Impulse Drive
Overview
The Impulse Drive is a mid-tier propulsion system powering the Heavy Fighter, Cruiser, Colony Ship, and Bomber. It also boosts the range of Interplanetary Missiles. Each level adds 20% of base speed.
Base Stats
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Base cost | 2,000 Metal · 4,000 Crystal · 600 Deuterium |
| Cost factor | 2× per level |
| Prerequisites | Research Lab level 2 · Energy Technology level 1 |
Cost Table
| Level | Metal | Crystal | Deuterium |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2,000 | 4,000 | 600 |
| 2 | 4,000 | 8,000 | 1,200 |
| 3 | 8,000 | 16,000 | 2,400 |
| 4 | 16,000 | 32,000 | 4,800 |
| 6 | 64,000 | 128,000 | 19,200 |
Speed Formula
where is Impulse Drive level.
Speed for Cruiser (base 15,000)
| Level | Speed |
|---|---|
| 4 | 27,000 |
| 6 | 33,000 |
| 8 | 39,000 |
| 10 | 45,000 |
Ships Using Impulse Drive
| Ship | Base Speed | Requirement |
|---|---|---|
| Heavy Fighter | 10,000 | Impulse 2 |
| Cruiser | 15,000 | Impulse 4 |
| Colony Ship | 2,500 | Impulse 3 |
| Bomber | 4,000 | Impulse 6 |
Drive Upgrade: Bomber
At Hyperspace Drive 8, the Bomber switches to Hyperspace Drive, gaining a large speed bonus.
IPM Range
Interplanetary Missiles use Impulse Drive for range: each level allows missiles to reach 5 additional systems.
Tips
Level 5 = Small Cargo Upgrade
At Impulse Drive 5, the Small Cargo switches from Combustion to Impulse Drive and its speed almost doubles. A dramatic quality-of-life upgrade for farmers.
See Also
Combustion Drive · Hyperspace Drive · Cruiser · Interplanetary Missile
Updated 16 May 2026