Industry

Strikecraft Production
Post Count: 10 | Prerequisites: N/A

Little more than over glorified aircraft, they are the fighters and bombers of the space age.

Corvette Production
Post Count: 15 | Prerequisites: N/A

In many ways, Corvettes are the first starships of an empire, small and light. The weakest of all options they are still the first any empire would send forth.

Stellar Construction
Post Count: 10 | Prerequisites: N/A

The first space stations, usually nothing fancy, but there all the same, a new home in the stars. Grants access to Constructor and defensive platform templates.

Civilian Frames
Post Count: 10 | Prerequisites: N/A

Grants access to Civilian, Colonizer, Mining Barge and Freighter templates.

Frigate construction
Post Count: 20 | Prerequisites: N/A

If Corvette’s are the first starships, Frigates are the first workhorse. Not much of an improvement over corvette frames, they are none the less extremely useful.

Resupply Platforms
Post Count: 15 | Prerequisites: N/A

While docking and fueling strikecraft isn’t a problem, refueling and resupplying entire starships in the field can be. (Enables Raider Carrier and Mobile Shipyard templates)

Specialized Equipment Platforms
Post count: 15 | Prerequisites: N/A

Space is strange, strange enough that sometimes you need specialized equipment, this platform enables just that (Enables Special Systems Template)

Gen II Frigates
Post Count: 25 | Prerequisites: Frigate Construction

Already frigates are reaching into the next generation, Capable and efficient, the next generation is simpler to produce and more efficient with what mass they do use. (11DP per post for frigates)

Front line Designs
Post Count: 25 | Prerequisites: N/A

As with any reach into new frontiers, there comes a need for protection and firepower. Something more than easily delivered. (Enables Siege and Missile Boat templates)

Support Designs
Post Count: 20 | Prerequisites: N/A

Just as any force needs its soldiers, so too does it need support. Often be more complicated than anything else in the field, support is a sorely needed role. (Enables CnC, Area Defense, Electronic Warfare, and Transport templates)

Strike Platforms
Post Count: 20 | Prerequisites: N/A

Carriers, a staple of planetary naval forces, are quite tricky to develop let alone operate in space. A strong addition for those that do invest into them. (Enables Carrier and Battlecarrier templates, Allows Jump carrier with Deep Strike Gates)

Gen III Frigates
Post Count: 30 | Prerequisites: Gen II Frigates

Improving further upon the previous generation, reducing the complexity of core systems to streamline production along with enabling more robust designs with less space used. (12 DP per post for frigates)

Destroyer Production
Post Count: 40 | Prerequisites: N/A

Destroyers, the next step in starship design, filling the ground as the next stage of firepower. They are an important development for any early navy.

Stealth Designs
Post Count: 30 | Prerequisites: Subspace Sensors

One might think that stealth is an insane idea in space, for the most part it is. However research gained from the knowledge of how subspace sensors function enable the basics of stealth against advanced sensors to be pursued. (Enables Stealth template)

Reinforced Hulls
Post Count: 25 | Prerequisites: N/A

Simple reinforcements of the hull for starships is a very important concept, helping protect against the rigors of space. (All ships have 10cm free armor, Enables Assault Template.)

Mass Reduction Techniques
Post Count: 20 | Prerequisites: Reinforced Hulls

More effective techniques for mass reduction allow for an overall improvement in armoring schemes. Increases effective armor thickness for new and retrofitted starships by 5%.

Gen IV Frigates
Post Count: 35 | Prerequisites: Gen III Frigates

This generation of frigates brings another round of production streamlining along with more efficient internal space, the core systems at this point easily integrated into other systems. (13DP per post for frigates)

Gen II Destroyers
Post Count: 45 | Prerequisites: Destroyer Production

The first destroyer production plans were bulky and inefficient, in many ways just being an oversized frigate, thankfully that has been fixed now with a new generation. (Destroyers 11DP per post)

Light Weight frames
Post Count: 30 | Prerequisites: N/A

Utilizing a newly developed and highly efficient framework design, ships are capable of being constructed with far less mass without any notable sacrifice in their durability. Making a starship 'light' may seem silly to some at first glance, but the reduction in mass allows for the ship to have improved handling, enabling craft to be more nimble and responsive to maneuvers.

Heavy Defensive Platforms
Post Count: 35 | Prerequisites: N/A

Creating a defensive platform is one thing, creating one meant to withstand Siege can be even harder. These behemoths of a defensive platform allow unrivaled levels of fortification. (Unlocks Heavy defensive platforms)

Cruiser Fabrication
Post Count: 60 | Prerequisites: N/A

Cruisers, a truly powerful force to reckon with, for an early navy they might be like a miniature capital ship, for a developed navy they might be the bread and butter. Cruisers are a workhouse and the last before capital ships.

Gen V Frigates
Post Count: 40 | Prerequisites: Gen IV Frigates

Nearing their peak performance, this generation utilizes the frigates internal layout to reinforce the hull, allowing previously wasted space from equipment suddenly become support structure for the hull. (14DP per post for frigates)

Gen III Destroyers
Post Count: 50 | Prerequisites: Gen II Destroyers

A simple overhaul of core systems to consume less space, hardly noteworthy if not for the space savings gained (12DP per post for Destroyers)

Shipyard Overhauls
Post Count: 55 | Prerequisites: N/A

Shipyards, the basic foundations of a stellar industry, finally get a much needed overhaul. This overhaul changes them just slightly for production, allowing more expansive efforts to be accomplished. Starships of any class except corvette’s can have 1 more or less post in production. (EX: Frigates are now 7-15 posts)

Advanced Shipyard Equipment
Post Count: 60 | Prerequisites: Shipyard Overhauls

Finally advanced shipyard designs are a possibility, enabling equipment that was previously to complicated to fit on a standard shipyard design to be used. These advanced shipyards though did have a draw back, forcing standardized ship construction (Advanced shipyard, 40 posts, builds a specific class of ship 2 posts faster)

Gen II Cruisers
Post Count: 65 | Prerequisites: Cruiser Fabrication

The next generation of cruisers, now being designed as more shipyard friendly. With the start of cruiser enhancement, these fleet workhorses will start improving. More importantly, now these ships don't seem to be as resource hungry as originally thought. (11DP per post for cruisers)

Gen IV Destroyers
Post Count: 55 | Prerequisites: Gen III Destroyers

With core systems miniaturized, work was done to enhance the general structural design of destroyers. Enabling less space to be consumed by the physical superstructure and more by the equipment within the destroyer. (13DP per post for Destroyers)

Gen VI Frigates
Post Count: 45 | Prerequisites: Gen V Frigates

Finally, the ultimate incarnation of frigate design, optimized to the point where even the most skilled engineer can't save any further room. This of course has allowed further space to be used for more important things, like guns. (15DP per post for Frigates)

Improved Armor Layering
Post Count: 40 | Prerequisites: Mass Reduction Techniques

Refinements to armor layering methods allows for better effective protection for the same amount of armor, this has the added advantage of being compatible with existing mass reduction techniques. Increases effective armor thickness for new and retrofitted starships by an additional 10%, for a total of 15%.

Improved Stealth Designs
Post Count: 45 | Prerequisites: Stealth Designs

Enhancements in the design of stealth systems incorporated into stealth vessels has improved their signature reduction. Templates with 'Reduced Profile' now appear 2 class sizes smaller on sensors instead of 1. Additionally for corvettes it's possible for them to almost completely disappear from sensors without specialized detection suites, such suites only detect vessels at half the range they normally would.

Battlecruiser Prototypes
Post Count: 80 | Prerequisites: N/A

Battlecruisers, the first of the true capital ships, these behemoths will dwarf the firepower most younger nations can bring to bear. Significant engineering challenges had to be overcome to develop designs of this scale, taking entirely new materials engineered to handle the vastly increased structural stresses that must be undertaken for such large and heavy duty hull. The earliest of these materials are expensive and the design theories are still being figured out for such large craft however, leading to designs of this scale currently being difficult to assemble and generally inefficient until further research has been completed on them. (MUST USE PROTOTYPE TEMPLATE)

Gen III Cruisers
Post Count: 70 | Prerequisites: Gen II Cruisers

This generation of cruisers, working on being as efficient with space as possible found an unusual method of saving space. Combining core systems into the equipment added to the ship designs. The result of this is rather significant space savings. (12DP per post for cruisers)

Gen V Destroyers
Post Count: 60 | Prerequisites: Gen IV Destroyers

The near pinnacle of destroyer design, to achieve the maximal amount of available space the ship's internal structure was completely redesigned. Following after a hexagonal cell structure rather significant internal space is is available now while still maintaining structural integrity. (14DP per post for Destroyers)

Advanced Strikecraft Production I
Post Count: 60 | Prerequisites: Strikecraft Production

More than over glorified aircraft. The fighters and bombers of the space age have finally gotten a much needed overhaul that will allow them to better support and defend larger vessels. (+24DP to Patrol Boats, +12DP to Large, +8DP to Medium, +6DP to Small, and +4DP to Tiny)

Battlecruiser Standardization
Post Count: 90 | Prerequisites: Battlecruiser Prototypes

Battlecruisers have finally been reworked to the point that they can be entered into normal production standard now, though still inefficient compared to some other designs they are a power to behold.

Advanced Alloying
Post Count: 70 | Prerequisites: Improved Armor Layering

Changes in the actual fabrication of armor composites and alloys has allowed for far more durable armoring material, leading to substantial improvements that fully complement mass reduction and armor layering. Increases effective armor thickness for new and retrofitted starships by an additional 15%, for a total of 30%.

Gen IV Cruisers
Post Count: 75 | Prerequisites: Gen III Cruisers

A number of standardized components can be directly integrated into the hull structure of this generation of cruisers, enabling core superstructure and systems to occupy the same space with minimal impact on the effectiveness of both. (13DP per post for Cruisers)

Gen II Shipyards
Post count: 70 | Prerequisites: Shipyard Overhauls

Shipyards, rarely if ever touched, have been reworked yet again. This overhaul brings little to the table other than further enhancing production range, allowing ships of smaller and larger sizes to be more easily accommodated (EX: Frigates are now 6-16)

Gen VI Destroyers
Post Count: 65 | Prerequisites: Gen V Destroyers

The final iteration of destroyer design, the hexagonal cell superstructure combined with finding ways to integrate systems into various points within the overall hull design has allowed unparalleled levels of miniaturization in required space for systems. (15DP per post for Destroyers)

Advanced Strikecraft Production II
Post Count: 70 | Prerequisites: Advanced Strikecraft Production I

The summit of strikecraft technology. These optimized fighters and bombers are a much more significant threat to larger vessels, especially when grouped in squadrons. (+24DP to Patrol Boats, +12DP to Large, +8DP to Medium, +6DP to Small, and +4DP to Tiny)

Battleship Prototypes
Post Count: 100 | Prerequisites: N/A

A battleship is a strong but slow spacecraft. With a lot of mass though, comes a lot of survivability and an even greater amount of capability. They have a lot of DP to spare which allows for great versatility in systems or great proficiency in a single area. Where a battlecruiser dwarfs younger nations' vessels, a battleship dominates them. (MUST USE PROTOTYPE TEMPLATE)

Gen II Battlecruisers
Post Count: 95 | Prerequisites: Battlecruiser Standardization

The next generation of battlecruisers, after having finally been standardized engineers have begun working to miniaturize everything they can. The most prominent being the core infrastructure that supports the ship. (11DP per post for Battlecruisers)

Gen V Cruisers
Post Count: 80 | Prerequisites: Gen IV Cruisers

With components integrated into the hull structure, engineers have gone about eliminated the need for some of the systems completely. utilizing the hull structure directly as a conduit for some of the systems, significantly reducing the number of systems the ship needs to operate. (14DP per post for Cruisers)

Advanced Stealth Designs
Post Count: 60 | Prerequisites: Improved Stealth Designs

Further improvements to the stealth systems used on vessels has minimized the signature even more. Templates with 'Reduced Profile' now appear 3 class sizes smaller on sensors instead of 2. Additionally the 'invisibility' to normal sensors extends up to frigates now, requiring stealth detection suites to even detect them at half the range they normally would.

Templated Battleships
Post Count: 110 | Prerequisites: Battleship Prototypes

Finally the battleship design has been conformed well enough to a standard that its construction fits within a construction template. Though bulky and slow to produce, these monstrosities of metal are a true capital ship by far, designed with the goal of being the heaviest warships within a standard fleet.

Gen VI Cruisers
Post Count: 85 | Prerequisites: Gen V Cruisers

The true workhorse of the fleet, cruiser design has been changed significantly for the final generation. The entire internal superstructure being almost fluid in design as it flows from superstructure to equipment, this combined with advanced design theories has enabled massive free space inside. (15DP per post for Cruisers)

Gen III Battlecruisers
Post Count: 100 | Prerequisites: Gen II Battlecruisers

While miniaturizing some of the systems was a step forward for battlecruisers, they required something a bit more complicated. The core systems normally used for starships had to be completely redone to support the larger ship structure, now with new core systems there is notably more free space now (12DP per post for Battlecruisers)

Grand Starship Production
Post Count: 80 | Prerequisites: N/A

These "Grand" Starship designs as they've been referred to are rather complicated things. They are notable changes in engineering and design doctrines, prologning construction and notably increasing cost; however, warships that can stand as true ship's of the line, to strategic support vessels, or even mobile manufacturing complexes are all possible with some effort. (Unlocks "Grand Warship" and "Mothership" Templates)

Gen II Battleships
Post Count: 135 | Prerequisites: Templated Battleships

With how much work goes into battleships, many have questioned the possibility of making them better than they already are - to which one can easily respond with the structural efficiency work of the engineering departments. Utilizing new construction techniques to allow for more sturdy and yet more spacious superstructures allows the great warships to mount further equipment within and without. Sadly this doesn't make it really any less costly in resources to build one. (11DP per post for Battleships)

Gen IV Battlecruisers
Post Count: 120 | Prerequisites: Gen III Battlecruisers

With the growing need for more power in every capital ship frame, battlecruisers immediately are looked at due to them being a fairly cheap frame to build compared to the larger warships. Where larger craft have more physical space to exploit, only efficiency with the assembly of craft allows for more equipment in these far more limited hulls. A redesign of interior space allows for less unused volume of the ship without compromising its integrity in any way. (13DP per post for Battlecruisers)

Dreadnought Prototypes
Post Count: 150 | Prerequisites: N/A

Combating the structural limitations for a vessel of this size was a complex task, new methods of structural reinforcement had to be developed in order to allow for mobility of the framework without putting undue stress on the superstructure. This combined with better methods of incorporating super-alloys into fabrication has allowed for the creation of Dreadnought class vessels. (MUST USE PROTOTYPE TEMPLATE)

Gen III Battleships
Post Count: 135 | Prerequisites: Gen II Battleships

Simplifying the assembly process of a battleship was a long drawn out task, one accomplished through the development of cell by cell superstructure systems. This somewhat novel superstructure redesign allows for more equipment to be fitted without the according increase in cost or build time. (12DP per post for Battleships)

Gen V Battlecruisers
Post Count: 120 | Prerequisites: Gen IV Battlecruisers

Optimizations in the fabrication processes for both the battlecruiser itself and the systems mounted to it have brought numerous advantages, allowing multiple systems to be compacted against each other with no ill effect. While the efforts leave the cost comparable to before and there is negligible effect on the build times, the amount of equipment able to be incorporated is notably increased thanks to the increase in available volume. (14DP per post for Battlecruisers)

Dreadnought Assembly
Post Count: 150 | Prerequisites: Dreadnought Prototypes

Early prototypes of dreadnought frames brought numerous insights into the structural design of these massive vessels, insights that allowed scientists and engineers to fine tune the assembly process enough to allow for more advanced equipment fittings. Where battleships may be the heaviest vessels of a fleet, Dreadnoughts could very well be considered a fleet of their own. (Removes prototype requirement from Dreadnoughts)

Gen IV Battleships
Post Count: 135 | Prerequisites: Gen III Battleships

Fine tuning the exact structural design work along with simplification of assembly steps allows for some margin of volume optimization, the primary effect being in hollowing out some of the superstructures support beams to allow for support systems to run through the 'bones' of the battleship. While the gains are marginal at most the size of the battleship expands this to a reasonable increase in volume. (13DP per post for Battleships)

Gen VI Battlecruisers
Post Count: 120 | Prerequisites: Gen V Battlecruisers

Alternate means were found to give a final breakthrough on battlecruiser development, allowing some systems to be completely nested within others gives another optimization to available volume. This is only furthered by advancements that allow minimizing the amount of superstructure actually needed, giving an ever so slight effect to cost, but more importantly allowing even more equipment to be mounted. (15DP per post for Battlecruisers)

Gen II Dreadnoughts
Post Count: 150 | Prerequisites: Dreadnought Assembly

The colossal size of the dreadnought creates numerous inefficiencies in the structural design, efforts are quickly focused on reducing the amount of redundancy that has to be included in the framework. Even the small gains given result in significant increase in the available volume for the dreadnoughts, a side effect of their size. (11DP per post for Dreadnoughts)

Gen V Battleships
Post Count: 135 | Prerequisites: Gen IV Battleships

Further refinements allow even more equipment of the battleship to be reduced in volume and incorporated into the skeletal framework of the battleship, the net result of the efforts is several sections that would previously be dominated by support systems have been reduced in size, freeing up volume to be used for additional equipment. (14DP per post for Battleships)

Gen III Dreadnoughts
Post Count: 150 | Prerequisites: Gen II Dreadnoughts

Engineers working on dreadnought designs found additional methods to reduce the bulk of support systems and further clean up redundant or simply oversized superstructure. The immense size of dreadnoughts, paired with the gains across the entire vessel, brings an overall notable increase to available volume of these vessels. (12DP per post for Dreadnoughts)

Gen VI Battleships
Post Count: 135 | Prerequisites: Gen V Battleships

Truncating support systems and overall reducing the actual volume that needed supported has provided pieces of space throughout the vessel, this is paired with new design methodology that allows for abandonment of some features that previously oversized some of the superstructure results in a solid improvement of available volume. (15DP per post for Battleships)

Gen IV Dreadnoughts
Post Count: 150 | Prerequisites: Gen III Dreadnoughts

Specialized equipment and fabrication mechanisms allow for shipyards to break down the assembly of dreadnoughts into smaller scale, this coupled with changes to the support systems to allow similar breakdowns let engineers to cut down on excessive design. These improvements allow additional equipment to be fitted in spaces that previously were filled by the excessive superstructure. (13DP per post for Dreadnoughts)

Gen V Dreadnoughts
Post Count: 150 | Prerequisites: Gen IV Dreadnoughts

Creating further means to replace bulky superstructure with other superdense alloys or similar materials, paired with the bulk of the dreadnought itself, gave way to additional volume that was previously occupied by the superstructure itself. Finding and eliminating other inefficiencies in the vessel such as electrical relay centers, inter-ship communication rooms, and other oversized systems only assists here. (14DP per post for Dreadnoughts)

Gen VI Dreadnoughts
Post Count: 150 | Prerequisites: Gen V Dreadnoughts

Engineers performed a complete redesign of the usage of inter-deck space and of transportation methods around the vessel to eliminated excessive volume usage, this is only furthered by further reductions in the the various support systems that had to be incorporated into a vessel of this size. Advances further in modular structural systems allowed some structure to be completely replaced by equipment as needed, though some engineers question the logic of allowing reactor space to be used as superstructure space. (15DP per post for Dreadnoughts)