shipbuilding Tech Comparison
Armed Merchant Cruiser III vs Battleship Doctrine
Comparing the Armed Merchant Cruiser III (Tier 3) and Battleship Doctrine (Tier 3), both shipbuilding technologies in Starforge MMO. Use this to decide which to queue first when your research lab can only run one project at a time.
Research Comparison
| Attribute | Armed Merchant Cruiser III | Battleship Doctrine |
|---|---|---|
| Tier | T3 | T3 |
| Research time | 6▼ | 30 |
| metal cost | 6,000▼ | 80,000 |
| crystal cost | 3,600▼ | 40,000 |
| antimatter cost | — | 300▼ |
| Effect | unlock ship: merchant-galleon | enables battleship class: true |
▼ marks the lower resource / time cost. Cheaper isn't always better — weigh it against the effect each tech unlocks.
Armed Merchant Cruiser III
Unlocks construction of the merchant-galleon (cruiser class).
Unlocks ships: merchant galleon
Battleship Doctrine
Heavy-keel construction standards and reinforced spinal mounts unlock the Battleship hull class.
Unlocks buildings: battleship drydock
Unlocks ships: kraken battleship, nova battleship
Requires: shipbuilding 3
Which Should You Research First?
Both sit at the same tier. The Armed Merchant Cruiser III is the cheaper project, so it's the safer early pick if your economy is tight; otherwise prioritise whichever effect supports your current strategy.