Stellar Engineering
Five megastructures, each built in four stages over weeks of resources and exotic materials, each producing a permanent passive bonus that no research tech can match. Stellar Engineering is the capstone of late-game infrastructure - the difference between a powerful empire and one that has reshaped the galaxy around itself.
Grand Projects
| Project | Total Cost (M/C/D) | Exotic Requirement | Completed Effect |
|---|---|---|---|
| Solar Harvester | 2M / 1.5M / 500k | 50 Dark Matter | +50% energy production |
| Quantum Nexus | 1.5M / 2M / 750k | 30 Zro | +25% research speed |
| Forge Complex | 2.5M / 1M / 500k | 40 Alloy | +40% ship build speed, −20% ship cost |
| Command Nexus | 1.5M / 1.5M / 1M | 20 Rare Crystal | +30% fleet power, +50 fleet cap |
| Deep Space Array | 1M / 2M / 1M | 25 Exotic Gas | Full vision across the galaxy |
Maximum 5 projects per player (one of each type). All require era 4–5 engineering research to unlock.
Construction Stages
Every project is built in four sequential stages. Each stage takes hours to complete and consumes a portion of the total cost:
| Stage | Cost Share | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Stage 1 | 10% | 12 hours |
| Stage 2 | 20% | 24 hours |
| Stage 3 | 30% | 48 hours |
| Stage 4 | 40% | 72 hours |
Abandoning a project mid-construction loses all materials spent to that point. There are no partial refunds.
Project Effects in Detail
Solar Harvester - Late-game buildings consume enormous energy. A +50% energy multiplier can eliminate the need for additional Solar Plants entirely, freeing building slots for production or research.
Quantum Nexus - Research speed compounds. A +25% boost on top of lab specialization and Scientist officer traits can shave full eras off your tech timeline. The Research Syndicate pact amplifies this further.
Forge Complex - +40% ship build speed and −20% ship cost makes fleet rebuilds after major battles dramatically less painful. Combined with a Military Coalition pact's repair bonus, this turns your shipyard into a rapid-reconstitution engine.
Command Nexus - +30% fleet power affects every combat calculation. The +50 fleet cap expansion is equally significant - it means more ships deployed simultaneously, not just stronger ships.
Deep Space Array - This removes fog of war across the entire galaxy. Every system, every fleet, every enemy planet is visible. The strategic intelligence advantage is difficult to overstate - you know every incoming attack before it arrives.
Strategy
Build order matters. Most empires prioritize the Quantum Nexus first (research speed compounds everything else) or the Solar Harvester (frees energy immediately). The Deep Space Array is typically last - its effect is decisive, but only meaningful once you have the infrastructure to act on the information.
Each project requires a different exotic material. Check which biomes you've colonized before committing to a build order. Running out of Zro halfway through a Quantum Nexus is a costly delay.