propulsion Tech Comparison
Improved Engines vs Ion Thrusters
Comparing the Improved Engines (Tier 1) and Ion Thrusters (Tier 2), both propulsion 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 | Improved Engines | Ion Thrusters |
|---|---|---|
| Tier | T1 | T2 |
| Research time | 2▼ | 7 |
| metal cost | 1,200▼ | 10,000 |
| crystal cost | 600▼ | 5,000 |
| gas cost | 200▼ | 2,000 |
| Effect | +20% travel speed | +25% -fuel consumption |
▼ marks the lower resource / time cost. Cheaper isn't always better — weigh it against the effect each tech unlocks.
Improved Engines
Fleet travel speed +20%.
Ion Thrusters
High-efficiency ion drives reduce fuel consumption by 25% on all fleet movements.
Requires: propulsion 1
Which Should You Research First?
The Improved Engines is the lower-tier prerequisite step and typically comes first in the propulsion branch, opening the path toward Ion Thrusters.