Functionality of maintenance bays versus fabrication?

[Nulric]

So, long story short, I was about to buy and start construction on an XL shipyard module piece. However, it occurred to me that, before doing so, perhaps I should seek to clarify something with those who know more about ship building than myself.

I assume that, with the 200 to 300ish million XL shipyard manufacturing module, I can both manufacture from scratch, and alter the loadout of existing XL ships, correct? Or, do I need the XL maintenance bay to alter the loadout of existing ships, because the XL manufacturing module won't do that?

I've always assumed that the maintenance bays were cheaper versions of the manufacturing modules that just couldn't make anything from scratch, and that the manufacturing/fabrication modules superseded them (physical form factors aside) by offering both capabilities.

Thanks in advance, all you industrial magnates!

[Raptor34]

Afaict they are completely useless.
For one the universe is generally small enough that going back to the shipyard for refit is not a problem, not like you'll be refitting that often anyway.
For two last I heard you cannot even mod ships at it, thereby making it even worse.

Well, I guess they might be slightly cheaper to build on the frontlines for missile reloads, but why do that when you can spend a little extra and now they can build ships too? Unless it's for atmosphere or something, I do have one or two of them around. Also just checked the cost and apparently they are half price compared to the fab module. Not like it matters, and if it matters, you can't afford a maint bay anyway.
Another possible use of them is letting the local faction have more sustain by letting them use your EQ Dock for repairs/resupply in case you don't want to actually sell ships to them, but I've never been able to tell how useful it actually is.

[jlehtone]

Another possible use of them is letting the local faction have more sustain by letting them use your EQ Dock for repairs/resupply in case you don't want to actually sell ships to them, but I've never been able to tell how useful it actually is.

That. If you don't want to build ships. So, choosing maintenance is not about credits and function, it is a policy option.

[KalisaFox]

i like to put a maintance bay on frontline defense stations they usually make a killing on repairs and are allot cheaper to build then warfs, also downside of fabrication then i need to disable factions from using it then that defeats the whole purpose, where a maintance bay will only really be used for repairs and refits.
Its also nice tossing these on npc stations when u have build missions, this gives them more demand for some supplys without giving them an extra warf, and again is nice for refits, if say you get a terran mission to build a defense station out near zya space, and u typically like to build zya ships but dont like flying all the way back to terran space to fit them with terran shields, well there ya go, and then gives demand for terran resources there.

[Imperial Good]

For the player interacting with NPCs...

• Maintenance bays are usually well stocked and so sell equipment more cheaply. This can be used as an exploit to generate free money by buying from a maintenance bay and selling to an understocked NPC ship building facility.
• Maintenance bays are usually well stocked and so can be used to refit ships that cannot normally be ordered due to ware constraints at ship building. This way a player can order "a hull" and then refit on their perfect loadout when ordering it directly would not only cost more but likely never be built.

For the player owning...

• Maintenance bays are cheaper to buy blueprints for. This allows the player to refit and repair their ships for parts cost rather than paying the inflated NPC prices. This is effectively a tier up of what was mentioned with interacting with NPCs as now the parts are even cheaper and you control the availability. This does need micromanagement though.
• Maintenance bays are cheaper to build while still offering ship building capability as long as at least 1 of the same type of ship building module is built at the same station. This can save significant build cost when the player wants a ship building station with more than 1 module.

[KalisaFox]

Maintenance bays are cheaper to build while still offering ship building capability as long as at least 1 of the same type of ship building module is built at the same station. This can save significant build cost when the player wants a ship building station with more than 1 module.

Oh thats something i never knew, so if i have a single XL shipyard and say 4 XL maintance bays, i can build 5 xl ships at once then?

[bodrum]

Maintenance bays are cheaper to build while still offering ship building capability as long as at least 1 of the same type of ship building module is built at the same station. This can save significant build cost when the player wants a ship building station with more than 1 module.

Oh thats something i never knew, so if i have a single XL shipyard and say 4 XL maintance bays, i can build 5 xl ships at once then?

This was also my understanding. However, Ive literally just built a new wharf with one of each in my latest playthrough, and when i queue up 10 fighters for instance, its only building 8 at a time? Not sure if this has been nerfed in 5.0/5.10? Plenty of build drones and resources, as soon as the 8 finish the last 2 start? Anyone know for sure? or think of anything Im missing?

[Imperial Good]

This was also my understanding. However, Ive literally just built a new wharf with one of each in my latest playthrough, and when i queue up 10 fighters for instance, its only building 8 at a time? Not sure if this has been nerfed in 5.0/5.10? Plenty of build drones and resources, as soon as the 8 finish the last 2 start? Anyone know for sure? or think of anything Im missing?

Is possible some patch fixed this. I was going on my experiences from version 2.00 odd.