What do Poison Ships actually do?

[Elixiar]

I got the impression my map (or at least the area around the ship) would become a dead wasteland.

I was a little disappointed when as far as I can tell, it creates a bit of snow and that's it.
In fact one fell near the perimeter of my colony but I left it alone because I liked the small region of persistent snow...
I have a feeling they are not supposed to be just for looks but it sure fees like it.

[TLHeart]

All of your crops will die to the spreading poison, outside, inside, does not matter.

[cultist]

I got the impression my map (or at least the area around the ship) would become a dead wasteland.

I was a little disappointed when as far as I can tell, it creates a bit of snow and that's it.
In fact one fell near the perimeter of my colony but I left it alone because I liked the small region of persistent snow...
I have a feeling they are not supposed to be just for looks but it sure fees like it.

As you said, they currently create a bit of snow that spreads fairly quickly and will eventually kill your crops. I believe the snow is a placeholder for something a bit more exciting like an actual poison effect or something. It's not quite the immediate danger that a psychic ship poses, but if you rely on growing crops at all, it's something you will have to deal with eventually.

[SlimeCrusher]

As you said, they currently create a bit of snow that spreads fairly quickly and will eventually kill your crops. I believe the snow is a placeholder for something a bit more exciting like an actual poison effect or something. It's not quite the immediate danger that a psychic ship poses, but if you rely on growing crops at all, it's something you will have to deal with eventually.

It's not the snow that kills. Crops get randomly destroyed if you leave poison ships hanging around for some time, even if the snow isn't touching them.
So if you want to be able to keep growing food, make sure to eliminate them once your crops start dying out of nowhere

[JimmyAgnt007]

I think snow and poison are separate, i seem to recall having no snow but plants and stuff died around it and stayed dead for a long time after.