Your ships need components in order to move and fight. There are several categories of component, each affecting your ships' performance in different ways. Within each category there are many individual components that can be researched and built.

For information on ships in general and how to design and build them see the Ships page. For lists of individual components and their stats view the Beams, Torpedoes and Other Components pages.

Engine	Engines are required for your ships to move, so a ship design must have an engine before it can be accepted as valid. Engines have a propulsion value that affects the final speed of the ship. This value is added the propulsion bonus of the ship class. Only one engine can be equipped on a single ship.
Armour	Armour increases the Armour Points of a ship, so your ship can survive longer in battle. The value is multiplied by the ship's class size, and added to the base Armour Points of the ship class. Only one type of armour can be equipped on a single ship.
Shield	Shields provide Shield Points for your ship, meaning a further line of defence from enemy attacks. The value is multiplied by the ship's class size. Shields normally take damage before the ship's armour, however some weapons can bypass shields. Shields also recover by 10% each turn, but only when the ship is not in a battle. Only one shield can be equipped on a single ship.
Battle Computers	Battle computers increase the accuracy of your ship's weapons, and therefore result in more damage done by your ship. Only one battle computer can be equipped on a single ship.
Beams	Beams type weapons fire a powerful beam that causes damage to enemy ships and orbital buildings. Multiple beams of the same or different types can be equipped on a single ship. Beams are affected by range, see the Weapons Rage section below for details.
Torpedoes	Torpedoes can be fired at enemy ships and orbital buildings in order to cause damage. Multiple torpedoes of the same or different types can be equipped on a single ship. Torpedoes are affected by range, see the Weapons Rages section below for details.
Bombs	Bombs are used for bombarding a planet. There are two categories of bombs. The first type causes damage to all targets on the ground, including buildings, population and troops. The second type are biological, and do not destroy buildings, but destroy population and troops only. See Bombardment section for more information. Multiple bombs of the same or different types can be equipped on a single ship.

Beams and torpedoes have a range. This affects the way that they work if they miss their target. Ranges also have an affect on overall accuracy of a weapon and can also be used strategically.

When a beam or a torpedo is fired, they will target the front of the enemy fleet. If the weapon misses however, they will be handled differently based on their range.

A short range weapon can only hit the front of a fleet, if it misses it is lost and has no effect.

If a mid range weapon misses the front line of ships, it will then move on to the middle of the fleet and have another chance of hitting a ship. It will not move on to back line though, and will have no effect if it misses again.

If a long range weapon misses the front line, like a mid range weapon, it will then move on to the middle of the fleet and have another chance of hitting a ship here. If it misses a second time, it will then move on to the back lines of the fleet and once again have a chance of hitting a ship. If it still missed the third time, then the weapon is lost and has no effect.