shipbuilding Tech Comparison
Armed Merchant Cruiser III vs Capital Yards
Comparing the Armed Merchant Cruiser III (Tier 3) and Capital Yards (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 | Capital Yards |
|---|---|---|
| Tier | T3 | T3 |
| Research time | 6▼ | 24 |
| metal cost | 6,000▼ | 60,000 |
| crystal cost | 3,600▼ | 30,000 |
| Effect | unlock ship: merchant-galleon | enables capital 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
Capital Yards
Enables construction of capital ships.
Unlocks buildings: capital shipyard
Unlocks ships: frigate mk1, hauler mk1
Requires: shipbuilding 2
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.