Nanites and missiles
Buy construction throughput when time is scarce; stock missiles for a defined threat.
Evidence reviewed 9 November 2026. Read the linked reference for formulas, sources and version limits; current account settings remain the final check.
What this guide covers
- Distinguish construction throughput from resource production.
- Compare a Nanite upgrade with the queues it will accelerate.
- Calculate a legal mix of Anti-Ballistic and Interplanetary Missiles.
- Check range, interception and irreversible launch consequences before firing.
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Unlock the capability you actually need
Nanite Factories and Missile Silos are local planetary facilities. Buy the capability needed at that location, including prerequisites and resource costs. A planet’s Nanite does not accelerate its moon or another planet.
What a Nanite Factory accelerates
Nanite levels halve standard local building, ship and defense production time. They do not directly raise mine income or speed classic research. Queue conflicts, including relevant Lifeform work, can prevent the upgrade or another job from starting.
Read a baseline construction calculation
Baseline build time uses Metal-plus-Crystal cost, the applicable Robotics or Shipyard level, completed Nanites and economy speed. Whole-second and minimum-duration rules matter for fast units. The reference preserves the four-row timing example and its exclusions.
Buy time when time is the bottleneck
Price a Nanite against the funded work it will accelerate, including the upgrade interval and blocked queues. Shorter timers have little immediate value while resources keep the queue empty. Keep emergency ships and ABMs available during the construction window.
Reserve capacity for both missile types
Silos provide capacity shared by ABMs and IPMs. One ABM occupies one unit and one IPM two; reserve defensive stock before buying offensive missiles. Capacity is not range, and consumed interceptors must be replaced.
Know what missiles destroy and what stops them
Each ABM intercepts one IPM. Surviving IPMs damage defense rather than fleets or buildings, ignore shields and do not allow normal defense rebuilding. Use a current missile simulation with the target’s technologies and chosen primary defense.
Separate missile range from travel time
Impulse Drive sets baseline missile range within a galaxy; current settings govern travel. Circular systems can change distance. Archived timing constants are qualified, so check the actual launch display rather than planning a timed strike from an old formula alone.
Run a final check before launch
Confirm target type, stock, range, recent defenses and interception cost before launch. An IPM cannot be recalled. Recheck the report and the target after impact instead of repeating a salvo on stale assumptions.
Detailed reference
Use facilities to remove an actual bottleneck, with their side effects included.
Quick checks
Review the key points. Ticks stay in this browser when storage is available.
Sources & version context
Evidence reviewed 9 November 2026. Read the linked reference for formulas, sources and version limits; current account settings remain the final check. Planning workflows and examples are Skie guidance. Game rules and interface requirements should be checked against the linked references and your current account.
- Buildings tutorial · December 2019; prerequisites, scope and construction conflicts ↗
- Buildings and units reference · official archive; standard costs ↗
- Nanite Factory · community reference; classic time formula ↗
- Formulas · community reference; building and shipyard timing ↗
- Formula Thread v3 · updated 13 September 2015; capacity, range and 60-second-per-system timing ↗
- IPM Guide · posted 19 August 2019, text revised July 2016; missile behavior; timing discrepancy flagged ↗
- Universe Types / Settings · Origin guide, 2022; missile attacks use war speed ↗
- Circular universe announcement · 10 February 2015; missile system wrap ↗
- Version 9 changelog · Lifeform-era queue fixes; distinguish queued from active construction ↗