I have no idea if this is even feasible but I would spill out the drivel in my head for all to laugh at! When we build a ship we do not pay a fee, rather we pay for that ship in the time it takes to build it and AFTER it is built we pay a maintenance fee based on the components it has in it. The current way we upgrade ships is to pay a flat fee per ship and it allows it to upgrade right there in dead space while imaginary engineers in ships arrive with new weapons, life support, engines and defenses. 

While in practice this is ok I would like to have another option to upgrade which utilizes our beloved Shipards. This is an OLD idea all the way back in Alpha. I would like to dock ships or entire fleets at shipyards and do repairs for FREE, yes you heard me FREE, but the catch is it takes longer. 

Suppose you had a war with Tasty Torians, it dragged on and you built a dozen 4 or 5 medium  hull fleets and while they did the job they were 'first generation and lo and behold the Arceans just popped up and have better fleets and better tech than those old buckets. 

Peace is made and you and the Torians  resume relations and trade. You know another war is going to break out between you and the Arceans. You want to upgrade your fleets but the cost PER SHIP is 3500 each, you only clear 285 per week and damn Dustman Cole keeps asking for favors!

Suppose you could upgrade your fleets if they came home and docked into the shipyards? WoW, that would be the ticket! Now you recall all your fleet and the cram in (up to the limit) and get upgraded. Now its a race against time! 

How much time? Well, I figure it should be a  percentage of the new components and maybe a bit more. 

This would allow the ai to upgraded all its ships (we could put that into its flavor/orders) and not kill its bank account. 

Suggestions?

Ideas?

Happy Conquering!