defense Tech Comparison
Reinforced Hulls vs Reactive Plating
Comparing the Reinforced Hulls (Tier 1) and Reactive Plating (Tier 2), both defense 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 | Reinforced Hulls | Reactive Plating |
|---|---|---|
| Tier | T1 | T2 |
| Research time | 2▼ | 8 |
| metal cost | 1,500▼ | 10,000 |
| crystal cost | 800▼ | 5,500 |
| Effect | +10% armor | +20% -kinetic penetration taken |
▼ marks the lower resource / time cost. Cheaper isn't always better — weigh it against the effect each tech unlocks.
Reinforced Hulls
All ships gain +10% armor.
Reactive Plating
Explosive reactive panels detonate on impact, reducing kinetic penetration by 20%.
Requires: defense 1
Which Should You Research First?
The Reinforced Hulls is the lower-tier prerequisite step and typically comes first in the defense branch, opening the path toward Reactive Plating.