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How do you use the quantum catapult in Stellaris?

How to use the quantum catapult in Stellaris is more complicated than it might seem, especially if you don’t want to waste your hard-won Alloy. The catapult is one of the best late-game structures, though it comes with a few risks. Using it means giving up one of your fleets for a while, and there’s no guarantee they’ll end up where you want them to anyway.

How do you build the quantum catapult?

The quantum catapult is a late-game megastructure in most cases, though the new Slingshot to the Stars Origin lets you have it right away. You can only choose to build a quantum catapult around a pulsar, and it costs 300 influence and 5,000 Alloy to construct the basic catapult. You’ll need quite a bit more for future upgrades, but it’s definitely worth the resources. The base-level catapult has a high chance of depositing your fleet in the wrong area, and it takes much longer for the process to finish.

Since the catapult’s range is limited initially, it’s best to place them in a fairly central location, if possible. That way, you can still maximize the advantage they offer without having to spend so much Alloy up front.

Using the catapult involves a few steps. Put your desired fleet in the catapult, select it, then open the galaxy view. Click the "Catapult Fleet" option from the icon bar. It’s near the jump drive option, second in from the right, though it can be difficult to see given how small the icons are.

Once you’ve clicked it, a new screen opens, showing a broad view of the galaxy with a large circle. The circle is your catapult’s general range, which increases at higher upgrade tiers. Green means the location is within the catapult’s current capabilities, and red is a no go. Make sure to pay attention to the whole circle during your planning, since the end location can be anywhere in it – not just in the center.

Also note how long it will take for the process to complete. At the basic tier, you’ll lose access to that fleet for several days.

While you’re off building megastructures in Stellaris , don’t neglect your vassals. Make them too unhappy, and they might forge a Secret Fealty pact with one of your enemies.

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Stellaris quantum catapult guide - how do you build and use the quantum catapult.

Stellaris has been going strong for years, but with each new expansion, there’s a whole new set of mechanics that you’ll have to adapt to.

Quantum Catapults were added to the game in the Overlord DLC , but what are they and how do you use them?

Stellaris Quantum Catapult Uses

Quantum Catapults use the power of a star to fling your fleets across the vast emptiness of space, but not just any star will do. The Catapults can only be built in systems with a Neutron or Pulsar star. They, unlike many other Megastructures, can only be built around the star itself.

In many ways, this makes them less useful than the more traditional end-game Gateway network. They take longer for the fleet to arrive at its destination as the fleet enters a missing state until it emerges into real space. Quantum Catapults also suffer from a lack of accuracy, with the fleet essentially being shotgunned across the galaxy.

However, the Catapult has one overriding benefit. It allows fleets to be sent far beyond your borders or into systems where you may not have built an expensive Gateway. In short, you only need one Catapult. Before you can build one though, you need to complete both the Quantum Catapult and Mega Engineering research projects.

If you start your game with a Slingshot to the Stars empire, you will have a dormant Catapult in the home system. Restoring this grants Quantum Catapult research, but you will still need to research Mega Engineering to improve it. If you don’t start with the dormant Catapult but come across one later in your game, you can also restore it, but remember that this requires the Mega Engineering tech.

Improving the Quantum Catapult will confer benefits to Missing in Action time, range, and accuracy. But it should be noted that at higher tiers, constructed Catapults are better than those that have been restored, having a -25%/-50% windup time at stages 2 and 3.

Once you have the Quantum Catapult online, using it is easy. Simply move a fleet into the system with the Catapult - anywhere will do - and click the Catapult Fleet icon in the Fleet Manager window.

This produces a targeting cursor which you can use to designate a target for your fleet. If the target is valid it will turn green, and then you just click and keep your fingers crossed that they appear in the correct place.

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Matthew cut his teeth on Age of Empires and never looked back. He misses the times when games still came in boxes...

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Stellaris: How to Use a Quantum Catapult

The Quantum Catapult is one of the cheapest Megastructures that players can construct in Stellaris, and can be used to explore, colonize, or invade.

The galaxy is full of mysteries in Stellaris , ranging from the benign to the apocalyptic. In order to steer their fledgling civilization safely across the stars, players will need to constantly develop new technologies to allow them to reach further and faster. However, sooner or later, all explorers and colonizers in Stellaris will eventually run up against a major obstacle, whether it's a hostile empire, a terrifying guardian, or simply a gulf of empty space.

Fortunately, Stellaris ' Overlord DLC introduced a new Megastructure that can allow players to bypass any obstacle and continue exploring and spreading their empire into new Systems. The Quantum Catapult is one of the cheapest Megastructures to build in Stellaris , but players will still need an advanced empire to research it.

RELATED: Stellaris: How to Build a Holding

How to Build a Quantum Catapult in Stellaris

Like most of the Megastructures in Stellaris , the Quantum Catapult cannot be researched until players have completed the Mega-Engineering tech, which in turn requires Zero Point Power, Battleships, and Citadels. Both Mega-Engineering and Quantum Catapults are rare techs, which means that they have a low chance of appearing in Stellaris ' semi-random tech tree unless the player has ruined Megastructures or a large amount of Citadels within their territory.

Once researched, players can use a Construction Ship to build a Quantum Catapult Site in any System that contains a pulsar or neutron star for the cost of 5,000 Alloys and 300 of Stellaris ' all-important Influence . Once the Site is completed, players can upgrade it through four stages, each of which costs 10,000 Alloys. At each stage, the Quantum Catapult will become more accurate and more efficient, allowing players to launch their fleets further and faster across the galaxy.

Alternatively, players who chose the Slingshot to the Stars Stellaris Origin will start the game with a ruined Quantum Catapult in an adjacent System, and can repair it without needing the Mega-Engineering tech. This is the best way to get a functional Quantum Catapult in the early game, allowing players to spread their Empire far without having to reach Mega-Engineering.

How to Use a Quantum Catapult in Stellaris

Once players have constructed a Quantum Catapult Megastructure in Stellaris , they'll be able to use it to launch their fleets or ships to distant star systems , ignoring the normal Hyperlane network. This is done by selecting a fleet in the same System as the Quantum Catapult, and then pressing the new button in the fleet UI to the right of the Jump icon.

Although this propulsion method works a little like a Jump Drive, it comes with a few provisors. The most notable is that the further a Quantum Catapult sends a fleet, the less accurate their launch will be. This can lead to fleets landing in adjacent Systems, or even Systems several jumps away from their intended target. The potential spread of a Quantum Catapult launch is shown by the circular reticle when choosing a target system.

Once a target system has been selected, the Quantum Catapult will take a short time to wind up and then launch the fleet. Based on the level of the Quantum Catapult, the launch wind-up will take longer, and it will also take longer for the fleet to actually arrive at their destination. Once a fleet arrives, they'll receive a +33% fire-rate bonus for 4 months , making the Quantum Catapult a useful tool for surprise attacks to take enemy home worlds .

Stellaris is currently available on PC, macOS, PS4, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.

MORE: Stellaris: How to Form a Mercenary Enclave

Stellaris How To Use The Quantum Catapult

The Overlord DLC added Quantum Catapults to the game. How do you use them? How do you gain access to them? Are there any advantages to having one? Read on!

To use a Quantum Catapult first move your fleets into the same system as the Quantum Catapult. Go to Galaxy View and select your fleets. A targeting reticule appears. Place it where you want your fleet to go and if it’s green, click on the destination. After a warm-up period the Catapult will “slingshot” your fleets, hopefully somewhat close to the intended destination.

Stellaris Quantum Catapult

A Quantum Catapult “slingshots” fleets across the galaxy by harnessing the power of a star. You don’t need to enter it with your fleets (you can’t anyway), all your fleets need to do to use it is to be in the same system as the catapult. Just click the Catapult Fleet icon at the top of the fleet screen to use it. It’s probably easier go to the Galaxy View and then click the Catapult Fleet icon at the top of the fleet manager. After clicking the Catapult fleet icon, a targeting reticle will appear, a green reticle means everything is ok. Click on the destination and your fleets will on their way shortly after a brief warm-up time for the Quantum Catapult has elapsed.

When you own hyper relays a Quantum Catapult reduces the time spent by a fleet while Missing in Action by a certain percentage depending on the stage of the Catapult.

What Are The Requirements For Building A Quantum Catapult?

First you must have Maga Engineering technology unlocked and have the ability to build Battleships. After you unlock Mega Engineering, you’ll need to unlock the Quantum Catapult technology when it becomes available.

If you want to have a Quantum Catapult in the early game, then select the Slingshot to the Stars origin when starting a new game. This guarantees that a ruined one will be in a system close by, plus you’ll have the technology to fix it and use it. Another advantage to this origin is that Starbases can be built for 75% less in Influence, a significant reduction. You’ll still need Mega Engineering unlocked to improve the Quantum Catapult.

Since a Quantum Catapult needs an immense amount of power it harnesses the power of a star, and not just any star. It can only be built in a system with either a Pulsar or Neutron Star. Also, it cannot share the system with another Megastructure like a Mega Shipyard.

Quantum Catapult Stages (Not Ruined)

A Quantum Catapult has 3 stages, with each higher stage providing more range, shorter warm-up times, better accuracy, and less time fleets spend Missing in Action.

• It takes a Construction ship to build the site
• Building the site takes 5 years
• Cost is 375 Influence (not Unity) and 6,250 Alloys.
• Upkeep Costs are 5 Energy Credits per month
• Upgrading to stage 1 takes 5 years (no construction ship needed)
• Cost is 12,500 Alloys.
• Upkeep Costs are 10 Energy Credits per month
• 10% reduction in Missing in Action time (if you have Hyper Relays)
• Upgrading to stage 2 takes 5 years (no construction ship needed)
• Upkeep Costs are 20 Energy Credits per month
• 20% reduction in Missing in Action time (if you have Hyper Relays)
• 25% reduction in Catapult warm-up time
• Longer range than stage 1
• Better accuracy than stage 1 (the longer the distance to target the less accurate the targeting becomes)
• Upgrading to stage 3 takes 5 years (no construction ship needed)
• Upkeep Costs are 30 Energy Credits per month
• 30% reduction in Missing in Action time (if you have Hyper Relays)
• 50% reduction in Catapult warm-up time
• Longer range than stage 2
• Better accuracy than stage 2 (the longer the distance to target the less accurate the targeting becomes)

Ruined Quantum Catapult Stages

• Takes 10 Years to restore a Quantum Catapult
• Cost is 2,500 Alloys
• Takes 10 Years to improve a Quantum Catapult
• Cost is 15,000 Alloys
• Upkeep Costs are 40 Energy Credits per month

Is the Quantum Catapult Useful?

Yes. One use could be for bypassing an empire with closed borders that you aren’t at war with so you can attack another one. Accuracy is the biggest problem. Fleets will be scattered when they arrive, making them easy targets if you need the strength of several fleets together to survive and win. If some fleets happen to end up in an empire with closed borders they will immediately warp back home, leaving your remaining fleets possibly exposed due to reduced firepower.

Another use is if a crisis emerges in a distant part of the galaxy, you can get some fleets into the area to help our besieged allies although fleets will still be scattered upon arrival.

A good method to counter the scattering of the Quantum Catapult is Jump Drives or Psi Drives. Jump drives “tear ship-sized holes” in space, provided almost immediate travel between systems although the range is limited. By using jump drives you can quickly reassemble your fleets and prepare for battle.

Stellaris Hyper Relays

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Since I mentioned Hyper Relays in this article, they’re worth a brief mention. Hyper Relays can be constructed after unlocking the Hyper Relay technology. When a network of Hyper Relays is constructed, it enables fleets to travel almost instantly from one sector to another. They’re great for rushing fleets to troubled areas in your empire and if you have an open borders treaty with another empire you can use theirs for travel as well. They take a year to construct and cost 25 Influence, 500 Alloys and 100 Rare Crystals. They can be built in systems with wormholes and gateways, making them an efficient network for getting fleets to remote parts of the Galaxy fast. The drawback is that you need to control both ends of the network, something you don’t have to worry about with a Quantum Catapult.

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How To Use Quantum Catapult In Stellaris

Find out how to use these cosmic slingshot machines to transport your fleets.

Stellaris is a grand-strategy MMO game that involves space exploration of a technologically superior species in a race to conquer the galaxy. This cosmic sandbox game allows players to interact, explore, research, and formulate a strategy for expanding their galactic empire. Transportation being an important part of the cosmic colonization, the game offers you a number of options. Jump Drives are one of the first methods players can use to travel but you soon realize they are not enough. Quantum Catapults are slingshot megastructures that warp space-time to launch your fleet as much as 5 times the distance covered by Jump Drives. So in this guide, we will discuss how you can use Quantum Catapults in Stellaris.

How to Use Quantum Catapults in Stellaris

Firstly, you need to launch the game with the Overlords DLC in which they were introduced. Now although Slingshot to the Stars Origin gives it to you from the get-go, you can also choose to build a Quantum Catapult around a Neutron Star (Pulsar) for 300 Influence and 5000 Alloys. This will be a basic catapult that can be later upgraded for more accurate launches. This is because Quantum Catapults, although better than some other FTL options, still just launches your troops in a general direction near your desired destination.

In order to use these megastructures, follow the steps below:

• Select the fleets you wish to launch and plant them in the same star system as your Catapult
• Now, open the Galaxy View and click on the Catapult icon on the bottom left bar.
• You should now see a wider map and a circle to mark the ‘throwing range’ of the catapult. This range can be extended with upgraded catapults.
• Select your desired destination somewhere in the general direction of where you wish to catapult your fleets.
• After a brief charge period, the Quantum Catapult will launch your fleet.

You should also remember to be cautious while using Quantum Catapults to launch your fleets. This is because they are not accurate and sometimes it may end up launching your fleet into a territory with closed borders causing your fleet to go MIA immediately.

That is all there is to using Quantum Catapults in Stellaris. If you found this article helpful check out our other Stellaris guides on GamerTweak.

Kevin is a novel contributor who loves to write about gaming, still in college Kevin always hunts down what is new in the gaming world.  In one line he is a "Resident Gamer" who can and most likely will talk about all trivial things in video games.  You can reach me at [email protected]

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• Exploration

Faster-than-light travel, often abbreviated to FTL , is the method by which ships traverse the vast emptiness of space between star systems. FTL drives are improved with advancing technology, eventually unlocking drives which can "jump", moving from one system to another in an instant.

A fleet will initiate FTL travel when any ship in the fleet reaches the hyperlane jump point or bypass, regardless of the current position of other ships.

• 1.1 Hyperlane travel
• 1.2 FTL Inhibitors
• 1.3 Hyper Relays
• 2.1 Rolling subspace tides
• 3.1.1 Shroud Tunnel
• 3.1.2 Wormhole generation events
• 3.2 Dimensional lock
• 3.3 Gateways
• 4 References

Hyperlanes [ edit | edit source ]

Star systems are connected to one another by hyperlanes , safe passages across interstellar space. A star system can either be part of a cluster – highly interconnected with neighboring systems – or a chokepoint – a system which must be traversed to access the systems on its other side. Hyperlane density , how interconnected star systems are, can be adjusted at game start, from 0.5× to 2.75× or Full . Higher density reduces the number of chokepoint systems and vice versa; at the extreme end, Full attempts to connect every star system with each neighboring system – unless that would cross another existing hyperlane – thereby eliminating nearly all chokepoints.

The hyperlane network through the galaxy is not initially visible and must be discovered. Ship, starbase, and planetary sensors detect and reveal hyperlanes during exploration , with the the hyperlane detection range typically twice the regular sensor range. Hyperlanes connecting to unexplored systems are colored pale gray on the galaxy map. Hyperlanes between explored systems are colored light blue , unless the system is owned by an empire with closed borders, then the hyperlane is colored red .

Distances between systems in the galaxy are typically measured in terms of hyperlane connections. The main exceptions are Tactical Jumps and Quantum Catapults , which used a direct distance scale instead.

Hyperlane travel [ edit | edit source ]

All ships, unless manually designed otherwise, will have an FTL drive , which allows them to travel along hyperlanes. Within a star system, ships move at sublight speed until they reach a hyperlane entry point (shown as an arrow on the system map). Once at the entry point, the ship or fleet takes 15 days to charge its hyper drive and then travels along the hyperlane to the connected system. More advanced FTL drives have reduced windup times. In addition to regular hyperlane travel, Jump Drives or Psi Jump Drives also allow ships or fleets to perform Tactical Jumps . However, merely researching these technologies risks accelerating the endgame crisis by 25 years.

FTL Inhibitors [ edit | edit source ]

Hyper Relays [ edit | edit source ]

Hyper Relays can be built from the galaxy view, which places them semi-randomly within the system. In systems with wormholes or existing gateways, it is recommended to instead go into the system view to manually place the Hyper Relay near to the wormhole or gateway to better facilitate travel. However, Hyper Relays cannot connect through wormholes or gateways.

Direct FTL travel [ edit | edit source ]

While hyperlane travel is the primary method of traversing the galaxy, there are a few ways to travel between two points more directly. They can be used to travel faster as well as bypass impassable systems, such as those with hostile space creatures, a closed empire's borders, or the galactic core.

Rolling subspace tides [ edit | edit source ]

The L-Cluster , galactic core as well as the system housing the Corrupted Avatar guardian cannot be entered via these methods and attempting to do so will show a notification about rolling subspace tides allowing only conventional travel. Direct FTL travel can be used to leave these systems however. Furthermore, the rolling subspace tide around the Corrupted Avatar system recedes once the system has been entered at least once via its wormhole.

MIA [ edit | edit source ]

MIA, or missing-in-action, refers to any ship or fleet that has been temporarily removed from the galaxy. MIA fleets return to an owned starbase after some time, depending on the hyperlane distance from the system they left and the system they return to. This time can be reduced by various modifiers.

Fleets that are "stuck" can be ordered to go MIA. Additionally, fleets that are defeated in battle and fleets in systems with closed borders (due to decloaking, access change, or first contact made) go MIA. Certain events can also make fleets go MIA.

Fleet reinforcements may go MIA in order to reach their fleet, depending on how far the fleet is from the shipyard.

Bypasses [ edit | edit source ]

Bypasses are another alternative to hyperlane travel. There are two basic types of bypasses in Stellaris: wormholes and gateways . Both offer instantaneous travel but require research in order to be usable. The number of wormholes and gateways can be adjusted individually in the settings before the start of a game session. Ships and trade automatically use bypasses – if the route is shorter. Fleet paths through a bypass are shown on the galaxy view by a blue travel line. Inactive bypasses are shown with a red icon in the system and galaxy view, while active bypasses have a white icon. Active bypasses act identically to hyperlanes for most purposes, except that sectors never extend through them.

Wormholes [ edit | edit source ]

Shroud Tunnel [ edit | edit source ]

Each time a fleet travels through the Shroud Tunnel, the following may happen:

• 74% chance nothing happens.

• 5% chance the fleet is randomly enhanced.
• 1% chance a Corrupted Avatar guardian attacks the Shroud Beacon system.

Wormhole generation events [ edit | edit source ]

The Alien Machine event can be triggered by investigating an anomaly with the same name that can appear on asteroids. One of the two event options will lead to the creation of a new wormhole pair, with one end in a system 2-8 hyperlanes away and the other in a system 15-50 hyperlanes away. In addition, if Earth is destroyed with a World Cracker , there is a 50% chance of creating a wormhole in the system leading to another newly created wormhole.

Dimensional lock [ edit | edit source ]

The Daedalus Seal also increases the length of the Dimensional Lock astral action by +25% , to 12.5 years.

Gateways [ edit | edit source ]

While exploring the galaxy, empires may find abandoned gateways that were once part of a massive, galaxy-spanning network. The number of abandoned gateways can be scaled by galaxy settings . [1]

Gateways allow travel to any other gateway instantly, so long as the borders are open and the destination is not controlled by an enemy empire. As a bypass , Gateways generally act like a hyperlane connection between systems, such that claims and trade can be extended through them, however sectors don't extend through gateways.

L-Gates are a special type of gateway, which have a separate network from regular gateways. Instead of jumping from any to any, L-Gates all jump to the Terminal Egress system in the L-Cluster, then from there to any other L-Gate so long as its borders are open, or you are at war. L-Gates are opened through a special project, and new L-Gates cannot be constructed.

References [ edit | edit source ]

• ↑ Setting abandoned gateways to 0 blocks the use of gateway technology as an empire must discover at least one gateway to unlock the research. The Galactic Doorstep origin still spawns a pair of abandoned gateways if the setting is otherwise 0. Awakened Empires always build Gateways regardless of settings.
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Stellaris: overlord is now available.

Stellaris: Overlord is now available ! Realize your Grand Design with Stellaris: Overlord , the newest major expansion for Stellaris! Overlord brings with it many new features designed to unlock the next level of your Empire. Experience new Origins, build new Megastructures, interact with new Enclaves, and Specialize your Vassals’ role within your Empire!

Vassal Specializations

Overlord will allow you to assign a Vassal Specialization to your subjects. Each Vassal Specialization has a specific focus: the Bulwark, which focuses on defense and military strength; the Prospectorium, which focuses on resource collection and production; and the Scholarium, which focuses on scientific advancement. Each of these specializations will level up over time, unlocking unique new abilities available only for their chosen Vassal Specialization for you and your Vassals. But beware: vassals now have Loyalty, and disloyal Vassals may swear Secret Fealty to another empire — and if you give them the opportunity, you may find yourself in an Allegiance War.

Holdings are buildings that are owned by the overlord but are established on a Subject’s planet. Overlord comes with a plethora of additional holding building options, as well as the ability to build multiple Holdings in a single Vassal’s space. Holdings also have the ability to change your subject’s opinion of you, so choose wisely: Whether you become a benevolent overlord, or tightly grip the reigns of power, will be determined by your actions.

New Enclaves

There are three new enclaves included in Overlord : the mysterious Shroudwalker enclave, the industrious Salvager Enclave, and the enterprising Mercenary Enclave. The Shroudwalkers will, for a fee, reach into the Shroud to attempt to determine your fate. The Shroud is fickle, however, and whether this proves to be a boon to your empire is not guaranteed. Should they trust you, they may offer you the ability to purchase a Shroud Beacon, which allows your ships to take a shortcut through the Shroud.

Salvager Enclaves pursue Engineering as their natural calling. They will gladly take your “combat-proven” starships, and will even compensate you for the opportunity. They also regularly have many second-hand vessels for purchase, and can offer you a unique starbase building to speed up repairs, salvage your debris, and more!

The Mercenary Enclave is a change from what we normally know as an Enclave. The Mercenary Enclave is an enclave that you decide to host, as opposed to one you find in the unknowns of space. Rather than sending outdated ships for scrap or dismantling them, with Overlord , you gain the ability to form a Mercenary Enclave, who will take your ships and fight for coin instead of country.

Megastructures

One of the big complaints with Megastructures is that they come so late in the game. Overlord addresses this by adding three new Megastructures, with tech requirements that are lower in the tech tree than Mega Engineering. The Hyper Relay allows fast travel across your empire, the Quantum Catapult can send your fleets on a one-way trip to a portion of the galaxy, and Orbital Rings will allow you to have extra starbase capacity in a system, or provide bonuses to the planet it encircles. Hyper Relays , when constructed in adjacent systems connected by a hyperlane, will allow fast travel across those systems. No longer will your fleets have to slog across an entire system, now they simply enter the Hyper Relay Network, and jump from Relay to Relay across your empire. You can also construct Hyper Relays in your Vassal’s space and travel through your allies’ Hyper Relay Network.

The Quantum Catapult allows its owner to fire selected fleets across the galaxy. Be warned that this process isn’t guaranteed, and sending multiple fleets can result in your forces spread across a sector — or even in uncharted or closed space — rather than orbiting your enemy’s homeworld as you intended.

Orbital Rings allow you to build taller than ever before. Orbital Ring installations can construct ships, optimize production on the planet below and even increase the living space on the planet they encircle.

In the Imperial Fiefdom Origin, your empire was met and subjugated by an advanced species before it developed faster-than-light travel. Now that you’ve discovered how to break the lightspeed barrier, your overlord will offer you the opportunity to choose your specialization. Will you be a loyal vassal and cater to your overlord’s whims, or throw off the shackles and become the overlord yourself? With the Teachers of the Shroud Origin, your species has lived under the influence of a Shroudwalker Enclave for many years, developing your species’ latent Psionic potential. Now that you’ve taken your first steps out into the stars, they’ve shown you how to build a Shroud Beacon, offering a way to take a shortcut across the Shroud. Your ancestors spent eons watching mysterious streaks in the night sky before the lights went dark. In Slingshot to the Stars , you can discover the device that caused these mysterious streaks, and bring to light the story of the empire that left the ruined Quantum Catapult behind. Subterranean starts you off as a species forced to retreat underground. Whether for protection from predators, shelter from harmful radiation, or safe harbor from atmospheric storms: your species has lived underground for generations. Growing tired of just feasting on the mineral wealth of your home planet, now your species has their eyes set on the stars. Whatever the climate of the planets you find, you’ve spent generations preparing, and your species is ready to face the challenge. Unlock the power of Offspring Leaders, with the Progenitor Hive Origin. Build unique buildings on your starbases, allowing congregations of Overseers to steer your ships and control the battle. Your leaders have the ability to draw on the collective experiences of the hive mind and incorporate this knowledge into their decision-making, giving them skills and depth of knowledge that single-minded species could only dream of. Progenitor hiveminds can also release sectors as vassals, under the guidance of one of their Offspring Leaders. Realize your Grand Design with Stellaris: Overlord today !

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Stellaris – how to use the quantum catapult.

When the Overlord expansion was released in May 2022, a new megastructure called the Quantum Catapult got introduced.

The Quantum Catapult has the power to shoot your ships across the galaxy in a single jump. This is much quicker than traversing the hyperlane network.

Recommended Read: What Is Trade Value in Stellaris?

The tactical advantage this can provide while at war is priceless. Instead of fighting your way to an enemy’s capital, you can deposit a fleet right on top of them.

Using a Quantum Catapult requires a vast investment of research and resources. It will then need constructing around a pulsar or neutron star. When built, you can move your fleets to the system and click the new button on the UI and fire them to where they need to be.

Table of Contents

How to operate the quantum catapult.

Once built, using the Quantum Catapult is as simple as a few button clicks. The complicated part is building it.

How to Build a Quantum Catapult

All mega structures in the game need significant time and resources investment. The catapult is no different, even if it is a little cheaper because it does not cost any unity. Instead, it requires a one-time influence cost.

The first research projects that need completing are; Zero Point Power, Citadels, and Battleships. Once those are complete, you then have a chance to unlock the mega-engineering project. Finally, you have a chance at receiving the physics project called Quantum Catapult.

It is worth noting that Mega-Engineering and Quantum Catapult are rare technologies. As such it could take a long while to roll these projects in the research screen.

Lucky for us, there are ways to improve our chances. The ascension perk Technological Ascendancy can help. It improves your chances of getting rare technologies by 50 percent.

After doing all of that, we can use a construction ship to build the Quantum Catapult build site. Of course, there is another catch. The catapult can only be built in a system that contains a pulsar or neutron star.

While these celestial bodies are not ultra rare, you may not have one in or near your empire’s borders. In which case, you will need to find one to claim or liberate from another empire.

Once you find a suitable site, construction can begin. Creating the first stage of the catapult requires 5000 alloys and 300 influence. The first stage is only a build site and will not give you a working Quantum Catapult yet.

Clicking the site gives us the option to upgrade it to its next stage. This will take 5 years and cost a whopping 10,000 alloys. Once completed, the catapult is operational and ready for use.

Further upgrades can be applied to the catapult two more times. Each upgrade will cost 10,000 alloys and 5 years to complete. The total cost for a fully upgraded Quantum catapult is 35,000 alloys and 300 influence.

A much quicker and cheaper way to get a Quantum Catapult does exist in the game. During Empire creation, you have the option to select an origin story for your empire.

The Slingshot to the Stars origin will give you a ruined Quantum Catapult in your home system. You do not need to research to begin the reconstruction efforts of this catapult.

It will only cost 2500 alloys to repair, but it will take 10 years to finish. The restored catapult is as effective as a stage 2 normal catapult and only requires one upgrade to max out.

This upgrade will cost 15,000 alloys, bringing the full cost to 17,500 alloys.

What Does the Quantum Catapult do

Now that we know how to get a Quantum Catapult, what do we get for all our time and effort?

The Quantum Catapult gives your spaceships a brand new way to traverse the galaxy. Before getting across the galaxy could take years of in-game time. Now we have the potential to complete that journey in one jump.

Be warned, the further the jump, the more likely it is that things could go wrong. Fleets can get separated and even worse, go missing in action if they go too far off course. when using the catapult offensively, remember that while separated, your fleets are vulnerable to counterattacks.

This is why upgrading the catapult is super important. Each upgrade increases range and accuracy; mitigating but not eliminating the risk of mishaps.

How to use the Quantum Catapult.

Using the Quantum catapult is simple. First things first, we need to decide what fleets we want to send on a trip across the galaxy. Once you have decided, order them to move to the system containing the megastructure.

Once in the system, the “Catapult Fleet” option in the fleet UI will become selectable. It is next to the “Initiate Jump” button if you are struggling to find it. This option will only be selectable in the galaxy map, not in the system map.

After selecting the catapult fleet option, a target reticule will appear. You can then target which system you want to jump to.

You may notice the further away you target, the larger the reticule grows. This represents the potential margin of error when catapulting fleets. You must be aware that your fleets can land anywhere within that circle.

After selecting the target system, there is a wind-up time before your feet are launched. The time is determined by the catapult level, not the distance traveled.

After the wind-up, the fleets are launched and will land on or close to the target system, ready for orders.

Fleets fired by the catapult have a 33 percent modifier to their fire rate for 120 days. If you selected the Slingshot to the Stars Origin, this bonus is 50 percent.

This makes firing reinforcements into enemy territory not only cool but highly effective.

That is everything you need to know about how to use the Quantum Catapult in Stellaris.

If you have any questions or suggestions for this guide, please use the comment section below. Good luck shooting your fleets across the galaxy.

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• Stellaris: Console edition

• Thread starter MrFreake_PDX
• Start date Mar 3, 2023

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Stellaris: Console Edition Development Diary #53 - "Megastructures and Origins"

RhysTheT00n

• Mar 3, 2023
• Add bookmark

Before I even read this, I'm pleased to report that when this DLC is released and the game is updated and my save is no longer playable, I stand ready to donate 50K Dark Matter from my stockpile of 354K in the year 3081 to wipe the galaxy completely for the new update. I shall make way for the next cycle  

Paranoidsid

Second lieutenant.

i cannot wait to relearn the game. i’m not even being facetious; i love how the dlc keep things fresh and always improving.  

Svenska Super

These are cool compact meaningful features. What i still miss is: - Simplified planet building screen: Moving away from limitations on max buildings, so one can go truly tall (max resourc i can understand, would like to see name change 1 mining resource = mining field) - I do like such things as catapult your fleet but hope to see introduction of fuel: as such adding space tankerships and their complete periphery array of support infrastructure - Stellaris feels in some aspects a bit toyish, it could move a bit more towards star wars: bit more serious laser sounds and rust, dust, damage on ships and a bit more overall rougher feel As a thank you to this well done update i suggest as innovation the space tanker to be dual use, using him eventually to crash into a planet, also seeing his nose being able to upgrade with a 6th generation 'gunnar' isomer warhead. Oh i almost forgot weather news such as meteor storms on planets etc. would be cool.  

• Mar 14, 2023

Hey I have one question. My friends and I noticed that the game speed on consoles has been changed after the last patch. Therefore, would it be possible to set the default speed as one bar? plus Overlord music tracks are to quiet...