 94, Betterton Outpost, Penal Colony BV-2259, Comms Facility 89563, Research Base LV 8, Research Base KG-3362, and a crashed [[Anaconda]] named "The Bug Killer". While some of the settlements managed to evacuate before they were attacked, others were not so lucky, and recovered logs indicated that some survivors may have been abducted by the Thargoids. Peculiarly, a number of the logs also noted abrupt, widespread temperature decreases that preceded or coincided with the Thargoid attacks.
{| class="wikitable sortable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" border="1"
! Location Name
! System
! Planet
! Surface Coordinates
! Description
! Notes
|-
| The Bug Killer
| HIP 16613
| 1 a
| -11.00, -95.67
| Crash site of a Thargoid-hunting [[Anaconda]]
| Discovered on June 28, 3304
|-
| Dominic's Corner
| Pleiades Sector GW-W c1-15
| 12 a
| 5.55, -115.69
| Factory contracted by [[Aegis]] to produce AX weapons
| Discovered on June 28, 3304
|-
| Scrump Landing
| Pleiades Sector JN-S b4-3
| 2
| -0.34, 12.92
| Scrapyard and trading post
| Discovered on June 28, 3304
|-
| Sharpe Works
| Pleiades Sector IC-U b3-1
| 1
| -4.95, 85.7
| Independent colony
| Discovered on June 28, 3304
|-
| Site 94
| HIP 19284
| A 2 d
| -19.06, -99.45
| Mining operation that unearthed an "alien monument", possibly Thargoid tech
| Discovered on June 28, 3304
|-
| Betterton Outpost
| HIP 19792
| C 2
| -24.70, 6.55
| Independent colony
| Discovered on June 29, 3304
|-
| Penal Colony BV-2259
| HIP 16217
| AB 1 a
| -54.99, 30.33
| Penitentiary
| Discovered on June 29, 3304
|-
| Comms Facility 89563
| HR 1172
| A 5 b
| -0.25, -67.67
| Military outpost
| Discovered on June 29, 3304
|-
| Research Base LV 8
| HIP 17403
| A 4 a
| -51.19, 14.21
| Research center studying a [[Thargoid Probe]]
| Discovered on June 29, 3304
|-
| Research Base KG-3362
| Pleiades Sector HR-W d1-17
| 1 a
| 58.11, 19.45
| Agricultural research center
| Discovered on June 29, 3304
|}

== Biology ==

Thargoids are an insectoid species. Little is known about their physical appearance and biology. Their chemistry is carbon-based, but with ammonia as the solvent rather than water.<ref>http://www.rollingstone.com/glixel/features/elite-dangerous-creator-talks-sci-fi-politics-and-whats-next-w492781</ref> If the rumors are true that they come from [[Ammonia Planet|Ammonia-based planets]] then their physiology is drastically different from humans. For example, ammonia boils at -33 degrees C. Thargoids may well be acclimatised to temperatures far lower than humans.<ref>https://www.drewwagar.com/lore/elite-dangerous-lore-the-thargoids/</ref> They are presumed to be highly intelligent, more than the average human due to their superior technological capabilities.

This indicates they may have evolved in a harsh, low-temperature environment, which might explain their overdeveloped survival instincts and aggressive nature. Since the Thargoids are experts in bioengineering, they could have augmented their own biology and superseded natural evolutionary processes.<ref name="GOTT" />

According to [[The Club]], what humans consider to be a singular Thargoid species actually consists of two distinct "dynasties": the Oresrians and the Klaxians. How Oresrians and Klaxians differ biologically, if at all, is unknown.<ref name="EDP" />

Descriptions based on encounters centuries ago have yet to be verified.

==Society==

[[File:Thargoid-and-Diamondback-Ships.png|thumb|250px|Thargoid ship confronting a Diamondback Scout]]

Not much information has been obtained about Thargoid society or culture. The only known fact is that the society is hive based, with no sense of close family. It is thought that the society is divided into colonies, possibly along the lines of ant colonies. The Oresrian and Klaxian dynasties may be two such colonies.<ref name="EDP" />

Thargoids are thought to have a natural affinity with space, and with [[Hyperspace]] in particular. This is due to the fact that Thargoid warriors seem to spend a large amount of time in space. Naval pilots and crews report that the warships in the war zones are encountered on repeated occasions over a period of months often without respite.

At some point, the Oresrian and Klaxian dynasties became embroiled in a civil war. Prior to 3303, the Klaxians gained the upper hand in this conflict and forced the Oresrians into a slow, continuous retreat across the galaxy, a retreat which will take them directly through human space. [[The Club]] has learned that the Oresrians planned to use human civilization as a "bullet shield" to occupy the Klaxians' attention while they escape deeper into space. This poses a potentially apocalyptic threat to humanity's survival.<ref name="EDP" />

==Politics==
Nothing is known about internal Thargoid politics or government, or why the Oresrians and Klaxians have come into conflict.

Thargoid relations with other species, as far as what is currently known, was frighteningly simple: war. The Thargoid invasions usually seemed to be prompted by the need for either agricultural or mineral resources, rather than a sociological or anthropological need to expand or colonise. In fact, the animal life on an invaded world was largely ignored unless it poses a threat to Thargoids.

==Technology==
[[File:Thargoid-Wormhole.png|thumb|250px|Thargoid wormhole]]
Thargoid technology is vastly different from [[human]] technology. Not only are their ships currently invulnerable to conventional weapons, but they possess the ability to interdict human ships that are traveling through hyperspace, a feat previously believed to be impossible, as well as the ability to make untraceable hyperspace jumps and stymie any pursuers. Despite their advanced hyperspace capabilities, there is no evidence of Thargoid ships moving in [[Supercruise]], perhaps suggesting they do not have short-range FTL capabilities.

Thargoid ships can create stable wormholes to [[hyperspace]] (witch-space). This is used to e.g. travel astronomical distances in seconds and interdict vessels. Their vessels can hover in hyperspace so they may be comfortable with residing in this higher dimensional region.<ref>https://www.sharoma.com/frontierverse/thargoids.htm</ref><ref>[https://www.reddit.com/r/EliteDangerous/comments/7b3eyk/elite_dangerous_another_inra_base_found_linked_to/ /r/EliteDangerous: Elite: Dangerous: Another INRA Base Found, Linked To Hyperdrive Research]
</ref><ref>https://canonn.science/lore/drewwagar-the-thargoids/</ref><ref name="GOTT" />

[[INRA]] chief scientist [[Bexley Prince]] asserted that Thargoid technology is far ahead of humans. Understanding it could open up all kinds of possibilities. The applications are potentially limitless. His logs were found at the INRA base Hollis Gateway.<ref>https://www.reddit.com/r/EliteDangerous/comments/75axlh/inra_planetary_base_found_on_hermitage_4_a/</ref>

The decoded Guardian logs reveal that Thargoids engineered bio-mechanical technology to recognise anything of [[Guardian]] origin. This is why millions of years after the conflict, Thargoid devices still react aggressively to the presence of Guardian technology.<ref name=":1" />[[File:Thargoid_Surface_Site_Scavenger_close.png|thumb|250px|Scavenger]]

Analysis of the [[Scavenger]] shows that it contains organic and mechanical elements such as [[Thargoid Organic Circuitry]]. This discovery has lead many to question whether the Scavengers are sentient creatures or simple mechanical drones created by the Thargoids as workers.<ref>[http://elite-dangerous.wikia.com/wiki/Thargoid_Organic_Circuitry Thargoid Organic Circuitry] in-game description</ref> The [[Thargoid Interceptor]] also has intricate technological and biological elements<ref>[https://forums.frontier.co.uk/showthread.php/395094-Medusa-Tissue-Sample-Tissue-Sample-Prices Thargoid Medusa Tissue Sample]</ref> such as "Thargoid Hearts" which can repair hull damage.

Thargoid weaponry has proven to be very powerful, resulting in numerous destroyed Federal and Imperial vessels, including capital ships. CMDRs who reported being attacked by [[Thargoid Interceptor]]s have noted they lost their ships very quickly under an onslaught of powerful missiles and [[Thargon]] drone swarms.

There's speculation of a [[Thargoid Mothership]] which, according to recovered logs, attacked the [[INRA]] site Carmichael Point in HIP 16824.<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mB36F-rLlkI Elite: Dangerous: INRA Base Attacked By Thargoids]</ref>

The Thargoids seed planets with [[Alien Structure]]s, so-called "barnacles". The barnacles extract resources from a [[Planets|planet]] and transform them into [[meta-alloys]]. This is an essential ingredient in the creation of Thargoid ships and technologies. The seeding of an area with barnacles is an important process to prepare it for Thargoid occupation.<ref>[https://canonn.science/codex/guardians-codex/ Guardian Codex 1/28 : Thargoid Log – Barnacle Seeding]</ref>

After September 26, 3303, CMDRs reported sightings of larger fields of "[[barnacle]] forests" in a shape reminiscent of Thargoid Surface Sites, and also patrolled by [[Scavenger]]s.<ref>https://forums.frontier.co.uk/showthread.php/355713-Alien-archeology-and-other-mysteries-Thread-10-The-Canonn?p=5952184&viewfull=1#post5952184</ref>

[[File:Thargoid-Surface-Site.png|thumb|250px|Thargoid Surface Site]]

[[Thargoid Surface Site]]s demonstrate the Thargoids construct and utilize vast surface installations. Passive drone-like devices called Scavengers were first encountered at these locations. [[Thargoid Egg]]s can be found around and inside these sites. It's unknown what produces and lays these eggs.

[[Thargoid Sensor]]s and [[Thargoid Probe]]s were also confirmed to be related to Thargoids after it was discovered that carrying them allowed doors at Thargoid Surface Sites to open. The other functions of these objects remain an enigma, however. Thargoid Interceptors have been witnessed retrieving them after September 26, 3303.

It's unclear whether Thargoids are a Type II or [[Elite Universe#Type III Civilizations|Type III civilization]] based on the Kardashev scale. Their lack of control over the Milky Way galaxy indicates they are Type II. However, since Thargoids may originate from another galaxy, parallel [[universe]], or spatial dimension they could be Type III.

==Notes==
*Initially, it was only confirmed that Thargoids would eventually make an appearance in Elite Dangerous, and the specifics of that encounter were unknown.<ref>http://forums.frontier.co.uk/showthread.php?p=160991#post160991</ref><ref>https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1461411552/elite-dangerous/posts/377497#comment-2014816</ref><ref>https://forums.frontier.co.uk/showthread.php?t=77358&p=1262252&viewfull=1#post1262252</ref>
*Frontier Developments staff commented that all Thargoids are female.<ref>https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1461411552/elite-dangerous/comments?cursor=2332567#comment-2332566</ref> However, this is not confirmed in the lore of Elite Dangerous.
*David Braben hinted that should peace have ever been found with Thargoids, it would be a temporary measure.<ref>https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1461411552/elite-dangerous/comments?cursor=1970411#comment-1970410</ref>
*It has been rumoured that Thargoids could be capable of building large artificial structures which could possibly be on a scale with planets, and certainly large enough to negate a ship's warp ability.<ref>http://forums.frontier.co.uk/showthread.php?p=85034#post85034</ref>

==Trivia==
*The name "Thargoid" is believed to have come from the regular skit ''Captain Kremmen'' performed by radio and TV personality Kenny Everett on both his radio shows and, in animated form, on TV.<ref>http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Captain_Kremmen</ref> The animated skits show the Thargoids as a species of tall, transparent creatures who are part of a highly-wealthy monarchical society.<ref>http://youtu.be/pyjKPbkkW9k?t=2m26s</ref> It is assumed that their main source of income is profiting from the sale of natural resources taken from planets they have colonised stretching thousands of light years.

==Videos==
<gallery>
Elite_Dangerous_-_The_Return_2.4
The_Return_2.4_Announcement_-_Elite_Dangerous
The_Return_(Elite_Dangerous)
Elite_Dangerous_-_Where_are_the_Thargoids?_(And_what_are_they?)
DISTANT STORMS - Does Humanity Now Stand On The Brink Of A 2nd Thargoid War?
Elite_Dangerous_2.4_Teaser_-_Frontier_Expo_2017
Commander_Chronicles_Retaliation_-_Elite_Dangerous
Commander_Chronicles_Devastation_-_Elite_Dangerous
Commander_Chronicles_The_Deal
</gallery>

==Gallery==
<gallery hideaddbutton="true">
Elite Dangerous Unknown Ship HD.png|A Thargoid Interceptor Cyclops Variant in ''Elite Dangerous''
Evolution-of-the-Thargoids.png|Evolution of the Thargoids
First-Thargoid-Encounter-3125.png|An early Thargoid encounter circa 3125
Thargoids-Return-Message.png|Thargoids Return message
Thargoid-and-Diamondback-Ships.png|Thargoid and Diamondback ships
Thargoid Attack Aftermath.png|The destroyed Federal fleet
Unknown-Ships-Group-Thargoids.png|Thargoid Interceptors
Thargoid-Scouts.png|Thargoid Scouts
Thargoid Surface Site above.png|A Thargoid Surface Site
Thargoid-Surface-Site.png|Thargoid Surface Site
Thargoid Surface Site Scavenger close.png|A Scavenger
Thargoid-Wormhole.png|Thargoid wormhole
Thargoid Interceptor Basilisk Variant.png|A Thargoid Interceptor Basilisk Variant
Thargoid Interceptor Basilisk Variant 2.png|A close-up of a Basilisk Variant
Thargoid Interceptor Medusa Variant.png|A Thargoid Interceptor Medusa Variant
Thargoid Interceptor Medusa Variant 2.png|A Medusa Variant with its petals extended
</gallery>

==References==
<references />

{{Thargoids}}
{{SpeciesNavbox}}
[[Category:Lore]]
[[Category:Alien life]]
[[Category:Thargoids]]
[[Category:Species]]

Thargoid

2018-07-31T06:56:04Z

2601:648:8503:EE60:58EA:C81D:F47C:1781:

[[File:Unknown-Ships-Group-Thargoids.png|thumb|300px|Thargoid Interceptors]]
The '''Thargoids''' are an intelligent, highly advanced insectoid [[species]] that have existed for millions of years. They are the only known living sapient species in the Milky Way [[galaxy]] other than [[Human|humanity]].<ref>http://forums.frontier.co.uk/showthread.php?p=38820#post38820</ref> Thargoids are highly territorial and seemingly rebuff all diplomatic overtures with unmitigated hostility, but are also known to be extremely slow to adapt.

Approximately 1 to 2 million years ago, the Thargoids instigated a war with another intelligent species called the [[Guardian]]s over territory.<ref name=":0">[https://www.reddit.com/r/EliteDangerous/comments/81bhy0/guardians_vs_thargoid_war_confirmed/ Guardian Codex 3 Decrypted. Thargoid Log - Unsuccessful Truce]</ref> Although the Guardians eventually prevailed, the Thargoids only opted to retreat because they were unprepared for a protracted campaign against a rival civilization. Thargoids and humanity have been embroiled in two wars. The first occurred between 3125 and 3151, and is believed to have ended in a human victory with the [[Intergalactic Naval Reserve Arm]]'s successful deployment of the [[mycoid]] bio-weapon. The second, ongoing conflict began in 3303 and has been rapidly escalating with no resolution in sight, affecting dozens of systems across the [[Pleiades Nebula]] and the [[Core Systems]].

==History==
The Thargoids are an ancient, sapient, insectoid species of enigmatic origin. Data obtained from [[Ancient Obelisk]]s built by the [[Guardian]]s indicates that the Thargoids are several millions of years old, and likely a far older species than the Guardians themselves.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":2" /> Professor [[Cora Shaw]] of the [[Palin Institute]] concluded that they were an established spacefaring species long before they encountered the Guardians. They have an affinity for [[Ammonia World|ammonia-based worlds]]. This suggests they may have evolved in a harsh, low-temperature environment, which might explain their overdeveloped survival instincts and aggressive nature. The Thargoids are experts in bioengineering, so they may have augmented their own biology to a point where natural evolutionary processes are meaningless.<ref name="GOTT" />

The location of the Thargoid [[homeworld]], if such a place exists, is unknown. Professor Shaw continued to speculate that it might be somewhere beyond known space or on the other side of the Milky Way [[galaxy]]. Alternatively, the Thargoids may have become a nomadic species, existing entirely in space or within fabricated hives. It is possible they journeyed across millions of light years, from [[Andromeda]] or beyond, like a swarm of locusts seeking fresh crops to consume. Since Thargoid vessels can hover in [[hyperspace]], it suggests that they could even originate from there, or that they may use hyperspace as a conduit from a dimensional plane entirely separate from real space. Thus, the Thargoids may not just be extragalactic in origin, but extra-universal.<ref name="GOTT">[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5ac6383563e2f04e9a610f73 GalNet: Genesis of the Thargoids?]</ref>

=== Guardian-Thargoid Conflict ===
[[File:Barnacle large cluster.png|thumb|250px|Barnacles]]The Thargoids seeded a number of planets with [[barnacles]] in what eventually became Guardian space 1 to 2 million years ago.<ref>[https://canonn.science/codex/guardians-codex/ Guardian 1/28 : Thargoid Log – Barnacle Seeding]</ref><ref name=":0" /> Several thousand years later the Thargoids returned and discovered that the planets they had seeded were occupied by the Guardians. The Thargoids immediately launched an assault making no effort to communicate with the Guardians. This tallies with the Thargoids’ behaviour in [[human]] space.<ref>[https://canonn.science/codex/guardians-codex/ 2/28 : Thargoid Log – The War Begins]</ref>

After the beginning of the war with the Thargoids, the Guardians were forced to make a partial retreat. They were reluctant to take up arms with the Thargoids and kept communicating with them. Eventually they gained enough understanding of the Thargoid language to communicate. It didn't benefit the Guardians much, because the Thargoids were determined to continue hostilities.<ref name=":0" /> The Guardians were forced to employ more aggressive methods to address the Thargoid threat.<ref name=":5">[https://canonn.science/codex/guardians-codex/ Guardian Codex 3 Decrypted. Thargoid Log - Unsuccessful Truce]</ref> The Guardians used drones, autonomous war machines that could target anything that utilised Thargoid engineering. Remarkably, Thargoid bio-mechanical technology was engineered to recognise anything of Guardian origin.<ref name=":1">[https://canonn.science/codex/guardians-codex/ 4/28 : Thargoid Log – The War Machine]</ref>

It appears the Thargoids entered Guardian space unprepared for a protracted military campaign, and after facing a relentless onslaught from the Guardians' war machines they were forced to retreat.<ref>[https://canonn.science/codex/guardians-codex/ 5/28 : Thargoid Log – Victory]</ref>

=== First contact with humans ===
[[File:First-Thargoid-Encounter-3125.png|thumb|250px|First Thargoid encounter in 3125]]
Officially, the first encounters between [[humans]] and Thargoids occurred around an [[Ammonia Planet|ammonia-based world]] in 3125,<ref name="GNTT">[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/57ada8969657baeb6e876c6c Galactic News: The Thargoids]</ref><ref name="DW">[https://canonn.science/lore/drewwagar-the-thargoids/ Canonn Research - Drew Wagar's Lore: The Thargoids]</ref><ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PX49v8zYutI The Return 2.4 Announcement - Elite Dangerous]</ref> but unverified incidents involving similar ships were reported as early as the 2810's.<ref name="EE">''[[Elite Encounters RPG]]''</ref> Between the 2810's and 2840's, the [[Galactic Cooperative]] documented a significant number of ship disappearances in its space and near the [[Pleiades Nebula]]. Investigations found no evidence of foul-play, but the disappearances and hyperdrive malfunctions continued intermittently, stoking anxiety among pilots. In 2849, the first footage surfaced of one of these "encounters", with one blurry image appearing to show an alien ship with the word "THARG" on its hull. The media immediately coined the term "Thargoid" as a name for the aliens. However, no conclusive proof of the Thargoids' existence was obtained, and they faded into folklore.<ref name="EE" /><ref>Data taken from Tourist Spot Beacon 0184, Lave system</ref><ref>[https://www.reddit.com/r/EliteDangerous/comments/53se4s/first_thargoid_contact_22_beacon/ First Thargoid Contact - 2.2 Beacon]</ref>

Centuries later in the early 3120's, new reports emerged of octagonal starships of unknown design and origin, as well as hyperdrive malfunctions. In 3123, GalCop discovered the wreckage of two ships in its space that had been destroyed by more powerful laser weapons than were known to exist at the time.<ref name="EE" /> In 3125, independent pilots claimed that they were being pulled out of [[hyperspace]] and attacked by octagonal ships. Those who survived the experience were convinced they had encountered an alien species, and named the aliens "Thargoids" after the 29th century incidents. As the news spread, leaked [[Federation|Federal]] intelligence reports indicated that the Thargoid attacks were likely provoked by human hostility; colonists in the Veliaze system had apparently come into contact with a Thargoid deputation and assaulted it out of ignorance shortly before the attacks began. Some years later, the Thargoids disappeared as mysteriously as they had arrived.<ref name="GNTT" /><ref name="EE" />

The events surrounding first contact with the Thargoids were mostly suppressed and forgotten, and by the 3300's the Thargoids themselves were generally regarded as fiction. According to [[Alliance]] [[Alliance Prime Minister|Prime Minister]] [[Edmund Mahon]], who is one of the few individuals with access to surviving records, the [[Intergalactic Naval Reserve Arm]], or INRA, fought a war against the Thargoids and eventually secured victory by deploying a bioweapon against the aliens. The Thargoids retreated, and for many years it was believed they had been driven to extinction or even never truly existed at all.<ref name="EDP">[[Elite Dangerous: Premonition]]</ref>

According to the logs of the [[Megaship]] GCS Sarasvati, the original war with the Thargoids ended in 3151. In the aftermath, the [[Galactic Cooperative]] set up a series of deep space monitoring stations, one of which was the GCS Sarasvati, to watch for a resurgent Thargoid threat. This initiative was called Project Equinox. However, by December 27, 3155, no Thargoid presence had been detected whatsoever and members of the project questioned its usefulness. By August 16, 3172, Galcop had become weakened and fractured, and Project Equinox was shut down. Unfortunately, this occurred just as project lead Dr. Cassandra Lockhart discovered that the Thargoids had been sowing the seeds for their future return all along, and her warnings were ignored.<ref>[https://forums.frontier.co.uk/showthread.php/380074-GCS-Sarasvati-early-Thargoid-lookout-megaship?p=5961637&viewfull=1#post5961637 Frontier Forums: GCS Sarasvati - early Thargoid lookout megaship]</ref>

In the course of the war, a number of Thargoid ships were captured by the Galactic Cooperative, and later fell into the possession of the Alliance in the years after Galcop collapsed. By the 3270's, the Alliance was able to reverse-engineer Thargoid technology to produce the single most consequential hyperdrive innovation in centuries: the [[Frame Shift Drive]]. FSDs reduced travel times in [[Hyperspace]] from hours to mere seconds, opening the floodgates for human exploration and expansion. Due to the machinations of [[The Club]], however, the Alliance did not leverage FSD technology to gain superiority over the Federation and Empire; instead, the tech fell into the hands of [[Sirius Corporation]], which monopolized it and distributed it to all the powers and factions, ensuring no one gained an advantage. Afterward, [[The Club]] suppressed information about the Thargoids so that it became a myth among the public.<ref name="EDP" />

=== Renewed activity ===

[[File:Thargoid second ship crash.png|thumb|250px|A crashed Thargoid Scout]]

In early 3301, [[Unknown Artefact]]s were discovered among the cargoes of secret Federal convoys. Their discovery marked the first indication that Thargoids yet existed in the depths of space, though the Artefacts, as well as the similar [[Unknown Probe]]s that would be found orbiting ammonia worlds in 3302, would not be conclusively linked to the Thargoids until later. Some CMDRs believed that the Artefacts and Probes originated from an entirely unknown alien race, while others asserted that they were examples of experimental human technology. Disputes and speculation over the objects continued for months. [[Barnacles]], were also discovered in 3302, but their even more pronounced organic appearance also stymied analysis.

On January 5, 3303, Commander DP Sayre reported the first known encounter with an [[Thargoid Interceptor|Unknown Ship]], which was later confirmed to be a type of Thargoid vessel and officially reclassified as a Thargoid Interceptor. The Unknown Ship interdicted the CMDR from [[hyperspace]] and apparently scanned him before departing to an untraceable destination. The acts of interdicting a target while in hyperspace and leaving an untraceable wake signature were both well beyond the capabilities of human technology. Previously, only the [[Alien Crash Site|wreckage of these ships]] had been documented.

Beginning April 11, 3303, reports surfaced of Unknown Ships apparently attacking [[Federation]] convoys. Upon dropping out of supercruise at the source of certain distress calls, Commanders arrived in a green, gaseous cloud and their ship was disabled. Multiple [[Federal Corvette]] wrecks, bearing luminescent green residue where they were damaged and with their crews apparently dead, were adrift in the cloud, and a single Unknown Ship could be seen jumping away. Presumably, the Unknown Ship destroyed all of the Corvettes on its own in each incident.

On June 2, 3303, CMDR Mobiusetti documented the first known interaction between an Unknown Ship and a [[Barnacle]] on Pleiades Sector OI-T C3-7 A 6 at coordinates -42.77, -21.7. This confirmed suspicions that they were related.<ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y8S-4Oq9Xvc</ref>

[[Kelvin Masters]] of the [[Imperial Herald]] said the barnacles indicate that the Thargoids were in [[Maia]] and [[Merope]] long before we were. [[Humans|Humanity]] has expanded into what the Thargoids see as their territory.<ref name=":3" />

====Identification and escalation====

[[File:Thargoids-Return-Message.png|thumb|250px|CMDR Edward Lewis' message]]

On June 12, 3303, [[Professor Palin]] issued a request for scan and wake signature data from Unknown Ships to be delivered to Orcus Crag in Pleiades Sector OI-T c3-7. Palin compared the collected data to older Thargoid samples and confirmed that Unknown Ships were Thargoid in origin. Shortly afterward, [[Federation]] military forces seized Palin's research for transport to a Federal research facility, but the fleet never arrived at its destination.<ref name="Return">[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5943ed6837e29c184d38b29b Galactic News: The Thargoids have Returned]</ref>

On June 13, wreckage was found with a transmitter which contained a recorded message:

''"This is an urgent message from Commander Edward Lewis. There are forces out there who do not want you to know the truth, but I have to make this public. I found a ship in HIP 17044. A Federal cap ship, shot to pieces. They were carrying the data the Feds stole from Professor Palin. The crew is dead, but they discovered something important about the Unknown Ships. There is a beacon in the wreckage broadcasting a message, over and over. It proves what we suspected. They are back. And the whole galaxy needs to know. The Thargoids have returned."''

[[File:Thargoid Attack Aftermath.png|thumb|250px|The destroyed Federal fleet]]

Two unnamed [[Farragut Battle Cruiser]]s were located at an [[Unregistered Comms Beacon]] approximately 11,000 ls in the direction of the Asterope system from planet 2 in the HIP 17044 system. The capital ships and an accompanying fleet of smaller Federal ships were all heavily damaged, their crews presumably dead, and adrift in the same green, gaseous cloud noted to be a signature of previous Unknown Ship attacks. A transmitter satellite was found among the debris. One Farragut was also discovered to be broadcasting a recording in Morse code in a small, 30-meter zone around its antenna array: "UNKNOWN VESSELS DETECTED. SERVER PURGE FAILED. SHIP ASSETS LIQUIDATED. PAYLOAD DESTROYED. SHIP STATUS LOST."<ref>[https://forums.frontier.co.uk/showthread.php/355713-Alien-archeology-and-other-mysteries-Thread-10-The-Canonn?s=7ddc1608a90a6581ce734397295c8a08&p=5611753&viewfull=1#post5611753 Frontier Forums: Alien archeology and other mysteries: Thread 10 - The Canonn]</ref>

Following the incident, on June 19, the leaders of the Federation, [[Empire]], and [[Alliance]] responded to the news that the aliens encountered in the Pleiades Nebula were Thargoids. President [[Zachary Hudson]] confirmed that the Federal military had been expanding in recent months in preparation for such a possibility. Emperor [[Arissa Lavigny-Duval]] urged calm and reminded the public that humanity had overcome seemingly insurmountable odds in the past. Prime Minister [[Edmund Mahon]] called for caution, arguing that it had not yet been proven that the destroyed Federal ships were the victims of Thargoid attacks, and that much could be learned from an advanced alien race like the Thargoids.<ref name="LeadersRespond">[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5947bb8ef0522a25d9666976 Galactic News: Galactic Leaders Address Thargoid Discovery]</ref>

==== Thargoid Surface Sites ====

[[File:Thargoid_Surface_Site_above.png|thumb|250px|Thargoid Surface Site]]

Following the incident, CMDRs identified an unknown signal at a listening post in [[Maia]] this lead to heavily guarded relay posts. The final listening post had a Caesar Cypher encrypted location for the "nest". They traced it to planet B 1 C in HIP 19026. There, CMDR Lightningwing of [[The Canonn]] discovered the first known [[Thargoid Surface Site]].<ref name="Mystery">[https://www.reddit.com/r/EliteDangerous/comments/6jmzs7/a_mystery_is_afoot/ /r/EliteDangerous: A mystery is afoot]</ref><ref name="Found">[https://www.reddit.com/r/EliteDangerous/comments/6jnvjf/spoilers_mysterious_structures_found_by_cannon/ /r/EliteDangerous: (SPOILERS) Mysterious Structures Found By Cannon group]</ref> These contain functional thargoid Technology.<ref name=":3" />

==== Pleiades buildup and research efforts ====
In the wake of the earlier discoveries concerning the Thargoids, numerous state-sponsored and independent initiatives were launched to expand humanity's presence in the [[Pleiades Nebula]]. The Indra, a Wells-class Carrier [[Megaship]], was built and deployed by the [[Empire]] to HR 1185.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/595e07ff82824f10a91fc919 Galactic News: New Superpower Bases in the Pleiades]</ref> The [[Federation]] established Blackmount Orbital and Blackmount Habitation in HIP 17692 to monitor Thargoid activity.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/595e51e1478524147370660a Community Goal: New Federal Outpost]</ref> The Oracle, an [[Ocellus]] station, was relocated to Pleiades Sector IR-W d1-55 to serve as an independent hub for scientific research on the Thargoids.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/59675dff6d63ab788e4904da Galactic News: New Research Centre at Thargoid Site]</ref> Abroin Universal Plc led a campaign to establish their own Thargoid research base in the Pleiades.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5970b899dc4a6940976694d7 Community Goal: Pleiades Research Outpost]</ref> The Federation, Empire, and [[Alliance]] jointly funded the creation of [[Aegis]], a research organization intended to pool the scientific expertise of the three superpowers to coordinate investigations of the Thargoids; Aegis deployed a station named Donar's Oak to Pleiades Sector IR-W d1-55.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/59844fbe301ce614455222a1 Galactic News: Joint Superpower Initiative Announced]</ref> [[Sirius Corporation]] established two outposts in the [[Merope]] system, the station Reed's Rest and the surface port Omega Prospect.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/11-AUG-3303 Galactic News: Sirius Corporation Enters Merope]</ref>

On August 11, 3303, the Alliance launched a research initiative to build a range of state-of-the-art instruments to analyze various Thargoid materials, such as Unknown Ship Signatures and other objects recovered from Thargoid Surface Sites.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/598c793e3c5e0e1cf8555859 Community Goal: Alliance Research Initiative]</ref> The campaign was a success, but due to the nature of the research it would take some time for any results to be achieved.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5995b0d377678f36dc69b72f Galactic News: Alliance Campaign Concludes]</ref>

With events unfolding at a rapid pace, the superpowers had until recently struggled to formulate appropriate responses to the Thargoid situation. While Aegis' establishment suggested that the galaxy's leaders were beginning to address the issue, journalist Kelvin Masters offered a more frank analysis in an Imperial Herald article on August 25, 3303: "The barnacles seem to indicate that the Thargoids were in Maia and Merope long before we were. For all we know, humanity has expanded into what the Thargoids see as their territory. I have no interest in scaremongering, but my belief is that a Thargoid attack could be imminent – their behaviour certainly seems to suggest they are probing us for weaknesses."<ref name=":3">[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/599e9f98c10d1126640e8902 Galactic News: The Thargoid Situation]</ref>

==== Enemies of the Federation ====
On September 15, 3303, Chief of Federal Security Admiral Aden Tanner announced that another Thargoid attack had recently occurred in Pleiades Sector IR-W D1-55 which resulted in the destruction of multiple Federal vessels, including one Farragut Battle Cruiser. While the motives for this attack were unknown, Admiral Tanner confirmed that the Thargoids were now officially considered enemies of the Federation. President Hudson gave Tanner full authority over the [[Federal Navy]] to deal with the Thargoid threat.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/59bb9793d5777560b7216455 Galactic News: Federal Capital Ship Destroyed by Thargoids]</ref> Amid speculation that Federal forces had provoked the attack, the Federation insisted that black box data from the wreckage indicated no provocation on their part; this was confirmed by Aegis, which had also analyzed data from the attack.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/59c3a0e02468d745a72f97a0 Galactic News: Federation Addresses Rumours]</ref>

The incident spurred all three superpowers to widen Aegis' remit to focus on both research and defence on September 21, 3303. The organization's budget was dramatically increased, and it recruited the [[Engineers]] [[Liz Ryder]] and [[Professor Palin]] to produce a new anti-Thargoid weapon and a scanner for Thargoid ships, respectively.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/59c3a108ced3ff7f807f54b7 Galactic News: Aegis to Widen Remit]</ref><ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/59c3cb9dffff1a05c9770bdd Community Goal: Engineers Appeal for Thargoid Material]</ref>

=== The Return ===
==== Initial skirmishes ====
[[File:Thargoid Attack Aftermath Imperial.png|thumb|250px|A destroyed Imperial fleet above planet A 1 in HR 1185]]
On [[Elite Dangerous: Horizons#The Return - v2.4|September 26, 3303]], independent pilots reported being attacked unprovoked by Thargoid Interceptors at Non-Human Signal Sources. At least one of these attacks, in which CMDR Sapphire Horizons was the victim, occurred at a site with wreckage from an Imperial convoy, which was believed to have been destroyed by the Thargoid ship.<ref>[https://www.reddit.com/r/EliteDangerous/comments/72lzxb/so_i_just_got_killed_by_a_thargoid/ r/EliteDangerous: So I just got killed by a Thargoid]</ref><ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/59cd17dcf030a91ca721e243 Galactic News: Further Thargoid Attacks]</ref> In addition, Interceptors have demonstrated extreme hostility against any [[Guardians|Guardian]] artefacts jettisoned in their vicinity, using their weapons to destroy them.<ref>[https://www.reddit.com/r/EliteDangerous/comments/72mjyw/they_seriously_dont_like_guardian_stuff_monkas/ r/EliteDangerous: They seriously don't like Guardian stuff monkaS]</ref> New [[Barnacle]] sites have also been identified, with a greater concentration of the Structures and an octagonal formation that resembles a nascent [[Thargoid Surface Site]].<ref>[https://www.reddit.com/r/EliteDangerous/comments/72wjsi/the_new_barnacle_site_grows_in_a_familiar/ r/EliteDangerous: The new barnacle site grows in a familiar pattern...credit to CMDR PinPiper]</ref>

[[Aegis]] released the [[AX Missile Rack]] and [[AX Xeno Scanner]] on September 28, 3303. These new devices allowed CMDRs to both scan Interceptors and successfully penetrate their defenses for the first time, a major milestone.<ref>[https://www.reddit.com/r/EliteDangerous/comments/731ex8/psa_ax_missile_rack_and_ax_xeno_scanner_now/ PSA: AX Missile Rack and AX Xeno Scanner Now Available]</ref><ref>[https://www.reddit.com/r/EliteDangerous/comments/731oxn/thargoid_down_sdc/ Thargoid Down! - SDC!]</ref> However, it was also discovered that the Thargoids had begun attacking independent civilian vessels. A heavily-damaged [[Megaship]] identified as Samson Class Bulk Cargo Ship BTG-237 was found in Pleiades Sector IR-W d1-55, near planet A 5, the victim of Thargoid aggression.<ref>[https://www.reddit.com/r/EliteDangerous/comments/72zzvw/spoiler_something_new_has_happened_in_pleiades/ Something new has happened in pleiades Sector IR-W D1-55..]</ref> To cap off a day filled with new developments, wreckage from a new type of Thargoid vessel, the [[Thargoid Scout]], was also discovered on planet A 3 A in the HIP 17125 system.<ref>[https://www.reddit.com/r/EliteDangerous/comments/733mmb/elite_dangerous_24_new_unknown_ship_crashed_hip/ r/EliteDangerous: Elite Dangerous 2.4 new Unknown Ship (crashed) Hip 17125 A 3 A -65.8193 | 48.8662]</ref>

Despite early successes against the Thargoids in battle thanks to the AX Missile Rack, by October 3rd the Thargoid vessels had adapted by developing a resistance to the damaging compound within the missiles. Reports also indicated that countermeasures like chaff could no longer prevent Interceptors from locking on, that the Interceptors had begun evading long-range attacks more effectively, and that [[Thargon]] drone swarms had become much more accurate.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/59d3b59f493e8e3727091ead Galactic News: Thargoids Adapting Rapidly]</ref> On October 5th, the [[AX Multi-cannon]] was released. Combined with an AX Missile Rack to expose Thargoid Hearts on Interceptors, this new weapon was able to circumvent the Thargoid's adaptation. Two other anti-Thargoid countermeasures, the [[Remote Release Flak Launcher]] and [[Shutdown Field Neutraliser]], were made available over the following weeks, making human pilots more effective against their alien adversaries.

On October 6, 3303, Aegis' military liaison Admiral [[Aden Tanner]] confirmed that in recent days, Federal, Imperial, and civilian ships alike had been targeted and destroyed by Thargoids, and that the aliens were scanning the wreckage and seizing escape pods. Tanner reaffirmed that Aegis was dedicated to unraveling the Thargoids' motives.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/59d7523d7f2d0f16da5fbf78 Galactic News: Thargoid Threat Continues to Escalate]</ref> On October 12, an Aegis spokesperson confirmed that as well as adapting their defenses to human weapons technology, the Thargoids were also rapidly adapting to human strategies and tactics.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/59df892030484d21ea3c3ec5 Galactic News: Thargoids Continuing to Adapt]</ref> On October 27, as losses of Federal [[Farragut Battle Cruiser]]s and Imperial [[Majestic Class Interdictor]]s continued to mount, Admiral Tanner noted that although recent developments like the Shutdown Field Neutraliser had proven effective in protecting conventional spacecraft from Thargoid attacks, difficulties had been encountered in adapting the technology to larger spacecraft. As a result of capital ships' continued vulnerability, Tanner warned that deploying such vessels to protect stations and outposts was not a viable defensive strategy against Thargoids for the time being.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/59f30dd4826c1776ca623242 Galactic News: Capital Ships Vulnerable to Thargoid Attack]</ref>

=====Operation Andronicus=====
On November 2, 3303, Aegis launched Operation Andronicus, the first military operation intended to curb Thargoid aggression in the Pleiades Nebula. Admiral Tanner stated that Aegis would be offering substantial monetary rewards to independent pilots for confirmed Thargoid kills.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/59fb5178adf339781710741f Community Goal: Operation Andronicus]</ref> While Operation Andronicus was in effect, the Alliance organization Cooper Research Associates also announced they would reward pilots for the recovery of personal effects and escape pods from Thargoid attack sites.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/59fb51f4adf3397051674b5d Community Goal: Rescue Operation in the Pleiades]</ref> The operation concluded a week later, and both campaigns were hailed as successes.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5a04628c7c8ea44d3104a3d2 Galactic News: Operation Andronicus Concludes]</ref><ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5a046323cd1bcd187d490e8e Galactic News: Pleiades Rescue Operation Concludes]</ref>

=====Enter the Basilisks=====
[[File:Thargoid Interceptor Basilisk Variant 2.png|thumb|250px|A close-up of a Basilisk Variant]]
On November 13, 3303, the first sightings of a new variant of Thargoid Interceptor were reported by independent pilots in the Electra system. Classified as the "Basilisk Variant" by the [[Pilots Federation]], these heavily scarred Interceptors possessed demonstrably more powerful offensive and defensive capabilities.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5a0c1121b9e40e708759f664 Galactic News: Previously Unseen Thargoid Ships in Electra]</ref> Prior to this, only Cyclops Variant Thargoid Interceptors had been encountered. As Basilisk Variants and Cyclops Variants have yet to demonstrate any hostility towards each other, it is unknown if the presence of Basilisk Variants represents an escalation in the ongoing conflict between Thargoids and humans, or the arrival of a second Thargoid faction in the region.<ref>[https://www.reddit.com/r/EliteDangerous/comments/7cnxqj/threat_6_uss_in_electra_spoilers/ /r/EliteDangerous: Threat 6 USS in Electra]</ref>

With casualties from Thargoid attacks continuing to mount, President Zachary Hudson and Emperor Arissa Lavigny-Duval issued statements to reassure the public, insisting that the Thargoid presence would likely remain limited to the Pleiades Nebula and that the combined forces of the Federation and Empire could overcome any threat. Despite this optimism, Admiral Aden Tanner stated it was premature to assert that the Thargoids would not advance beyond the Pleiades, but that Aegis was actively investigating the Thargoids' long-term plans.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5a0eba46528d3924954cf324 Galactic News: Galactic Authorities Call for Calm]</ref>

====The Pleiades aflame====
=====Station attacks and Medusae=====
[[File:Station Attack The Oracle.png|thumb|250px|The Oracle in the aftermath of an attack]]
December 14, 3303 marked the most serious escalation of the Thargoid conflict yet. The stations Titan's Daughter in Taygeta, The Oracle in Pleiades Sector IR-W d1-55, and Liman Legacy in HIP 16753 were attacked and severely damaged by Thargoids, disrupting services and making the stations dangerously unstable.<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZFLBnqxuATg YouTube: Commander Chronicles: Devastation - Elite Dangerous]</ref> [[Station#Emergency Protocol|Emergency evacuation protocols]] were activated, and the Pilots Federation extracted the ships of the independent pilots docked at the affected Stations and transferred them to [[Rescue Vessel]]s. Pilots were encouraged to aid the ongoing evacuation of the stations' inhabitants.<ref name="Station Attack">[https://www.reddit.com/r/EliteDangerous/comments/7jqg5p/so_the_thargoids_attacked_a_station_images/?st=jb6b35m0&sh=f42ecad9 /r/EliteDangerous: So the Thargoids(?) Attacked a Station. Images Courtesy of CMDR Bad_Player]</ref>

[[File:Thargoid Interceptor Medusa Variant.png|thumb|250px|A close-up of a Medusa Variant]]
The attacks were confirmed to have been carried out by a new variant of Thargoid Interceptor classified as the "Medusa Variant".<ref name="GSABT">[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5a328aebaac37e273a5d4ea8 Galactic News: Starports Attacked by Thargoids]</ref> These ships also began interdicting pilots from hyperspace and appearing in Threat 7 Non-Human Signal Sources. Medusae surpass the capabilities of Basilisk Variant Interceptors, possessing even stronger defenses, more powerful weapons, and the ability to direct an even larger swarm of Thargon drones.<ref name="Medusa">[https://www.reddit.com/r/EliteDangerous/comments/7jqg5p/so_the_thargoids_attacked_a_station_images/dr8epgz/ /r/EliteDangerous: So the Thargoids(?) Attacked a Station. Images Courtesy of CMDR Bad_Player - Comment by ChristianM]</ref>

The death toll from the station attacks was believed to be in the thousands, but could have been far worse. Starport security feeds indicate that the Medusa Interceptors used their shutdown fields to disable station defenses before targeting the main reactor. An eyewitness speculated that the Thargoids' intent was to cripple the stations, not destroy them outright.<ref name="GSABT" /> While it was not clear why the Thargoids had targeted these three stations specifically and not others, Aegis was investigating the issue.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5a3a4ffbd27df13ee220cc2f Galactic News: Authorities Urge Public Not to Panic]</ref>

The following week on December 21, as the three stations were stabilized and repair work began on them, further attacks were reported at Bao Landing in HIP 17497, Cavalieri in Electra, and Hudson Observatory in HIP 17694.<ref>[https://i.imgur.com/hxTJhqt.png Imgur: Galactic News: Starport Status Update, December 21, 3303]</ref> Medusa Interceptors were once again confirmed to be the culprits, and hundreds more human casualties were tallied.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5a3ceced6a3e8049274181c5 Galactic News: More Starports Attacked]</ref> Three more attacks occurred two weeks later on January 4, 3304 at Copernicus Observatory in Asterope, Cyllene Orbital in Atlas, and Artemis Lodge in Celaeno, followed by two attacks on January 11 at Obsidian Orbital in Maia and Reed's Rest in Merope.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5a58d52808925a374348ba63 GalNet: Thargoid Assault Continues]</ref>

=====The Liberation of HIP 17692=====
Also on January 11, the Federation and Empire announced a joint initiative to counter Thargoid activity in the HIP 17692 system and attempt to reduce the Thargoids' presence in the Pleiades. The Empire-aligned Merope Expeditionary Fleet took charge of military operations, while the Federation-aligned Pleiades Resource Enterprise coordinated the rescue of attack survivors, personal effects, and data. Fleet Admiral [[Denton Patreus]] stated, "Starports throughout the Pleiades have been attacked. Thousands of lives have been lost. And we have failed to deliver an effective response. That changes now."<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5a578660b34e4b5d3c0ae199 The Liberation of HIP 17692]</ref>

The operation marked just over a year since the first encounter with an active Thargoid Interceptor. Political commentator Daxton Sung offered an analysis: "The situation continues to escalate and our leaders continue to offer the same tired platitudes – militaristic bombast from Hudson, noncommittal banalities from Lavigny-Duval and earnest sympathising from Mahon. It's clear that they have no idea how to counter the Thargoid threat, beyond pumping more money into Aegis's weapons programme."<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5a5787708a640c638d6d781d One Year On]</ref>

=====Advance on the Core Systems=====
[[File:ED-Thargoid-Attacked-Stations-Map.png|thumb|250px|The extent of Thargoid attacks on stations as of February 22, 3304]]
While the HIP 17692 operation proved to be a success,<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5a60b60073f627733619d852 GalNet: HIP 17692 Operation Concludes]</ref> Thargoid attacks on stations continued unabated on January 18, striking Kipling Orbital in Pleiades Sector KC-V c2-11 and Malthus Terminal in Pleiades Sector HR-W d1-41. After these attacks, a member of Kipling Orbital's starport personnel noted that the Thargoids seemed to be sweeping the region and slowly moving towards the [[Core Systems]].<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5a6a0ea379a7530bc462fb3f Starport Attacks Continue]</ref>

On January 25, Borrego's Vision in Pleiades Sector IH-V c2-7 and Kamov Survey in HIP 17892 were hit. On February 1, Asami Orbital in Pleiades Sector JC-V d2-62 and Cleaver Prospect in Pleiades Sector HR-W d1-57 suffered attacks; both stations were significantly closer to the Core Systems that the targets of the previous attacks. On February 8, Bennington's Restin 42 n Persei and Exodus Point in Hyades Sector AB-W b2-2 were attacked, continuing the trend of the Thargoids' movements. President [[Zachary Hudson]] and Emperor [[Arissa Lavigny-Duval]] both issued fresh appeals for aid for the affected stations, and the Emperor also confirmed that [[Aegis]] was actively investigating the Thargoids' shift toward the Core Systems.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5a7c2524b2837d57693651ee Galactic Leaders Renew Appeals for Aid]</ref>

On February 15, Gaiman Dock in 49 Arietis and Weyn Dock in 64 Arietis were hit, marking the Thargoids' arrival in the outer fringe of the Core Systems. As the public questioned the lack of an effective military response to the Thargoids, Imperial Senator [[Gianna Tachibana]] asserted that humanity was being reactive rather than proactive, and that the Pleiades were at risk of becoming a no-go zone even with the assistance of independent pilot militias and Aegis's research.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5a85a1361b13ca3edb048d1c Galactic News: Proactive or Reactive?]</ref> Meanwhile, the Federation launched the Bulwark Project, an initiative to develop autonomous military hardware to combat the Thargoids. While Imperial commentators criticized the initiative as a circumvention of long-standing conventions against the development of artificial intelligence, Federal [[Shadow President]] [[Felicia Winters]] dismissed those concerns, claiming that the Bulwark Project's purpose was to "investigate alternate defence strategies, not to develop machine intelligence".<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5a859fd09dd29d74a968382e Galactic News: The Bulwark Project]</ref> The Bulwark Project campaign was later successful, but Winters was careful to note that the Project's initial remit was merely to determine the economic and military feasibility of the creation of a fully-automated defence force.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5a8ee6340f36064f752cd607 GalNet: Federal Initiative Concludes]</ref>

[[File:Thargoid-Scouts-and-Interceptors.png|thumb|250px|Thargoid Scouts and Interceptors]]

On February 22, Armstrong Enterprise in Bhal and Beaufoy Vision in Nauni, both locations within the Core Systems, suffered Thargoid attacks. Coinciding with these latest incidents, Fleet Admiral Patreus coordinated a second Federal-Imperial joint operation against the Thargoids, this time centered on the Pleiades Sector OI-T c3-7 and Arietis Sector XE-Z b4 systems.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5a8ee5d25f3da10323076fbf GalNet: Anti-Thargoid Operation]</ref> The operation was subsequently declared a success.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5a9824bf78da4a2abd3af6d8 GalNet: Federal-Imperial Operation Concludes]</ref> Notably, no additional Thargoid attacks occurred on March 1, marking the first lull in the incursion, although sightings and encounters with [[Thargoid Interceptor]]s began occurring at various locations within the Core Systems, with hostile [[Thargoid Scout]] Marauders now appearing as well.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5a9960a7049802427b2b41cd GalNet: Week in Review (March 3, 3304)]</ref>

=====Eagle Eye=====
On March 9, Aegis unveiled a new initiative called [[Eagle Eye]]. Six orbital surveillance installations were set up in HIP 17225, HIP 17692, HIP 17892, HR 1185, Pleiades Sector IR-W d1-55, and Pleiades Sector KC-V c2-4 in order to monitor known [[Thargoid Surface Site]]s and collect data on Thargoid behavior outside of combat zones.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5aa12e112e30637590761b2c GalNet: Thargoid Surveillance in the Pleiades]</ref> By March 16, Aegis reported that Eagle Eye was already producing results. According to Admiral Tanner, the installations were able to track fluctuations in transmissions originating from Thargoid Surface Sites, and that these transmissions pointed to specific locations in human space which were likely future Thargoid attack targets. Tanner urged independent pilots to investigate a new set of signals detected by Eagle Eye to help thwart the Thargoids' plans.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5aab97a3bf2b063ade1cceca GalNet: Thargoid Surveillance Continues]</ref>

====War in the Core====
=====The Purge of Socho=====
With the Thargoids now wreaking havoc well within the [[Core Systems]], [[Aegis]] began coordinating the first counterattack. On March 15, 3304, Aegis Core announced an anti-Thargoid campaign in its home system of Socho. The operation's goal was not only to expel Thargoid forces from Socho, but to obtain specific technological components from Thargoid Interceptors and Scouts for comparison research.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5aaa63d040365a4fab270033 GalNet: The Purge of Socho]</ref> The operation concluded successfully.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5ab38926b72505384d3d896a GalNet: Socho Operation Complete]</ref>

=====Revelations=====
On March 22, 3304, Aegis published a report containing significant insights into the Thargoids that had been gleaned with the help of [[Ram Tah]] and his [[Guardian]] research. The findings indicated that the Thargoids had warred with the Guardians because of the latter's perceived encroachment on territory that the Thargoids had seeded with [[Barnacles]] millennia earlier. Despite attempts by the Guardians to communicate with the Thargoids, the Thargoids' survival instincts were so strong that they refused to tolerate any potential threat and continued hostilities until the Guardians eventually expelled them using automated war machines. Professor Alba Tesreau commented that the Guardians' situation mirrored humanity's own: the Thargoids had long ago seeded territory that humans had unknowingly expanded into, and the current conflict was essentially a dispute over territory and resources. Tesreau asserted that the next step the Thargoids would take would be to aggressively mine mineral resources. Ram Tah noted that these revelations finally provided some answers about the Thargoids' overall goals and could ultimately aid humanity in the conflict.<ref name=":2">[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5ab383f5b709787d505dd1a2 GalNet: Thargoid Revelations]</ref>

=====Onslaught and trepidation=====
[[File:Thargoid attacks May 10 3304.png|thumb|250px|The extent of Thargoid attacks on stations as of May 10, 3304]]
The same day as Aegis's report made waves in the media, the station Glazkov Terminal in Irandan was attacked by the Thargoids after a month of relative calm. Both Irandan and HIP 21559 had been identified as likely targets for imminent Thargoid attacks by [[Eagle Eye]], but only the latter system had seen a heavy influx of independent combat pilots come to its defense over the preceding week.

The attack on Glazkov Terminal would be only the first of a fresh wave of attacks that would strike deep within the Core Systems. On March 30, Doyle Landing in Lunguni fell victim of the Thargoids. On April 12, Guidoni Enterprise in HIP 9599 was attacked. On April 19, Weil Station in Kunuvii and Eyharts Enterprise in 32 c Piscium were attacked, along with six Bulk Cruiser Megaships found disabled across the LP 581-36, Chan Mina, Deriv-Dar, and Nankul systems. On April 26, Acton Dock in LP 581-36 was attacked. On May 3, Sturckow Port in SPOCS 253 was attacked. No stations were attacked during the weeks of May 10, May 17, May 24, May 31, June 7, and June 14 as pilots successfully rallied to the defense of the targeted systems.

Meanwhile, also on March 22, [[Yuri Grom]] of the EG Pilots launched a campaign led by the EG Union to construct a new shipyard in CPC 20 6743. A spokesperson for the EG Union explained that the shipyard would construct new [[Farragut Battle Cruiser]]s to bolster humanity's defenses against a Thargoid invasion.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5ab3831fb7097848e4581ed1 GalNet: EG Union Campaign]</ref> On March 30, Admiral Tanner formally debuted Aegis's two new military Megaships, the [[Acropolis]] and the [[Vanguard]], explaining that they would serve as mobile command centers for anti-Thargoid operations.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5aba59c254e40001335bcec8 GalNet: Anti-Thargoid Megaships Deployed by Aegis]</ref> On April 6, the Privateers Alliance and the Atlas Corporation both took similar approaches to fortifying the Core Systems against the Thargoids. The Privateers Alliance launched a campaign to build a military installation in HIP 33368,<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5ac5d40ace417a2962638d10 GalNet: Privateers Alliance Campaign]</ref> while the Atlas Corporation began work on the [[ACS Overwatch]] Megaship in Lambda Arae.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5ac5d322ce417a19346e147c GalNet: The ACS Overwatch]</ref>

Despite Aegis's proven successes in the conflict, Princess [[Aisling Duval]] controversially criticized the organization on April 6, stating that she and many other galactic citizens were concerned that Aegis lacked a clear, long-term strategy to combat the Thargoids and was being reactive rather than proactive.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5ac5d1a6ce417a1f6d04f2ae GalNet: Aisling Duval Criticises Aegis]</ref> While the Princess's opinion had its share of detractors who spoke out in defense of Aegis, others noted that Aegis lacked transparency and had done little to assuage the widespread fear of alien conquest among the public.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5acf23cdd6d6ba17992b3e6b Support for Aisling Duval]</ref>

On April 25, Simguru [[Pranav Antal]] of the [[Utopia]] movement addressed an even more controversial possibility: humanity could lose the war against the Thargoids. The Simguru urged galactic citizens to join Utopia and help protect the [[Sim-Archive]] to ensure that humanity could live beyond its potential extinction.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5adf3499b14e287e736eb6de GalNet: Utopia Plans for Humanity's Extinction]</ref> Pranav Antal's pessimism quickly triggered a backlash from such figures as [[Shadow President]] [[Felicia Winters]], [[Sirius Corporation]] CEO [[Li Yong-Rui]], and Admiral Tanner.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5aeae28e7d387844d650ef2e GalNet: Antal's Pessimism Triggers Backlash]</ref> Nonetheless, Utopia doubled down on the Simguru's statement on May 4, 3304 by launching a project to construct a military installation in its home system of Antal to defend the Sim-Archive from potential Thargoid attack.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5aeae37ed71b1a6f1923014d GalNet: Defending the Sim-Archive]</ref>

=====Thargoid worshipers=====
Meanwhile, as the Thargoid conflict wore on, journalists and scholars began noting the phenomenon of fringe doomsayer cults proliferating throughout the Core Systems. Independent reporter [[Gethin Okonkwo]] published an article on May 19 revealing that dozens of such cults had emerged, and while their natures varied, they were all adamant that the Thargoid conflict was a sign of an imminent apocalypse.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5afc3617b57fd80b460215ea GalNet: Fringe Doomsayer Cults on the Rise]</ref> On June 16, exotheologian [[Alfred Ulyanov|Dr. Alfred Ulyanov]] highlighted one [[Thargoid cult|unnamed cult that even worshiped the Thargoids]] as harbingers of an extra-dimensional, omnipotent being they called the Far God. The cult's followers believed that only they would survive the Far God's manifestation in this universe, and gathered in hive-chapels patterned after Thargoid vessel and structure designs.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5b23bc10e7c3870a79317183 GalNet: Worshipping the Thargoids]</ref>

By June 30, the nameless cult had garnered hostile reactions from the public, and security officials had arrested multiple individuals for committing various misdemeanors against cult members. Local authorities called for tolerance, with Councillor Quinn Damico of the Aranbarahun system assuring citizens that the cultists were harmless and reaffirming that freedom of religion was protected in all systems where the cult had established itself.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5b34b357d2702c1ea8152862 GalNet: Thargoid-Worshipping Cult Garners Hostility]</ref> Mistrust of the cult continued to grow, however, and on July 5 reporter [[Flint Lafosse|Flint "Firemaker" Lafosse]] stoked tensions further with speculation that the reclusive Thargoid cult was a "fifth column" of brainwashed abduction victims sent back to human systems as spies and saboteurs. Dr. Ulyanov refuted this, saying that the cult avoided socializing because they believed humanity would soon be dead and insisting that his studies had found no evidence that the cultists were a threat.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5b3dfd1321ffd9343218451a GalNet: A Thargoid Fifth Column?]</ref>

=====A fleeting victory=====
On June 21, 3304, the Thargoids ended humanity's string of victories with an attack on Hennepin Prospect in Assinda. The attack appeared to be an outlier rather than an indication of Thargoid resurgence, however, as Eagle Eye did not intercept any new signals from Thargoid sites, and all Eagle Eye installations began transmitting the same message: "no new signal detected thargoid activity unknown initiate protocol xeno 55". That same day, Aegis also declared that the Thargoids were retreating from the Core Systems and had been pushed back to their original beachhead of Bhal. Admiral Tanner thanked Commanders for their efforts in defending the Core Systems, but noted that while Thargoid incursions had been reversed in many regions, the Thargoids remained entrenched in the Pleiades Nebula.<ref name="TRFCS">[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5b28ebb3b98e8528935995c6 GalNet: Thargoids Repelled from Core Systems]</ref>

[[File:Thargoid Scouts 3.1.png|thumb|250px|A Thargoid Scout Berserker (center), Regenerator (left), and Inciter (right)]]
On [[Elite Dangerous: Beyond#Chapter Two - v3.1|June 28]], Aegis reported that Eagle Eye had detected a massive surge in Thargoid transmissions. Admiral Tanner asserted that the previous week's lull in activity in the Core Systems must have been only a brief delay while the Thargoids regrouped and summoned reinforcements from the Pleiades. Tanner issued an emergency call for aid for Garay Terminal in Deciat, which Eagle Eye identified as the Thargoids' main target; a number of disabled megaships had already been found in the system. A transmission from an unknown Commander in the Deciat system also indicated that a new type of [[Thargoid Scout]] was present among the invading force.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5b34b13246fe331e2f6ca222 GalNet: Thargoid Assault on the Deciat System]</ref> Three new types of Scouts were subsequently identified: the Berserker, the Regenerator, and the Inciter. The Berserker is a more powerful and aggressive variant of the Marauder, while the Regenerator possesses the ability to restore the hull of other damaged Scouts and the Inciter can enhance their weaponry.

While Deciat was successfully defended against the Thargoid assault, Eagle Eye confirmed on July 5, 3304 that the Thargoids had resumed their original pattern of activity, targeting systems for an eventual attack and massing their forces there in preparation for it. Parise Station in Tembala was attacked on July 12, followed by Metcalf Station in HIP 44811 on July 19, and Preuss Terminal in Di Jian and Zudov Hub in RMK 6 on July 26.

=====Settlement attacks and crash sites=====
Meanwhile, independent pilots patrolling the Pleiades Nebula discovered various [[listening post]]s that were monitoring certain planetside locations in various systems. Upon investigation, each site was found to be either a surface settlement or a crashed ship that had been attacked by Thargoids. Among the sites were the settlements Dominic's Corner, Scrump Landing, Sharpe Works, Site 94, Betterton Outpost, Penal Colony BV-2259, Comms Facility 89563, Research Base LV 8, Research Base KG-3362, and a crashed [[Anaconda]] named "The Bug Killer". While some of the settlements managed to evacuate before they were attacked, others were not so lucky, and recovered logs indicated that some survivors may have been abducted by the Thargoids. Peculiarly, a number of the logs also noted abrupt, widespread temperature decreases that preceded or coincided with the Thargoid attacks.
{| class="wikitable sortable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" border="1"
! Location Name
! System
! Planet
! Surface Coordinates
! Description
! Notes
|-
| The Bug Killer
| HIP 16613
| 1 a
| -11.00, -95.67
| Crash site of a Thargoid-hunting [[Anaconda]]
| Discovered on June 28, 3304
|-
| Dominic's Corner
| Pleiades Sector GW-W c1-15
| 12 a
| 5.55, -115.69
| Factory contracted by [[Aegis]] to produce AX weapons
| Discovered on June 28, 3304
|-
| Scrump Landing
| Pleiades Sector JN-S b4-3
| 2
| -0.34, 12.92
| Scrapyard and trading post
| Discovered on June 28, 3304
|-
| Sharpe Works
| Pleiades Sector IC-U b3-1
| 1
| -4.95, 85.7
| Independent colony
| Discovered on June 28, 3304
|-
| Site 94
| HIP 19284
| A 2 d
| -19.06, -99.45
| Mining operation that unearthed an "alien monument", possibly Thargoid tech
| Discovered on June 28, 3304
|-
| Betterton Outpost
| HIP 19792
| C 2
| -24.70, 6.55
| Independent colony
| Discovered on June 29, 3304
|-
| Penal Colony BV-2259
| HIP 16217
| AB 1 a
| -54.99, 30.33
| Penitentiary
| Discovered on June 29, 3304
|-
| Comms Facility 89563
| HR 1172
| A 5 b
| -0.25, -67.67
| Military outpost
| Discovered on June 29, 3304
|-
| Research Base LV 8
| HIP 17403
| A 4 a
| -51.19, 14.21
| Research center studying a [[Thargoid Probe]]
| Discovered on June 29, 3304
|-
| Research Base KG-3362
| Pleiades Sector HR-W d1-17
| 1 a
| 58.11, 19.45
| Agricultural research center
| Discovered on June 29, 3304
|}

== Biology ==

Thargoids are an insectoid species. Little is known about their physical appearance and biology. Their chemistry is carbon-based, but with ammonia as the solvent rather than water.<ref>http://www.rollingstone.com/glixel/features/elite-dangerous-creator-talks-sci-fi-politics-and-whats-next-w492781</ref> If the rumors are true that they come from [[Ammonia Planet|Ammonia-based planets]] then their physiology is drastically different from humans. For example, ammonia boils at -33 degrees C. Thargoids may well be acclimatised to temperatures far lower than humans.<ref>https://www.drewwagar.com/lore/elite-dangerous-lore-the-thargoids/</ref> They are presumed to be highly intelligent, more than the average human due to their superior technological capabilities.

This indicates they may have evolved in a harsh, low-temperature environment, which might explain their overdeveloped survival instincts and aggressive nature. Since the Thargoids are experts in bioengineering, they could have augmented their own biology and superseded natural evolutionary processes.<ref name="GOTT" />

According to [[The Club]], what humans consider to be a singular Thargoid species actually consists of two distinct "dynasties": the Oresrians and the Klaxians. How Oresrians and Klaxians differ biologically, if at all, is unknown.<ref name="EDP" />

Descriptions based on encounters centuries ago have yet to be verified.

==Society==

[[File:Thargoid-and-Diamondback-Ships.png|thumb|250px|Thargoid ship confronting a Diamondback Scout]]

Not much information has been obtained about Thargoid society or culture. The only known fact is that the society is hive based, with no sense of close family. It is thought that the society is divided into colonies, possibly along the lines of ant colonies. The Oresrian and Klaxian dynasties may be two such colonies.<ref name="EDP" />

Thargoids are thought to have a natural affinity with space, and with [[Hyperspace]] in particular. This is due to the fact that Thargoid warriors seem to spend a large amount of time in space. Naval pilots and crews report that the warships in the war zones are encountered on repeated occasions over a period of months often without respite.

At some point, the Oresrian and Klaxian dynasties became embroiled in a civil war. Prior to 3303, the Klaxians gained the upper hand in this conflict and forced the Oresrians into a slow, continuous retreat across the galaxy, a retreat which will take them directly through human space. [[The Club]] has learned that the Oresrians planned to use human civilization as a "bullet shield" to occupy the Klaxians' attention while they escape deeper into space. This poses a potentially apocalyptic threat to humanity's survival.<ref name="EDP" />

==Politics==
Nothing is known about internal Thargoid politics or government, or why the Oresrians and Klaxians have come into conflict.

Thargoid relations with other species, as far as what is currently known, was frighteningly simple: war. The Thargoid invasions usually seemed to be prompted by the need for either agricultural or mineral resources, rather than a sociological or anthropological need to expand or colonise. In fact, the animal life on an invaded world was largely ignored unless it poses a threat to Thargoids.

==Technology==
[[File:Thargoid-Wormhole.png|thumb|250px|Thargoid wormhole]]
Thargoid technology is vastly different from [[human]] technology. Not only are their ships currently invulnerable to conventional weapons, but they possess the ability to interdict human ships that are traveling through hyperspace, a feat previously believed to be impossible, as well as the ability to make untraceable hyperspace jumps and stymie any pursuers. Despite their advanced hyperspace capabilities, there is no evidence of Thargoid ships moving in [[Supercruise]], perhaps suggesting they do not have short-range FTL capabilities.

Thargoid ships can create stable wormholes to [[hyperspace]] (witch-space). This is used to e.g. travel astronomical distances in seconds and interdict vessels. Their vessels can hover in hyperspace so they may be comfortable with residing in this higher dimensional region.<ref>https://www.sharoma.com/frontierverse/thargoids.htm</ref><ref>[https://www.reddit.com/r/EliteDangerous/comments/7b3eyk/elite_dangerous_another_inra_base_found_linked_to/ /r/EliteDangerous: Elite: Dangerous: Another INRA Base Found, Linked To Hyperdrive Research]
</ref><ref>https://canonn.science/lore/drewwagar-the-thargoids/</ref><ref name="GOTT" />

[[INRA]] chief scientist [[Bexley Prince]] asserted that Thargoid technology is far ahead of humans. Understanding it could open up all kinds of possibilities. The applications are potentially limitless. His logs were found at the INRA base Hollis Gateway.<ref>https://www.reddit.com/r/EliteDangerous/comments/75axlh/inra_planetary_base_found_on_hermitage_4_a/</ref>

The decoded Guardian logs reveal that Thargoids engineered bio-mechanical technology to recognise anything of [[Guardian]] origin. This is why millions of years after the conflict, Thargoid devices still react aggressively to the presence of Guardian technology.<ref name=":1" />[[File:Thargoid_Surface_Site_Scavenger_close.png|thumb|250px|Scavenger]]

Analysis of the [[Scavenger]] shows that it contains organic and mechanical elements such as [[Thargoid Organic Circuitry]]. This discovery has lead many to question whether the Scavengers are sentient creatures or simple mechanical drones created by the Thargoids as workers.<ref>[http://elite-dangerous.wikia.com/wiki/Thargoid_Organic_Circuitry Thargoid Organic Circuitry] in-game description</ref> The [[Thargoid Interceptor]] also has intricate technological and biological elements<ref>[https://forums.frontier.co.uk/showthread.php/395094-Medusa-Tissue-Sample-Tissue-Sample-Prices Thargoid Medusa Tissue Sample]</ref> such as "Thargoid Hearts" which can repair hull damage.

Thargoid weaponry has proven to be very powerful, resulting in numerous destroyed Federal and Imperial vessels, including capital ships. CMDRs who reported being attacked by [[Thargoid Interceptor]]s have noted they lost their ships very quickly under an onslaught of powerful missiles and [[Thargon]] drone swarms.

There's speculation of a [[Thargoid Mothership]] which, according to recovered logs, attacked the [[INRA]] site Carmichael Point in HIP 16824.<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mB36F-rLlkI Elite: Dangerous: INRA Base Attacked By Thargoids]</ref>

The Thargoids seed planets with [[Alien Structure]]s, so-called "barnacles". The barnacles extract resources from a [[Planets|planet]] and transform them into [[meta-alloys]]. This is an essential ingredient in the creation of Thargoid ships and technologies. The seeding of an area with barnacles is an important process to prepare it for Thargoid occupation.<ref>[https://canonn.science/codex/guardians-codex/ Guardian Codex 1/28 : Thargoid Log – Barnacle Seeding]</ref>

After September 26, 3303, CMDRs reported sightings of larger fields of "[[barnacle]] forests" in a shape reminiscent of Thargoid Surface Sites, and also patrolled by [[Scavenger]]s.<ref>https://forums.frontier.co.uk/showthread.php/355713-Alien-archeology-and-other-mysteries-Thread-10-The-Canonn?p=5952184&viewfull=1#post5952184</ref>

[[File:Thargoid-Surface-Site.png|thumb|250px|Thargoid Surface Site]]

[[Thargoid Surface Site]]s demonstrate the Thargoids construct and utilize vast surface installations. Passive drone-like devices called Scavengers were first encountered at these locations. [[Thargoid Egg]]s can be found around and inside these sites. It's unknown what produces and lays these eggs.

[[Thargoid Sensor]]s and [[Thargoid Probe]]s were also confirmed to be related to Thargoids after it was discovered that carrying them allowed doors at Thargoid Surface Sites to open. The other functions of these objects remain an enigma, however. Thargoid Interceptors have been witnessed retrieving them after September 26, 3303.

It's unclear whether Thargoids are a Type II or [[Elite Universe#Type III Civilizations|Type III civilization]] based on the Kardashev scale. Their lack of control over the Milky Way galaxy indicates they are Type II. However, since Thargoids may originate from another galaxy, parallel [[universe]], or spatial dimension they could be Type III.

==Notes==
*Initially, it was only confirmed that Thargoids would eventually make an appearance in Elite Dangerous, and the specifics of that encounter were unknown.<ref>http://forums.frontier.co.uk/showthread.php?p=160991#post160991</ref><ref>https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1461411552/elite-dangerous/posts/377497#comment-2014816</ref><ref>https://forums.frontier.co.uk/showthread.php?t=77358&p=1262252&viewfull=1#post1262252</ref>
*Frontier Developments staff commented that all Thargoids are female.<ref>https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1461411552/elite-dangerous/comments?cursor=2332567#comment-2332566</ref> However, this is not confirmed in the lore of Elite Dangerous.
*David Braben hinted that should peace have ever been found with Thargoids, it would be a temporary measure.<ref>https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1461411552/elite-dangerous/comments?cursor=1970411#comment-1970410</ref>
*It has been rumoured that Thargoids could be capable of building large artificial structures which could possibly be on a scale with planets, and certainly large enough to negate a ship's warp ability.<ref>http://forums.frontier.co.uk/showthread.php?p=85034#post85034</ref>

==Trivia==
*The name "Thargoid" is believed to have come from the regular skit ''Captain Kremmen'' performed by radio and TV personality Kenny Everett on both his radio shows and, in animated form, on TV.<ref>http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Captain_Kremmen</ref> The animated skits show the Thargoids as a species of tall, transparent creatures who are part of a highly-wealthy monarchical society.<ref>http://youtu.be/pyjKPbkkW9k?t=2m26s</ref> It is assumed that their main source of income is profiting from the sale of natural resources taken from planets they have colonised stretching thousands of light years.

==Videos==
<gallery>
Elite_Dangerous_-_The_Return_2.4
The_Return_2.4_Announcement_-_Elite_Dangerous
The_Return_(Elite_Dangerous)
Elite_Dangerous_-_Where_are_the_Thargoids?_(And_what_are_they?)
DISTANT STORMS - Does Humanity Now Stand On The Brink Of A 2nd Thargoid War?
Elite_Dangerous_2.4_Teaser_-_Frontier_Expo_2017
Commander_Chronicles_Retaliation_-_Elite_Dangerous
Commander_Chronicles_Devastation_-_Elite_Dangerous
Commander_Chronicles_The_Deal
</gallery>

==Gallery==
<gallery hideaddbutton="true">
Elite Dangerous Unknown Ship HD.png|A Thargoid Interceptor Cyclops Variant in ''Elite Dangerous''
Evolution-of-the-Thargoids.png|Evolution of the Thargoids
First-Thargoid-Encounter-3125.png|An early Thargoid encounter circa 3125
Thargoids-Return-Message.png|Thargoids Return message
Thargoid-and-Diamondback-Ships.png|Thargoid and Diamondback ships
Thargoid Attack Aftermath.png|The destroyed Federal fleet
Unknown-Ships-Group-Thargoids.png|Thargoid Interceptors
Thargoid-Scouts.png|Thargoid Scouts
Thargoid Surface Site above.png|A Thargoid Surface Site
Thargoid-Surface-Site.png|Thargoid Surface Site
Thargoid Surface Site Scavenger close.png|A Scavenger
Thargoid-Wormhole.png|Thargoid wormhole
Thargoid Interceptor Basilisk Variant.png|A Thargoid Interceptor Basilisk Variant
Thargoid Interceptor Basilisk Variant 2.png|A close-up of a Basilisk Variant
Thargoid Interceptor Medusa Variant.png|A Thargoid Interceptor Medusa Variant
Thargoid Interceptor Medusa Variant 2.png|A Medusa Variant with its petals extended
</gallery>

==References==
<references />

{{Thargoids}}
{{SpeciesNavbox}}
[[Category:Lore]]
[[Category:Alien life]]
[[Category:Thargoids]]
[[Category:Species]]

Thargoid Sensor

2018-07-31T06:43:01Z

2601:648:8503:EE60:58EA:C81D:F47C:1781: /* UA Bombing */

{{CommodityInfobox
|image = Unknown artefact 001.png
|type = Salvage
|gap = 242,485
|classification = Commodity
}}
{{Quote|Originally known as 'Unknown Artefacts', these strange objects are of Thargoid origin. They have the ability to repair themselves by extracting non-organic material from their immediate environment, and this self-repair mechanism can severely damage starships and other machinery. They can also scan nearby vessels and celestial bodies, and transmit information about the scanned object in an encrypted form. Since they have not been given a designation by intergalactic trade authorities, it is impossible to buy or sell them legally.|In-Game Description}}
'''Thargoid Sensors''', originally known as '''Unknown Artefacts''' or '''UAs''', are devices of unknown purpose created by the [[Thargoids]] and found at numerous sites across the [[Pleiades Nebula]]. The first of these objects was discovered by independent pilots on May 4, 3301, although it is believed that the [[Federation]] was already researching them by then. When [[Starport]]s began going offline due to technical problems caused by Unknown Artefacts sold on local black markets, it even became a popular practice among outlaw pilots to sell the objects with the express aim of shutting certain Starports down. On June 26, 3303, it was discovered that the objects could be used to open doors in [[Thargoid Surface Site]]s, directly linking them to the [[Thargoids]] for the first time. On [[Elite Dangerous: Horizons#The Return - v2.4|September 26]], Unknown Artefacts were formally reclassified as Thargoid Sensors.

== Description ==
[[File:Professor-Palin-and-Unknown-Artefact.png|thumb|250px|Professor Ishmael Palin and an Unknown Artefact]]
Thargoid Sensors are approximately two meters long, with a "head" resting atop a segmented stalk supporting three columns of canister-like objects. They emit constant noises that can be heard in close proximity. If shot with weapons or rammed, the Sensor will break up into a number of [[Materials]] called Sensor Fragments. A Thargoid Sensor will inflict constant corrosive damage to random ship modules, similar to [[Toxic Waste]], unless transported in a [[Corrosion Resistant Cargo Rack]]. If a Sensor is ejected from a cargo hold, it will degrade over time and disintegrate in about six minutes; the degradation can be halted and reversed by returning it to a cargo hold. Note that if a [[Thargoid Interceptor]] detects a ship is carrying a Thargoid Sensor, it will immediately become hostile.

It appears that the Thargoid Sensor performs some kind of scan of the closest celestial object or station and then emits a highly distorted [[Wikipedia:Morse code|Morse code]] which represents that body.<ref>[https://forums.frontier.co.uk/showthread.php?t=175726&p=2701750&viewfull=1#post2701750 UA Mystery Thread 3: The Canonn], Arcanonn, Elite: Dangerous Forums, 2015-08-16, 19:58</ref><ref>[https://forums.frontier.co.uk/showthread.php?t=175726&p=2702300&viewfull=1#post2702300 UA Mystery Thread 3: The Canonn], bitstorm, Elite: Dangerous Forums, 2015-08-16 20:34 GMT</ref> A Sensor will also scan all ships within 1 kilometre, and point and align itself with Merope, a star system in the [[Pleiades Nebula]]. Recordings and decoding of Sensor data also show that it produces a basic line drawing of the ship it scans.

== Locations ==
[[File:Ua-convoyA.jpg|thumb|220x220px|This is the first kind of UA carrying convoy. The Type-9 will eventually jump out of the system]]
[[File:Ua-convoyB.jpg|thumb|220x220px|This is the second version of the UA carrying convey. This one will hang around and conveniently drop the UA off for you to pick up]]
Thargoid Sensors were originally rare,<ref>[https://forums.frontier.co.uk/showthread.php?t=141038&page=71&p=2179457#post2179457 Soontill Relics, the Regor Permit Sector and DB's cryptic hints....], Michael Brookes, Elite: Dangerous Forums, 2015-05-02 10:28 GMT</ref> but have become common in systems within a 150 ly radius of [[Merope]]. A Threat Level 4 [[Anomaly]] [[Unidentified Signal Source|Signal Source]] or [[Non-Human Signal Source]] will usually contain a single Thargoid Sensor, though if a [[Thargoid Interceptor]] is present it will become hostile if the Sensor is retrieved.

Sensors can also be obtained from Threat Level 4 Military Convoys, where they are being transported by a [[Type-9 Heavy]] and can be stolen using [[Limpet Controller/Hatch Breaker|Hatch Breakers]]. There are two convoy configurations: the first includes the Type-9, a [[Vulture]], two [[Anaconda]]s, and assorted other ships, and the second includes the Type-9 with an escort of four Anacondas. The Type-9 will usually charge its [[Frame Shift Drive]] and jump to another system to escape, so it is recommended to attack in a [[Wing]], with one member focusing on the Type-9 while the others distract the escorts.

==UA Bombing==
"UA Bombing" is the colloquial term for the practice of selling Thargoid Sensors en masse at a specific station with a black market, with the goal of shutting that station down using the Sensors' technology-disrupting properties. Stations that are shut down can still be docked with, but have most services disabled, similar to a Lockdown state. While the effects of UA Bombing are not permanent and will reverse over time even without intervention, the suspension of vital station services for several weeks can be inconvenient.

UA Bombing requires a significant quantity of Thargoid Sensors, up to 100, though the number can vary. The Sensors must all be sold at the same station within the same week for the UA Bombing to be successful. Once enough Sensors are sold, the station will experience "technical issues" and be "on the brink of closure". At this time, selling thousands of units of [[Meta-Alloys]] at that station before the next weekly server downtime period can counteract the Sensors and prevent the shutdown entirely. If no action is taken, then after the weekly server downtime the station will be forced to shutdown. If this occurs, the station will automatically begin repairing itself, but the process will take several weeks on its own. Meta-Alloys can be sold there to increase the pace of repairs and shorten the shutdown period.

==Timeline==

[[File:Thargoid-Sensor-in-Space.png|thumb|250px|Thargoid Sensor in space]]

{{Quote|Only recently discovered, these mysterious artifacts currently have no designation. Despite much conjecture as to the nature of these objects, it appears that the scientific community is unwilling or unable to openly identify the artifacts' origins. Such mystery only serves to make these objects more widely sought after by wealthy individuals and organisations alike, no matter that their unidentified status automatically prohibits them from being sold on any legal market.|Original In-Game Description for Unknown Artefacts/Thargoid Sensors}}

===3301===
'''13 March''': The Unknown Artefact appeared for the first time as cargo on board the ship in the official 1.2 Wings trailer.<ref name=":3">[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=23GEX4pYL9w Elite: Dangerous Wings Trailer], Frontier Developments, YouTube, 2015-03-13</ref>

'''14 March''': Strange chatter in a Federal Convoy in the Tanmark system reported on Reddit.<ref>[http://www.reddit.com/r/EliteDangerous/comments/2z0w6g/thargoid_transport_in_tanmark/ Thargoid transport in Tanmark?], elgraf, Reddit, 2015-03-14 15:14 GMT</ref>

'''28 April''': Dr. Arcanonn asks a simple question and starts the longest thread in Elite Dangerous Forums' history (now closed) which reached almost 10k posts and had to be redirected to a new thread.<ref>[https://forums.frontier.co.uk/showthread.php?p=2160913#post2160913 Soontill Relics, the Regor Permit Sector and DB's cryptic hints....], Michael Brookes, Elite: Dangerous Forums, 2015-04-28 11:30 GMT</ref><ref>[https://forums.frontier.co.uk/showthread.php?t=162998 Unknown Artefact (or artifact) Community Thread - The Canonn], Elite: Dangerous Forums, 2015-07-02 6:28 GMT</ref>

'''28 April''': Michael Brookes comes into the forum thread and says "Have you listened to them? Garbled Morse code has since been discovered to be in the 'Chittering' part of the sound;<ref name=":1">[https://forums.frontier.co.uk/showthread.php?t=162998&p=2507590&viewfull=1#post2507590 Unknown Artefact (or artifact) Community Thread - The Canonn], Jmanis, Elite: Dangerous Forums, 2015-07-07 10:48 GMT</ref> A [[/List of recordings/]] (video and audio) has been compiled.

'''30 April''': YouTube video posted by a user who had previously posted a UA hoax, so nobody believed it.<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8bAKBADBzC8 Unknown Artifact], Elite Mystery Solver, YouTube, 2015-04-30</ref>

'''4 May''': Wishblend finds the first UA in 109 Virginis, but unfortunately doesn't get it.<ref>[https://forums.frontier.co.uk/showthread.php?t=141038&p=2187286&viewfull=1#post2187286], Wishblend, Elite: Dangerous Forums, 2015-05-04 12:08 GMT</ref> Henceforth officially celebrated as UA Day across the galaxy, and the official title of UA Seeker was born. That afternoon, a further number were spotted but RedWizzard finally managed to actually grab one in Timocani.<ref>[https://forums.frontier.co.uk/showthread.php?t=141038&p=2187567&viewfull=1#post2187567 Soontill Relics, the Regor Permit Sector and DB's cryptic hints....], RedWizzard, Elite: Dangerous Forums, 2015-05-04 13:10 GMT</ref>

'''4 May''': ''[Player Submitted]'' GalNet reports baffled 'scientists' (players involved in the search and recovery UAs) having found an Unknown Artefact.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/galnet/uid/86f2081368ff47d51ff9239e8b2f75bc16e34af8 Scientists Baffled by Mysterious Artefacts], GalNet News, 3301-05-04</ref>

'''7 May''': ''[Player Submitted]'' Dr. Arcanonn challenges President Halsey about UAs. <ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/galnet/uid/e4997791212280957af91846c238aef9b78d15d8 Arcanonn Challenges Halsey], GalNet News, 3301-05-07</ref>

'''8 May''': Two sightings of UA Convoys by CMDR Nilreb in Blatrimpe.<ref>[http://imgur.com/a/dDJrg Find convoi Blatrimpe 08.05.3301], Imgur, 2015-07-04 09:00 GMT</ref><ref>[http://imgur.com/a/oKNja UA_hunt_#2], Imgur, 2015-07-04 09:21 GMT</ref>

'''15 May''': Another UA Convoy sighting, this time in HIP 102128.<ref>[https://www.reddit.com/r/EliteDangerous/comments/363y6k/unknown_artifact_found_in_imperial_convoy/ Unknown Artifact found in Imperial Convoy], montiofwhitehat, Reddit, 2015-05-16 22:28 GMT</ref>

'''17 May''': ''[Player Submitted]'' Dr. Arcanonn accuses the [[Federation]] of a cover-up of the UAs.<ref name="community.elitedangerous.com">[https://community.elitedangerous.com/galnet/uid/c07072d20059e82cfa731acf8469dd104a7f88fc Federation Accused of Cover-up], GalNet News, 3301-05-17</ref>

'''18 May''': Analysis of [[Soontill Relics]] finds no direct link to humans or Thargoids, further tests planned.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/galnet/uid/2ff0af566b06e051c2af52cd02a467351b449535 Soontill Relics Test Results Queried], GalNet News, 3301-05-18</ref>

'''20 May''': ''[Player Submitted]'' Tonnes of [[Biowaste]] dropped at 78 Ursae Majoris in protest against Federal cover-up of the UA, Dr. Arcanonn denies links with the action.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/galnet/uid/32edcb230646f31c35f0edc87880b5f692f33452 Anti-Federation Terrorists Linked to Artefact Research], GalNet News, 3301-05-20</ref>

'''23 May''': ''[Player Submitted]'' A weird message is broadcast from someone somewhere trying to say something negative about the 'scientists' efforts.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/galnet/uid/a817ba0a6348b4d65e6ca77a171aa300d2998ef9 Extraordinary Transmission Contesting Dr Arcanonn], GalNet News, 3301-05-23</ref>

'''28/29 May''': Conspiracy theories abound concerning the recent disappearance of [[Starship One]] and President Halsey.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/galnet/uid/8b77b16c574e3d023419b49c2a0a662d6bcc7cea The Truth is Out There], GalNet News, 3301-05-28</ref>

'''22 June''': CMDR MahdDogg publishes his panel discussion about Powerplay, in which CMDR Kerrash mentions that "about the whole UA thing, there ''is'' something behind that, but no one has figured it out yet" (29m 30s) and that "[Frontier] have put some really obvious [clues] in there and we don't want to put anything else in" for fear of spoiling what is to come in the future.<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hYWolEEM_e0 State of the Game - Elite: Dangerous Panel Discussion], Mahd Dogg, YouTube, 2015-06-22</ref>

'''27 June''': CMDR Kerrash talks about various things, including Thargoid conjecture ("They are coming"), and that the UA and confirms there is something to it, and that "if any people watching have got in with the UA thing and got halfway in and not looked into it anymore, please pleeease carry on looking, there is something there, there is an interesting secret there, please look, and the SAP 8 containers as well, there is something going on, don't give up!".<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4RD6rmO_28s?t=10m53s Elite: Dangerous - Kerrash Landing #110 - 2/2], Kerrash Landing, YouTube, 2015-06-27</ref>

'''5 July''': CMDR Kerrash comes into the new thread, asks "Has anybody cracked it yet?", when gently prodded follows up with "Frontier did not spend all this effort in making a wild goose chase, I would imagine quite the fanfare when the truth is uncovered. BTW Are we even sure it is Morse code?" and "Yes there is more to it, I will see if I can get FD to drop another hint".<ref>[https://forums.frontier.co.uk/showthread.php?t=162998&p=2502255&viewfull=1#post2502255 Unknown Artefact (or artifact) Community Thread - The Canonn], Kerrash, Elite: Dangerous Forums, 2015-07-05 18:33 GMT</ref><ref name=":2">https://forums.frontier.co.uk/showthread.php?t=162998&p=2502284&viewfull=1#post2502284</ref>

'''6 July''': CMDR Branch finds another UA.<ref>[https://forums.frontier.co.uk/showthread.php?t=162998&p=2503739&viewfull=1#post2503739 Unknown Artefact (or artifact) Community Thread - The Canonn], mrtree, Elite: Dangerous Forums, 2015-07-06 04:22 GMT</ref>

'''10 July''': [player submitted] UA Scientists claim a breakthrough that the UA broadcasts its closest celestial body (or station) in a form of Morse code.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/galnet/uid/559fde649657ba225a47e853 Breakthrough in Artefact Research?], GalNet News, 3301-07-10</ref>

'''14 July''': CMDR Patau82 spots another convoy in Timocani, but unfortunately fails to grab it.<ref>[https://forums.frontier.co.uk/showthread.php?t=162998&p=2542242&viewfull=1#post2542242 Unknown Artefact (or artifact) Community Thread - The Canonn], Patau82, Elite: Dangerous Forums, 2015-07-15 23:57 GMT</ref>

'''17 July''': CMDR Kerrash briefly mentions the UA hunt again in his stream.<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VaNKzXqZHg4#t=1289 Elite: Dangerous - Kerrash Landing #112], Kerrash Landing, YouTube, 2015-07-17</ref>

'''19 July''': CMDR Branch finds another UA, the first known commander to retrieve two. This replaced one he had loaned to CMDR Zenith, which was lost to a player killer (not pirate).<ref>[https://forums.frontier.co.uk/showthread.php?t=162998&p=2561730&viewfull=1#post2561730 Unknown Artefact (or artifact) Community Thread - The Canonn], mrtree, Elite: Dangerous Forums, 2015-07-19 07:20 GMT</ref>

'''23 July''': CMDR Britain finds an Unknown Artefact.<ref>[https://forums.frontier.co.uk/showthread.php?t=162998&page=279&p=2583760#post2583760], bitstorm, Elite: Dangerous Forums, 2015-07-23 22:57 GMT</ref>

'''25 July''': CMDR Branch finds another UA, bringing the known possessed count back up to 3. This is also the third UA Branch has recovered.<ref>[https://forums.frontier.co.uk/showthread.php?t=162998&p=2593742&viewfull=1#post2593742 Unknown Artefact (or artifact) Community Thread - The Canonn], mrtree, Elite: Dangerous Forums, 2015-07-26 03:05 GMT</ref>

'''28 July:''' CMDR Blain Crighton & his wing manage to obtain two Unknown Artefacts from the same convoy.<ref group="nb">Obtaining two Unknown Artefacts from the same convoy may be the result of a P2P bug</ref> One of theirs was accidentally crushed after being released in a station, the other was sold at Leonard Nimoy Memorial Station.<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O_J6apLfs1I Selling UA at LNS], Blain Crighton, YouTube, 2015-07-28</ref>

'''15 August:''' CMDR Boblit67 discovers the first free-floating Unknown Artefact in a signal source in HR 1185. This is also the first Unknown Artefact obtained by an Xbox One player of Elite Dangerous.<ref>[http://xboxdvr.com/gamer/Boblit67/video/6970550 Unknown Artefact], Boblit67, XboxDVR, 2015-08-15 01:51 GMT</ref>

'''13 October:''' Canonn Interstellar Research Group Announces Breakthrough.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/galnet/uid/561b89a49657bac839202698 Canonn Interstellar Research Group Announces Breakthrough], GalNet, 3301-10-13</ref>

'''16 October:''' Technical Trouble in the Warkushanui System.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/galnet/uid/5620c2b49657bafa242a1853 Technical Trouble in the Warkushanui System], GalNet, 3301-10-28</ref>

'''22 October:''' Technical Issues in Warkushanui Intensify.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/galnet/uid/56290ddb9657baad39c6c8a7 Technical Issues in Warkushanui Intensify], GalNet, 3301-10-22</ref>

'''23 October:''' Technical Trouble in 49 Arietis.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/galnet/uid/5629fd9e9657bab139c6c8a7 Technical Trouble in 49 Arietis], GalNet, 3301-10-23</ref>

'''26 October:''' Federation Scientist Ishmael Palin Initiates Independent Research Program.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/galnet/uid/562dfb949657ba7166c8185b Federation Scientist Initiates Independent Research Programme], GalNet, 3301-10-26</ref>

'''28 October:''' Station Services Suspended at Gurragchaa Gateway.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/galnet/uid/5630a73e9657ba8066c8185c Station Services Suspended at Gurragchaa Gateway], GalNet, 3301-10-28</ref>

'''29 October:''' Technical Issues in 64 Arietis.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/galnet/uid/5631f2919657bafb4ac8185b Technical Issues in 64 Arietis], GalNet, 3301-10-29</ref>

'''29 October:''' CIRG Researcher Addresses Artefact Developments.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/galnet/uid/5631fca59657bad642c8185c CIRG Researcher Addresses Artefact Developments], GalNet, 3301-10-29</ref>

'''2 November:''' Trouble in Varati.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/galnet/uid/563799119657ba15025fe4ab Trouble in Varati], GalNet News, 3301-11-02</ref>

'''16 November:''' Market Value of Unknown Artefacts Increases.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/galnet/uid/564a172f9657ba1b090ca1ed Market Value of Unknown Artefacts Increases], GalNet News, 3301-11-16</ref>

'''19 November:''' More Malfunction Reports.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/galnet/uid/564dbc539657bacd1c4355aa More Malfunction Reports], GalNet News, 3301-11-19</ref>

'''25 November:''' Services Suspended at Gaiman Dock and Weyn Dock.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/galnet/uid/56558bf29657ba1573802b4d Services Suspended at Gaiman Dock and Weyn Dock], GalNet News, 3301-11-25</ref>

'''26 November:''' CIRG Sends Scientists to Bond Hub.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/galnet/uid/5656ec669657ba5f70802b4d CIRG Sends Scientists to Bond Hub], GalNet News, 3301-11-26</ref>

'''4 December:''' The Canonn Calls for Halt to Artefact Sales.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/galnet/uid/56617d6b9657ba562b10d8c3 The Canonn Calls for Halt to Artefact Sales], GalNet News, 3301-12-04</ref>

===3302===
'''4 January:''' Services Suspended at Gabriel Enterprise.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/galnet/uid/568a999f9657ba5e0986a8de Services Suspended at Gabriel Enterprise], GalNet News, 3302-01-04</ref>

'''7 January:''' Personnel at Obsidian Orbital Confirm Starport Still Operational.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/galnet/uid/568e88529657ba1123b1b422 Personnel at Obsidian Orbital Confirm Starport Still Operational], GalNet News, 3302-01-07</ref>

'''8 January:''' The Canonn Searching for Barnacles in the Pleiades.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/galnet/uid/568f9d899657bad51fb1b422 The Canonn Searching for Barnacles in the Pleiades], GalNet News, 3302-01-08</ref>

'''14 January:''' Obsidian Orbital Continuing to Deteriorate.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/galnet/uid/5697b7319657ba822748c09c Obsidian Orbital Continuing to Deteriorate], GalNet News, 3302-01-14</ref>

'''15 January:''' Alien 'Barnacles' Discovered in the Pleiades.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/galnet/uid/5698e0529657ba4b5ba11205 Alien 'Barnacles' Discovered in the Pleiades], GalNet News, 3302-01-15</ref>

'''15 January:''' Good News from Obsidian Orbital.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/galnet/uid/5699164d9657ba837da11204 Good News from Obsidian Orbital], GalNet News, 3302-01-15]</ref>

'''20 January:''' More Starports Fall Victim to Technological Plague.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/galnet/uid/569f610b9657ba7d3461ba04 More Starports Fall Victim to Technological Plague], GalNet News, 3302-01-20</ref>

'''21 January:''' Community Goal: Professor Ishmael Palin Issues Request for Meta-Alloys.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/galnet/uid/56a0efd59657ba7d3461ba05 Community Goal: Professor Ishmael Palin Issues Request for Meta-Alloys], GalNet News, 3302-01-21</ref>

'''20 May:''' Malfunctioning Starports Restored with Meta-Alloys.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/galnet/uid/573f15a09657bad96f9b0b7c Galactic News: Malfunctioning Starports Restored with Meta-Alloys], GalNet News, 3302-05-20</ref>

'''26 May:''' Galactic News: No Sign of [[Jaques Station]].<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5746c56b9657ba1270c36567 Galactic News: No Sign of Jaques Station], GalNet News, 3302-05-26</ref>

'''1 July:''' Freelance Report: The Jaques Rescue Mission.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5774ed339657ba7731d2ca7c Freelance Report: The Jaques Rescue Mission], GalNet News, 3302-07-01</ref>

'''30 August:''' Prospects for Malfunctioning Starports Improving.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/57c59f519657ba8d2a46a7da Galactic News: Prospects for Malfunctioning Starports Improving], GalNet News, 3302-08-30</ref>

===3303===
'''19 January:''' Community Goal: Sirius Corp. to Address Unknown-Artefact Issue.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5880da949657ba500a8c0274 Community Goal: Sirius Corp. to Address Unknown-Artefact Issue], GalNet News, 3303-01-19</ref>

'''24 January:''' Starport Status Update.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/58876d569657ba8c1ac2d313 Galactic News: Starport Status Update], GalNet, 3303-01-24</ref>

'''1 December:''' Community Goal: Rogue Runners Appeal.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5a201ddd00562b2686654fdc Community Goal: Rogue Runners Appeal], GalNet, 3303-12-01</ref>

===3304===
'''1 February:''' Galactic Community Comes to Aid of Dove Enigma.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5a71bb0545e8214e4a4f1682 Galactic Community Comes to Aid of Dove Enigma], GalNet, 3304-02-01</ref>

== Notes ==
<references group="nb" />

== Videos ==
<gallery>
File:Elite_Dangerous_-_Epic_History_of_The_Unknown_Artefact
File:Elite Dangerous UA Features
File:Elite_Dangerous_-_Unknown_Artifact
</gallery>

== Gallery ==
<gallery>
File:Thargoid-Sensor-in-Space.png|Thargoid Sensor in space
File:UA-Merope.jpg |Unknown Artefact found on Merope 5 C
20160712135018_1.jpg|Unknown Artefact illuminated by an A-Type star in front of an Asp Explorer
20160712134938_1.jpg|Unknown Artefact in HIP 14479
Sensor.png|Thargoid Sensor Blueprint
Ua-convoyB.jpg
Ua-convoyA.jpg
Ua-chat-text.png|NPC chat at a Military Convoy transporting a UA
UADegradation.png|Unknown Artefact degradation over time. A UA can survive 6m40s before exploding.
</gallery>

== References ==
<references />

{{Thargoids}}
[[Category:Commodities]]
[[Category:Alien life]]
[[Category:Thargoids]]

Galaxy

2018-04-18T02:05:04Z

2601:648:8200:1C8E:6172:D121:9582:5D0B: /* Brown dwarf layer */

[[File:Elite-Dangerous-Milky-Way-Galaxy.png|thumb|300px|Milky Way galaxy in Elite Dangerous]]

[[Elite Dangerous]] has a vast 1:1 scale simulation of the Milky Way galaxy based on real scientific principles, current scientific data and theories. It includes around 400 billion star systems. The galaxy is modeled on current galactic charts. [[Elite: Dangerous FAQ#Will planets rotate and orbit around stars.3F|Planets and moons rotate and orbit with 1:1 scale in real-time]] thus constantly changing a system's environment. There are 57 [[Galactic Regions]] and 9 major galactic arms.

[[Elite: Dangerous FAQ#I have heard that the "Elite" series have no actual storyline. Is that true?|Elite Dangerous features an immersive, evolving galaxy with dynamic societies, economy and stories]], allowing pilots to join each other and influence the overarching narrative via the [[Background simulation|background sim]] in the Milky Way.

[[File:Terrestrial planet brown dwarf.png|thumb|200px|Terrestrial planet and a brown dwarf.]]

* The vast 1:1 scale Milky Way galaxy is based on real scientific principles, current scientific data and theories. It's created using a mix of [[Procedural Generation|procedural generation]] and artist direction. It has realistic astrophysics and scale.

* Around 400 billion [[Star Systems|star systems]] according to current scientific theories of star system formation with planets and moons that orbit and rotate.<ref>www.elitedangerous.com</ref><ref>https://www.polygon.com/2014/12/4/7333709/elite-dangerous-milky-way-stellar-forge-human-cruelty</ref> It includes well known systems like [[Sol]] and [[Alpha Centauri]]. Some systems have multiple [[stars]].
* Groundbreaking in that it's based on a lot of hard science with all sorts of star surveys that are fixed and merged to for the first time in gaming history compose a very consistent model of the Milky Way galaxy and it's rich enough to plot the night sky.<ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rOYhoFYIWmw</ref>
* [http://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/15od2s/i_am_david_braben_cocreator_of_elite_creator_of/c7qbhd8 Cosmic phenomena], all different kinds of [[stars]], [[Star Systems|star systems]], [[Black Holes|black holes]], detailed [[planets]], [[moons]], [[mountains]], [[canyons]], [[craters]], [[Planetary Ring Systems|planetary ring systems]], [[Star Rise|star rise]] etc.
* Specially handcrafted overrides for [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LbPSjOSXpw4&t=165 160,000 known stars in the night sky] and planetary objects that we know and love. For example, our solar system [[Sol]] with [[Earth]], the [[Sol/Moon|Moon]] and [[Mars]]. There are systems with recently discovered planets such as [[Trappist-1]].
* [http://elite-dangerous.wikia.com/wiki/Category:Alien_life Alien life] such as [[Fungal Life|fungal life]].
* 141 [[nebula]] in the Milky Way [[galaxy]].
* [[Star Cluster|Star Clusters]] with rich survey data opportunities.
* 32 other galaxies are visible from the Milky Way.
* Several sapient [[species]] in the galaxy. The most notable are [[Human|Humans]], [[Thargoids]] and [[Guardians]]. More sapient species are yet to be discovered.
* 57 [[Galactic Regions]], 9 major galactic arms and the [[Galactic Plane]].

== Milky Way Galaxy ==

[[File:Milky-Way-Panorama-1500ly-Above-Galactic-Plane.png|thumb|250px|Milky Way Panorama 1500ly above galactic plane]]

Elite Dangerous players are the first people to experience interstellar travel. The sky is not a painted backdrop, you can travel to each and every star you see. The constellations change with parallax as you explore the galaxy, and the night sky viewed from Earth is, of course, accurate.<ref name=":0">[https://www.elitedangerous.com/en/features/our-galaxy Elite Dangerous: Our Galaxy]</ref>

We achieved this by starting with as much information as we could gather about the 160,000 known star systems from our galaxy.<ref name=":0" />

We know the temperature, size and metallicity (the periodic elements that make up the star's composition) of those stars. And we also know the mass distribution of the Milky Way.<ref name=":0" />

Our unique [[Stellar Forge]] system takes that information, rolls time backwards toward the Big Bang, and simulates from there the composition of hundreds of thousands of celestial bodies using the first principles that astrophysicists believe govern our universe. It uses the nebula hypothesis to simulate the composition and orbit of all the undiscovered stars, exoplanets, moons and black holes in our Milky Way galaxy.<ref name=":0" />

We end up with a huge amount of technical information about each star and its planets, moons and asteroid fields, such as temperature, chemical composition and orbit.<ref name=":0" />

[[File:Planet_lights_ring_system.png|thumb|200px|Planet with city lights and a ring system.]]

This delivers both an incredibly accurate and beautiful cosmic ballet, with all the motions of the celestial bodies correct, and is also the foundation for the different economies of each system in-game.<ref name=":0" />

The [[Galaxy Map]] is used to navigate through the Milky Way galaxy. The [[System Map]] displays a system's layout and information. Any discovered celestial and system information is documented on the [[System Map]].

== '''Planets''' ==
[[File:Terrestrial planet and a Cobra.jpg|thumb|200px|Terrestrial planet and a Cobra]]For Planetary Landings we've extended the simulation still further. We take into account the factors that govern the formation of [[planets]], from the basic chemical composition, size, neighbouring moons and tectonic activity.<ref name=":0" />

We simulate the compression of tectonic plates, so we can see where they'd move together and move apart. That creates where ridges are formed, mountains, or canyons and trenches.<ref name=":0" />

We simulate impact [[craters]], volcanism and ageing. The minerals and elements making up the planet determine its appearance and colors.<ref name=":0" />

You can seamlessly approach and land anywhere on a 1:1 scale planet and experience every square meter of terrain first-hand, either flying your ship close to the mountains and in the canyons, or landing and driving your SRV.<ref name=":0" />

[[File:Gas_Giant_SRV_ASP.jpg|thumb|200px|Gas Giant SRV and Asp]]

And again the simulation feeds directly into gameplay, with resources to be collected and synthesized, huge surface starports to trade in, shipwrecks to explore and fortified settlements to be defeated.<ref name=":0" />

== Nebula ==
People have found 141 [[nebula]] in the Milky Way galaxy and 32 external galaxies. They are all present in-game. The distances range from 380 light years from [[Sol]] to the Pleiades Nebula and up to 27,900 light years to the G2 dust cloud.

== Core Systems ==
[[File:Elite_Dangerous_Powerplay_Bubble.jpg|thumb|200px|The bubble is where powers compete for influence, resources, territory and control.]]

The [[Core Systems]] also known as The Bubble is a sphere of about 150 light years around [[Sol]] with 19 thousand inhabited systems where [[power]]s compete for influence, resources, territory and control. The territory volume is about 13.8 million cubic light years, and encompasses over 20,000 inhabited systems with over 66,000 [[Station|stations]], [[starport|starports]] and [[Outpost|outposts]].

There are [[Asteroid Base|Asteroid Bases]] in deep space. Major hubs of human expansion outside the Core Systems are the [[Pleiades Nebula]] and [[Colonia Region]].

== '''Population''' ==
The galaxy's total NPC system population was approximately '''6,632,313,733,791''' NPCs on January 12, 3303. Executive Producer Michael Brookes confirmed the total number.<ref>[https://forums.frontier.co.uk/showthread.php/320952-(Quite)-Accurate-Total-NPC-Population-Numbers!?p=4997090&viewfull=1#post4997090 (Quite) Accurate Total NPC Population Numbers! - Confirmed by Michael Brookes.]
</ref>

The number is based on eddb.io data, so it depends on when a system was last updated. The number was derived from downloaded the data from eddb.io. Here are the bash commands that jasch used.

Code:
#!/bin/env bash
wget https://eddb.io/archive/v5/systems_populated.jsonl
cat systems_populated.jsonl | sed "s/.*\"population\"\://g;s/\,\".*//g" > popnum
awk '{ sum += $1 } END { print sum }' popnums
Credits: Olivia Vespera - original idea, got jasch to calc the number
eddb.io - providing the data community - filling eddb with data.

As of 3304 CE, the known galactic population is '''6,632,513,314,626''' '''people'''. The current commodities stock in the galactic market is 88,885,852,514 '''tons'''.<ref>[https://www.edsm.net/ Elite Dangerous Star map]</ref>

== Hard Science ==

[[File:Viper Ring system.png|thumb|200px|Viper in a ring system.]]

Elite Dangerous is groundbreaking in that it's based on a lot of hard science with all sorts of star surveys that are fixed and merged to for the first time in gaming history compose a very consistent model of the Milky Way galaxy and it's rich enough to plot the night sky.

During a keynote presentation at Nordic Game 2014 David Braben said ''"We've taken a lot of hard science to compose the galaxy so everybody that's in all sorts of star surveys we've merged with fixed errors in the star surveys and so in one place, possibly for the first time we've got a very consistent model of the galaxy and it's rich enough that we can plot the night sky. But when we plotted the night sky as viewed from Earth it's really bright and it actually doesn't look right. So what we've then done is we've tuned the dust so that it actually matches the night sky when viewed from [[Earth]]. What's interesting is there is way more dust than most scientific theories say there should be. But we can tell by just wondering outside on a clear day and looking know that's what it should be so we are actually looking at that from sort of first principles. There really is a lot of dust, but the great thing from a game point of view is it actually makes the night sky very interesting. So you don't need to fly very far in game terms from Earth for the night sky to change quite dramatically. So for those who've played it we've actually put in most of the earth centric constellations in the sky, but when you travel a little away they all distort, but more important we are bang in the middle of this dust. So your night sky is quite dark, but if you go say a hundred light years directly out of the galactic plane it’s a bit like poking up. When you're on a plane taking off from an airport, you get that amazing view when you come out of the clouds looking out of the window and you suddenly see right across. That's what it's like and some of the systems, [[Achenar]] for example is the center of the Empire and a giant system which is actually out of the galactic plane so you can see across to the galaxy just a little bit it's just wonderful."<ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rOYhoFYIWmw</ref>''

== Exploration ==

[[File:Elite-Dangerous-Traffic-Report-April-3303.png|thumb|200px|Galactic Traffic Report April 3303]]

Michael Brooks said on the morning of March 17, 2016 approximately 30 million 851 thousand 973 systems were explored by people. That's 0.0077% of the Milky Way galaxy.<ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gaoem7l1Qwg starts at 17 mins</ref> It will take approximately 49,100 years to discover it entirely.<ref name=":0" />

As of March 2, 2018 Commanders have discovered 112,863,791 individual [[star system|star systems]], which is only 0.028% of the systems in the galaxy.<ref>https://twitter.com/EliteDangerous/status/969618512909078528</ref> Over 20,262,978,541 light-years have been [[hyperspace|hyperspaced]] since [[Elite Dangerous]] was released.<ref>https://twitter.com/EliteDangerous/status/969890146970726402</ref>

[https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNYe622-pi87uSnryKB1Xag EDSM] made traffic report videos which show ship movement and exploration in the galaxy. It's based on data taken from EDSM flight logs. ED-Board made an ''Elite: Dangerous Heatmap timelapse'' generated from the [http://www.edsm.net edsm.net] database (systems data submitted by E:D players) to show progress of the Milky Way exploration. Check the [[explorer]] page for more information.

<gallery hideaddbutton="true">
Elite_Dangerous_State_of_the_Galaxy
Elite_Dangerous_-_Exploration_Heatmap_timelapse
</gallery>

=== Brown dwarf layer ===
There is a layer of systems throughout the galaxy that has a very high density of brown dwarf stars. The layer is located approximately on the galactic plane. This represents a hazard to exploration navigation because it contains very few scoopable penis.

== Online ==
[[File:Gas_Giant_Ring_system_SRV.jpg|thumb|200px|Gas giant with a ring system and SRV.]]The online galaxy of '''[http://elite.frontier.co.uk/ Elite: Dangerous]''' is a shared universe maintained by a central server. All of the meta data for the galaxy is shared between players on all platforms. This includes the galaxy itself as well as transient information like economies. The aim here is that a player's actions will influence the development of the galaxy, without necessarily having to play multiplayer.

The other important aspect for the developers is that they can seed the galaxy with events, often these events will be triggered by player actions. With a living breathing galaxy players can discover new and interesting things long after they have started playing.

The game features a shared persistent galaxy server, where macro effects and [[Elite: Dangerous FAQ#I have heard that the .22Elite.22 series have no actual storyline. Is that true.3F|events such as economy, society and war status]] etc. are recorded.

[[Powerplay]] is an ongoing battle for interstellar conquest and control in the [[galaxy]]. [[Power]]s are powerful individuals and organizations which players can pledge allegiance to help guide their strategy, and take on special objectives to advance shared goals. Player choices and actions have a direct and visible impact on the balance of galactic power.

The server transparently creates free roaming sessions (instances) when meeting other players and [http://forums.frontier.co.uk/showthread.php?t=7494 NPCs] within that galaxy based on a perception bubble around you, that is defined by your scanner/visual range. That means that those [http://www.wowwiki.com/Instance_limitations#Player_Limitations instances are '''not''' a fixed location in space as in most other MMOs], but they dynamically move around. The effects of those instances are then stored on the central galaxy server and shared by everybody.

[[File:Nebula and SRV.jpg|thumb|200px|Nebula and SRV.]]

Because the game features very high speed twitch combat and very detailed damage models, this is the most reliable way to do it, also keep in mind there can be many sessions within a star system and those sessions can dynamically move around, also because this game uses a [[Elite: Dangerous FAQ#How big will planets and star systems.C2.A0be.3F|1:1 scale Milky Way galaxy]], sessions will typically be spread out much farther away [[Elite: Dangerous FAQ#How are players going to meet each other in such a huge galaxy.3F|(although most of the action will be within the core systems)]] and it wouldn't be immersion breaking as opposed to a space game in a smaller area.

== Persistent Data ==
Every week the servers go offline to allow the Galaxy's persistent data to update:<ref>https://www.reddit.com/r/EliteDangerous/comments/7damhz/weekly_server_the_milky_way_will_be_going_offline/</ref>
* [[Star Systems|Star System]] & [[Station]]/[[Outpost]] ruling [[Minor Faction|minor factions]], alignment, and available [[commodities]] & services
* [[Powerplay]] Control/Exploited Systems
* Addition of new [[Community Goals]]
The update usually takes between 30 and 60 minutes, during which time you cannot login to the Milky Way.

== Lore ==

The official [[Elite Dangerous Role Playing Game|Elite: Dangerous Role Playing Game]] has in-depth lore about the universe of Elite: Dangerous. Here's a summary:

Cheap and faster than light travel has enabled humanity to expand across the stars. They've built colonies, cities, stations and empires. This led to the rise of galactic superpowers: the [[Federation]], [[Empire]] and [[Alliance]]. The galaxy's vast wealth of minerals, water and life-bearing planets makes them wealthier every day. Such wealth of the major [[factions]] attracts [[power|powerful people]] who scheme daily to gain power.<ref name=":1" />

The Middle-classes can afford spaceships like cars in the 20th century. This gives them tremendous freedom. Space trade is seldom hampered by politics. Pilots are encouraged to do all kinds of jobs such as supplying [[Station|stations]]. Little has changed for those in the bottom of society since the old-[[Earth]]'s dark ages. The planet-spanning mega [[corporations]] employ entire nations and rule unchecked over vast sections of the galaxy. Weapons are readily available and people are inclined to shoot first. The general lawlessness of space, inequality, greed of the galactic elite, navigational hazards and fierce creatures on [[planets]] make it a dangerous galaxy.<ref name=":1">https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/edrpg/elite-dangerous-role-playing-game</ref>

== Visible Galaxies ==
[[File:External_Galaxies_Below_Andromeda.png|thumb|200px|Visible Galaxies below Andromeda.]]A total of 32 galaxies have been identified by CMDR Dr. Kaii (including dwarf and irregular galaxies). The nearest galaxy is the Large Magellanic Cloud at 158,200 light years. The furthest is NGC 6703 at 106 million light years.<ref>[https://forums.frontier.co.uk/showthread.php?t=202295 List and Sky Charts of other Visible Galaxies in Elite]
</ref>

This table gives an overview of visible galaxies.

{| class="wikitable sortable mw-collapsible" border="1"
!'''Name'''
!'''Other Designations'''
!'''Type'''
!'''Number of Stars*'''
!'''Direction'''
!'''Distance (ly)**'''
|-
|Large Magellanic Cloud
|Nubecula Major
|Irr
|20 billion
|[https://forums.frontier.co.uk/attachment.php?attachmentid=77091&d=1448165198 Towards the Magellanic Clouds]
|158,200
|-
|Small Magellanic Cloud
|Nubecula Minor / NGC 292
|Irr
|3 billion
|[https://forums.frontier.co.uk/attachment.php?attachmentid=77091&d=1448165198 Towards the Magellanic Clouds]
|199,000
|-
|Ursa Minor Dwarf3
|
|E5
|7 million
|[https://forums.frontier.co.uk/attachment.php?attachmentid=77093&d=1448165213 West Up]
|200,000
|-
|Sextans Dwarf
|Sextans I
|E4
|25 million
|[https://forums.frontier.co.uk/attachment.php?attachmentid=77090&d=1448165195 East Up]
|290,000
|-
|Sculptor Dwarf
|ESO 351-30
|E0
|50 million
|[https://forums.frontier.co.uk/attachment.php?attachmentid=77091&d=1448165198 Towards the Magellanic Clouds]
|290,000
|-
|Carina Dwarf
|
|E3
|35 million
|[https://forums.frontier.co.uk/attachment.php?attachmentid=77091&d=1448165198 Towards the Magellanic Clouds]
|330,000
|-
|Fornax Dwarf
|
|E4
|130 million
|[https://forums.frontier.co.uk/attachment.php?attachmentid=77091&d=1448165198 Towards the Magellanic Clouds]
|460,000
|-
|Leo II
|DDO 93
|E0
|90 million
|[https://forums.frontier.co.uk/attachment.php?attachmentid=77090&d=1448165195 East Up]
|690,000
|-
|Leo I
|DDO 74
|E3
|40 million
|[https://forums.frontier.co.uk/attachment.php?attachmentid=77090&d=1448165195 East Up]
|820,000
|-
|NGC 6822
|IC 4895 / MCG -2-50-6 / DDO 209
|Irr
|700 million
|[https://forums.frontier.co.uk/attachment.php?attachmentid=77092&d=1448165201 North Down]
|1,600,000
|-
|IC 10
|UGC 192 / MCG 192 / IRAS 177+5900
|Irr
|160 million
|[https://forums.frontier.co.uk/attachment.php?attachmentid=77087&d=1448165187 Above Andromeda]
|2,200,000
|-
|IC 1613
|UGC 668 / MCG 0-3-70 / DDO 8
|Irr
|2 billion
|[https://forums.frontier.co.uk/attachment.php?attachmentid=77088&d=1448165188 Below Andromeda]
|2,380,000
|-
|Andromeda I
|KK 8
|E0
|70 Million
|[https://forums.frontier.co.uk/attachment.php?attachmentid=77088&d=1448165188 Below Andromeda]
|2,400,000
|-
|Andromeda III
|KK 5
|E6
|8 Million
|[https://forums.frontier.co.uk/attachment.php?attachmentid=77088&d=1448165188 Below Andromeda]
|2,440,000
|-
|M32
|NCG 221 / UGC 452 / MCG 7-2-15
|E2
|1 billion
|[https://forums.frontier.co.uk/attachment.php?attachmentid=77088&d=1448165188 Below Andromeda]
|2,490,000
|-
|Andromeda
|M 31 / NGC 224 / UGC 454 / MCG 7-2-16
|Sb
|***1 trillion
|[https://forums.frontier.co.uk/attachment.php?attachmentid=77088&d=1448165188 Below Andromeda]
|2,500,000
|-
|Cassiopeia 1
|KK 19
|Irr
|6 billion
|[https://forums.frontier.co.uk/attachment.php?attachmentid=77087&d=1448165187 Above Andromeda]
|2,550,000
|-
|NGC 147 & NGC 185****
|
|E5 / E3
|1 billion
|[https://forums.frontier.co.uk/attachment.php?attachmentid=77087&d=1448165187 Above Andromeda]
|2,580,000
|-
|Leo A
|DDO 69
|Irr
|40 million
|[https://forums.frontier.co.uk/attachment.php?attachmentid=77090&d=1448165195 East Up]
|2,600,000
|-
|Triangulum
|M 33 / NGC 598 / UGC 1117 / MCG 5-4-69
|Sc
|***40 billion
|[https://forums.frontier.co.uk/attachment.php?attachmentid=77088&d=1448165188 Below Andromeda]
|3,000,000
|-
|Pegasus Dwarf
|DDO 216
|dIrr
|50 million
|[https://forums.frontier.co.uk/attachment.php?attachmentid=77088&d=1448165188 Below Andromeda]
|3,000,000
|-
|WLM
|Wolf-Lundmark-Melotte / DDO 221
|Irr
|830 million
|[https://forums.frontier.co.uk/attachment.php?attachmentid=77089&d=1448165189 Directly Down]
|3,000,000
|-
|Aquarius Dwarf
|DDO 210
|Irr
|8 million
|[https://forums.frontier.co.uk/attachment.php?attachmentid=77092&d=1448165201 North Down]
|3,200,000
|-
|Sagittarius DIG
|ESO 594-4
|Irr
|40 million
|[https://forums.frontier.co.uk/attachment.php?attachmentid=77092&d=1448165201 North Down]
|3,390,000
|-
|Antlia Dwarf
|PGC 29194
|E3
|50 million
|[https://forums.frontier.co.uk/attachment.php?attachmentid=77090&d=1448165195 East Up]
|4,000,000
|-
|NGC 3109
|ESO 499-36 / MCG -4-24-13 / UGCA 194
|Sb
|15 billion
|[https://forums.frontier.co.uk/attachment.php?attachmentid=77090&d=1448165195 East Up]
|4,300,000
|-
|Sextans A
|DDO 75
|Irr
|570 million
|[https://forums.frontier.co.uk/attachment.php?attachmentid=77090&d=1448165195 East Up]
|4,310,000
|-
|IC 5152
|ESO 237-27 / AM 2159-513 / IRAS 21594-5132
|Irr
|1 billion
|[https://forums.frontier.co.uk/attachment.php?attachmentid=77091&d=1448165198 Towards the Magellanic Clouds]
|5,800,000
|-
|Andromeda IV
|
|Irr
|600 million
|[https://forums.frontier.co.uk/attachment.php?attachmentid=77088&d=1448165188 Below Andromeda]
|6,100,000
|-
|NGC 404
|UGC 718 / MCG 6-3-18 / ZWG 520.20
|S0
|900 million
|[https://forums.frontier.co.uk/attachment.php?attachmentid=77088&d=1448165188 Below Andromeda]
|10,000,000
|-
|NGC 69462
|UGC 11597 / MCG 10-29-6 / ZWG 304.6
|SBc
|100 billion
|[https://forums.frontier.co.uk/attachment.php?attachmentid=77093&d=1448165213 West Up]
|22,000,000
|-
|NGC 69521
|NGC 6951 / UGC 11604 / MCG 11-25-2
|SBc
|170 billion
|[https://forums.frontier.co.uk/attachment.php?attachmentid=77093&d=1448165213 West Up]
|74,000,000
|-
|IC 15023
|UGC 12706 / UGC 12105 / MCG 13-1-2
|Sa
|7 billion
|[https://forums.frontier.co.uk/attachment.php?attachmentid=77093&d=1448165213 West Up]
|82,000,000
|-
|NGC 59851
|UGC 9969 / MCG 10-22-30 / ZWG 297.25
|SBb
|1 trillion
|[https://forums.frontier.co.uk/attachment.php?attachmentid=77093&d=1448165213 West Up]
|100,000,000
|-
|NGC 67032
|UGC 11356 / MCG 8-34-20 / ZWG 255.14
|S0
|110 billion
|[https://forums.frontier.co.uk/attachment.php?attachmentid=77093&d=1448165213 West Up]
|106,000,000
|}
<nowiki>*</nowiki>Taken from Space Engine (not reliable, but probably good estimates) <nowiki>**</nowiki>Almost all distances taken from Wikipedia. A few I had to find some papers or astronomy sites to get some of them from <nowiki>***</nowiki>Taken from Wikipedia - check source there <nowiki>****</nowiki>Physically paired galaxies1 Only one (or neither) of these is correct2 Only one (or neither) of these is correct3 Only one (or neither) of these is correct.

== References ==
<references />
[[Category:Gameplay]]

== Videos ==
<gallery hideaddbutton="true">
Elite_Dangerous_-_The_Galaxy
Elite_Dangerous_-_%22Collection_of_Wonders%22_-_Ringed_Neutron_Star_Elite_Dangerous_English
Wonders_of_the_Galaxy_15_-_Gamescom_Exclusive_EliteDangerous
Elite_Dangerous_Music_Video_-_Beauty_in_the_Chaos
Elite_Dangerous_-_Tales_from_the_Void_2_-_Remember_our_history,_remember_Sol
Elite_Dangerous_-_The_Journey_Itself_2
Elite_Dangerous_Horizons_-_Galaxy_In_Motion
Elite_Dangerous_-_Timelapse_-_The_Core_8
</gallery>

==Gallery==
<gallery>
Elite-Dangerous-Milky-Way-Galaxy.png|Milky Way galaxy in Elite Dangerous
Terrestrial_planet_brown_dwarf.png|Terrestrial planet and a brown dwarf.
Planet_lights_ring_system.png|Planet with city lights and a ring system.
Terrestrial_planet_and_a_Cobra.jpg|Terrestrial planet and a Cobra
Gas_Giant_SRV_ASP.jpg|Gas Giant SRV and Asp
Nebula_and_SRV.jpg|Nebula and SRV.
Elite_Dangerous_Powerplay_Bubble.jpg|The bubble is where powers compete for influence, resources, territory and control.
Gas_Giant_Ring_system_SRV.jpg|Gas giant with a ring system and SRV.
Elite-Dangerous-Traffic-Report-April-3303.png|Galactic Traffic Report April 3303
External_Galaxies_Below_Andromeda.png|Visible Galaxies below Andromeda.
Galaxies Magellanic Clouds.png|Visible Galaxies Towards Magellanic Clouds
Galaxies West up.png|Visible Galaxies West up
Galaxies East Up.png|Visible Galaxies East Up
Galaxies Above Andromeda.png|Visible Galaxies Above Andromeda
Galaxies North Down.png|Visible Galaxies North Down
Galaxies Directly Down.png|Visible Galaxies Directly Down
Elite-Dangerous-Galactic-Map.png|Elite Dangerous Galactic Map
Elite-Dangerous-Official-Star-Map-Poster.jpg|Elite Dangerous official Star Map poster
</gallery>

[[Category:Galaxy]]
[[Category:Galaxies]]
[[Category:Guides]]