Combustion Drive
Combustion Drive technology improves the speed of all ships by optimizing basic propulsion systems.
Overview
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Type | Propulsion Technology |
| Lab Notes | Research Lab level affects speed only |
| Effect | +10% speed per level (all ships) |
| Prerequisites | Research Lab 1 (section 1 has no cross-tech prerequisite chain) |
Description
Combustion Drive uses chemical rocket propulsion. While not as advanced as Impulse or Hyperspace drives, research into combustion efficiency benefits every ship class by improving baseline thrust systems.
Effect
Speed Bonus
Speed = Base Speed * (1 + 0.1 * Combustion Level)
Impulse Drive adds a global +20% speed per level (and +5% fuel per level), and Hyperspace Drive adds +30% per level for all ships (and +10% fuel per level).
Speed Multiplier
| Level | Speed Multiplier |
|---|---|
| 0 | 100% |
| 1 | 110% |
| 2 | 120% |
| 5 | 150% |
| 10 | 200% |
Ships Using Combustion Drive
These ships rely on Combustion as their primary drive. They still benefit from the global +10% per level:
| Ship | Base Speed | At Level 10 |
|---|---|---|
| Small Cargo | 18,000 | 36,000 |
| Large Cargo | 14,500 | 29,000 |
| Light Fighter | 15,000 | 30,000 |
| Recycler | 8,000 | 16,000 |
| Espionage Probe | 1,000,000 | 2,000,000 |
Research Costs
Formula
Metal = 400 * 2^(Level - 1)
Deuterium = 600 * 2^(Level - 1)
Cost Table
| Level | Metal | Deuterium |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 400 | 600 |
| 2 | 800 | 1,200 |
| 3 | 1,600 | 2,400 |
| 4 | 3,200 | 4,800 |
| 5 | 6,400 | 9,600 |
| 10 | 204,800 | 307,200 |
Strategy
Early Priority
Combustion Drive should be researched early:
- Most starting ships use it
- Faster missions = less waiting
- Level 2-3 is a good early target
Fuel Efficiency
Combustion levels keep fuel use stable while improving speed. If you invest in Impulse or Hyperspace Drive later, expect fuel consumption to rise by 5% per Impulse level and 10% per Hyperspace level across your whole fleet.
Upgrade Ships
Some ships upgrade to better drives:
- Small Cargo -> Impulse Drive at Impulse 5
- Light Fighter remains Combustion
Drive upgrades still matter for requirements and ship classifications, but the Impulse and Hyperspace bonuses apply to all ships even before upgrades.
Related Technologies
- Impulse Drive - Next tier (+20% per level, +5% fuel per level)
- Hyperspace Drive - Top tier (+30% per level, +10% fuel per level)
- Energy Technology - Related technology