Equipment dock

An Equipment dock is a Station subtype that installs equipment (weapons, shields, engines, turrets, software, ammo) on existing ships. It cannot build ships — for that you need a Wharf (S/M) or Shipyard (L/XL).

Equipment docks are the “loadout swap” stops modders frequently target: cargo full of crystal-thrusters but no place to install them? Find an equipment dock.

This page documents Equipment-dock-specific behavior. For all general station behavior (creation, ownership, modules, hull, dockingbays, events), see the parent Station page.

Identification

Flag	Meaning
`.isequipmentdock`	Currently an equipment dock (display-state)
`.isplannedequipmentdock`	Planned/in-construction to be an equipment dock
`.canequipships`	Has at least one ship-equipping module (true for equipment docks, wharfs, AND shipyards)
`.canbuildships`	FALSE for pure equipment docks (they don’t build from scratch)

For early detection during construction, use .isplannedequipmentdock (vanilla factionlogic_stations.xml:232).

Properties (equipment-dock-specific)

All accessors live on the parent station datatype (scriptproperties.xml:848). There is no separate equipmentdock datatype.

Property	Type	Description
`.isequipmentdock`	bool	Currently an equipment dock
`.isplannedequipmentdock`	bool	Planned to be an equipment dock
`.canequipships`	bool	Can install equipment (shared with Wharf/Shipyard)
`.canbuildequipment.{ware}`	bool	Can install specific equipment ware
`.canbuildequipment.{list}`	bool	Can install all wares in list
`.buildequipment.wares`	warelist	Full list of installable equipment
`.buildequipment.weapons` / `.shields` / `.engines` / `.turrets` / `.software` / `.thrusters` / `.missiles` / `.drones` / `.countermeasures` / `.satellites` / `.navbeacons` / `.resourceprobes` / `.lasertowers` / `.mines`	warelist	Per-category filtered list

The per-category .buildequipment.X warelists are inherited from container — see vanilla scriptproperties.xml:1014-1027 for the complete list.

Differentiating equipment dock from wharf/shipyard

The distinguishing rule: equipment docks cannot build ships.

<!-- Pure equipment dock -->
<do_if value="$Station.isequipmentdock
    and not $Station.canbuildships">
    <!-- equipment-only, cannot build from scratch -->
</do_if>

<!-- Any station that can install equipment -->
<do_if value="$Station.canequipships">
    <!-- works for equipment docks, wharfs, AND shipyards -->
</do_if>

Vanilla diplomacy.xml:2542 uses .isequipmentdock as a fallback after .isshipyard or .iswharf to catch equipment-only stations.

Common equipment-dock-relevant patterns

”Find an equipment dock that can install my crystal-thruster”

<find_station_by_true_owner name="$Candidates"
    space="player.galaxy"
    multiple="true"
    sortbydistanceto="player.ship"/>

<set_value name="$found" exact="null"/>

<do_for_each name="$station" in="$Candidates">
    <do_if value="$station.canequipships
        and $station.canbuildequipment.{ware.thruster_arg_m_crystal_01_mk1}">
        <set_value name="$found" exact="$station"/>
        <break/>
    </do_if>
</do_for_each>

.canequipships is used (not .isequipmentdock) — wharfs and shipyards also install equipment, no need to exclude them.

”All wharfs and equipment docks where I can sell mod parts”

<do_for_each name="$station" in="$Candidates">
    <do_if value="$station.iswharf
        or $station.isshipyard
        or $station.isequipmentdock">
        <!-- candidate for selling equipment / mod parts -->
    </do_if>
</do_for_each>

Pattern from gmc_retrieve_dead_drop.xml:2292-2301.

”Did the player build a new equipment dock?”

<cue name="WatchPlayerEquipDock" instantiate="true">
    <conditions>
        <event_object_construction_sequence_created/>
        <check_value
            value="event.object.isclass.{class.station}
                and event.object.owner == faction.player
                and event.object.isplannedequipmentdock
                and not event.object.isequipmentdock"/>
    </conditions>
    <actions>
        <write_to_logbook
            text="'Player equipment dock construction began: '
                + event.object.knownname"/>
    </actions>
</cue>

Construction macros

Equipment docks are constructed using:

Group: equipmentdock_<faction_3-letter-code> (e.g. equipmentdock_arg, equipmentdock_tel) in libraries/stationgroups.xml.
Plan: e.g. arg_equipmentdock in libraries/constructionplans.xml.

Common gotchas

⚠ .isequipmentdock is FALSE during construction. Use .isplannedequipmentdock for early detection.
⚠ .canequipships is TRUE for wharfs and shipyards too. For equipment-only checks use .isequipmentdock and not .canbuildships.
⚠ Equipment docks do NOT build ships. .canbuildships is false. If you need a ship built (not just equipped), check .isshipyard or .iswharf instead.
⚠ Hybrid stations are valid. An equipment dock can also have wharf/shipyard modules added; flags stack (.iswharf=true and .isequipmentdock=true). For “pure equipment dock” filter, combine with not .canbuildships.
⚠ Per-category .buildequipment.weapons only returns equipment THIS station can install. A station without missile modules has empty .buildequipment.missiles. For full “what does this faction install anywhere” use <find_station> with .canbuildequipment.{$ware}.
⚠ set_equipment_wares_included/_excluded operates at the build module level, not the station. If a station has multiple equipment build modules, you may need to target each.
⚠ In X4 9.0, create_construction_sequence errors on staged stations. Same guard as Shipyard / Wharf.

Architectural context

How factions decide where to build equipment docks: Architectural overview Faction economy — equipment docks are placed in well-connected sectors to serve as common loadout-swap hubs.
Construction sequence rendering: Architectural overview Station construction sequence — same pipeline as Shipyard.

Station — parent abstraction (all general properties/actions live there).
Shipyard — sibling subtype, builds and equips L/XL.
Wharf — sibling subtype, builds and equips S/M.
Trade station — sibling subtype, sells equipment as wares (not installs).
Faction — owner.
Ware — equipment items as wares.
Build module — the contained part that does the actual installation.