Mega Shipyard is yet another multi-stage Stellaris Megastructure that you can build if you have Federations DLC. As the name suggests, Mega Shipyard is a colossal shipyard that can spawn up to 20 ships simultaneously while increasing your overall ship build speed by 100% when fully upgraded, empire-wide. Meaning that once you complete this megastructure and fully upgrade it, you will be able to create ships twice as quickly as before and from 20 shipyards at the same time. So you know, it’s useful to have this thing if the enemy fleet is heading your way. However, there are a few things that you need to know before you build a Stellaris Mega Shipyard.
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Tech required for Mega Shipyards
Image credits: Paradox Interactive, Stellaris
As you might guess, a megastructure that’s as useful as this one will have some higher tech requirements. One thing you need to understand is that Mega Shipyard is a late-game megastructure because it requires Mega-Engineering tech. If you need more info on this tech, check out our Stellaris Ring World article. In short, as we said, you need to get the Mega-Engineering tech and then you will be able to roll for rare tech called “Mega Shipyard”. In order to increase your chances of rolling for this tech, you can do the following:
- Have Galactic Wonders Ascension Perk
- Have Master Builders Ascension Perk
- Have Galactic Force, Asencion Perk
- Have Militaristic or Fanatic Milataristic Ethics
Once you have obtained Mega Shipyard tech, you will be able to start building it.
Building a Mega Shipyard
Image credits: Paradox Interactive, Stellaris
As we mentioned earlier, Mega Shipyard is a multi-stage megastructure. To start building it, select a construction ship and a star where near which you want to build the Mega Shipyard. So yes, it can only be built around stars and no research stations are allowed in the orbit of the star. Furthermore, Mega-shipyards can’t be built in binary or trinary star systems. Select Megastructures, scroll down, and find Mega Shipyard. There are 4 phases of building Mega Shipyard:
- Phase 1: Mega Shipyard Site (2500 Unity, 3000 Alloys), effects: none
- Phase 2: Mega Shipyard Framework (2500 Unity, 10 000 Alloys), effects: 5 shipyards, 33% ship build speed increase
- Phase 3: Mega Shipyard Core (2500 Unity, 10 000 Alloys), effects: 10 shipyards, 66% ship build speed increase
- Phase 3: Mega Shipyard Completed (2500 Unity, 10 000 Alloys), effects: 20 shipyards, 100% ship build speed increase
As soon as you complete Phase 2, all your ships from Mega Shipyard will have 100 experience so basically it has Naval Academy built-in. It has regular shipyard slots in it but once you upgrade it fully, you won’t need specific building slots for Titans and Juggernuts. Note that the increase in ship build speed is not restricted just to your Mega Shipyard – it is empire-wide meaning that all the shipyards in your empire will get that buff. Pretty sweet, right?
General tips on how to use Mega Shipyards
Image credits: Paradox Interactive, Stellaris
Generally speaking, Mega Shipyard is a situational type of megastructure. Some of the reviewers put it in a higher Megastructure tier but this is only the case if you get it before your assembly your end-fleet. Be it as it may, having ships built at double speed is not to be trifled with. These are the general tips on what you should do with your Mega Shipyard:
- Keep it safe, keep it hidden. We are not joking – if the enemy takes a star system with your Mega Shipyard, you will lose the ship build speed empire-wide. Furthermore, you will also lose all your shipyards on the Mega Shipyard.
- Build it in a system near a Gateway. You need to transport your fleet fastly – especially if the end-game crisis is spawning. As Gateways are the fastest means of travel (well, unless you are using a Quantum Catapult), this is a way to go.
- Avoid using the Hyper Relay system unless you have strong choke points. The last thing you want is for the enemy to advance fastly toward your Mega Shipyard. Even if you don’t have a Gateway, it’s still better to use jump-drive and eat that debuff that you get.
- Build it before the end-game crisis, especially if you are playing x25. One of the main advantages of this megastructure is the fact that you can spawn ships fastly – this is very useful for fighting the crisis.
- Note that even if you don’t have the Federations DLC, other empires (and players) will be able to build it as well as other megastructures. So yes, it is advisable to get this DLC.
Final thoughts on Stellaris Mega Shipyard
Image credits: Paradox Interactive, Stellaris
Mega Shipyards impact late-game Stellaris Gameplay a lot – mostly in ways in which you can deal with the End-Game Crisis. It is fairly cheap to build, at least compared to other megastructures. It is a good idea to build Mega Shipyards first, especially if you are aiming for one of the megastructures from the Galactic Wonders Ascension Perk. Place it in a secure place, preferably in a star system with Gateway access. Once you finish building the Mega Shipyard, optimize your ship design and – get ready to conquer the galaxy.
