Supply & Communications Range

[Haldiron]

Yes, I did check the manual.

What does keeping a ship in supply range do? What are the exact penalties for a ship not being re-supplied? What happens when I send a ship outside of communications range? Also, in techs that enhance communication, their bonus goes from a range of 2 squares and increases.... what does that mean? Do I have to build an interstellar comm array somewhere?

[Zaimat]

Ships in supply range won't run out of supplies. It has to do with the logistics to keep them replenished with parts, fuel, ammo, crew.

Once you leave the normal supply range, supplies don't reach the ships on time. They will move slower and won't have enough parts to repair weapons and special systems (core systems will still be repaired).

Communication range affects giving orders to ships while they are in transit. If they are outside your Interstellar com range you have to wait until they stop moving (on arrival or when attacked). Com range also affects communications with other races (diplomacy).

Interstellar com increases your com range automatically as your tech increases in level, you won't need to do anything additional.

[Lithari]

Pretty as the chap above says, just hope that its enough range that the AI colony is within it, so you can quickly form some treaties to up the relationship before it ends in war, within like 5 turns or so.