Star Citizen CCU Chains: How to Save Big on Ships

What is a CCU (Cross-Chassis Upgrade)?

In Star Citizen, a CCU (Cross-Chassis Upgrade) is a pledge-store feature that lets you transform an owned ship into a different ship of equal or higher value, while preserving insurance and bonus items. Essentially, if you buy (or already own) a cheaper ship now, you can swap it for a more expensive model later by paying only the price difference. Crucially, CCUs carry over Lifetime Insurance (LTI) and any limited-time items. This means that if your original ship had LTI, the new ship you upgrade into will have LTI as well.

Only ships you own (or have previously owned) can be used as the base for a CCU. You initiate a CCU from your RSI account under Add-Ons → Upgrades → Ship Upgrades (Cross-Chassis). Here are some key points about CCUs:

• Cost = Price Difference: Your upgrade cost is based on pledge store prices. For example, upgrading a $50 ship to a $60 ship will cost $10 (minus any Warbond discount).
• No Downgrades: You cannot use a CCU to go to a cheaper ship. Each CCU target must have an equal or higher base price than your current ship.
• Insurance Transfer: Lifetime Insurance (LTI) and special items on the old ship carry through to the new ship. This is why CCUs are often used strategically to put LTI on an expensive ship by starting with an LTI token ship.
• Limited-Time Availability: Some ships and CCUs appear only during events like the Intergalactic Aerospace Expo or Invictus Launch Week. If a ship or upgrade is unavailable outside these windows, plan your chain accordingly.

CCUs operate separately from in-game currency (UEC) mechanics. In other words, CCUs are a real-money promotion store feature; you can’t use in-game credits to buy them. The concept has existed for years, allowing players to make incremental steps toward bigger ships through multiple upgrades.

Why Use CCU Chains?

A CCU chain means performing a series of CCUs in succession, stepping gradually from a small starting ship up to a much larger target ship. Why go through all this trouble? Because each link offers opportunities for savings which add up over the chain.

Think of a CCU chain like paying in increments: instead of paying the full price of your target ship at once, you break it down into a few smaller upgrade payments. If each step has a $10 Warbond discount, three steps would save you $30 overall. In practice, savvy backers commonly see 30–50% savings (or more) on expensive ships when they use well-planned CCU chains.

The main benefits of CCU chains include:

• Big Discounts: Each Warbond CCU adds a fixed-dollar discount, and these discounts accumulate across the chain.
• LTI Transfer: Since LTI carries through every upgrade, an expensive ship inherits the Lifetime Insurance of your cheap starting ship. This can effectively “free” LTI on a ship that normally never has it.
• Flexibility: You can tailor the chain to current events and deals. For example, if a certain intermediate ship is on sale or has a Warbond CCU, you can include it to boost your overall savings.

Building a CCU Chain (Step-by-Step Guide)

Follow these steps to plan and execute a CCU chain:

1. Identify Your Final Ship: Decide which target ship you ultimately want, and note its pledge-store base price. This is the ship you want to end up owning.
2. Acquire an LTI Token: Obtain a low-cost ship as your starting point, and make sure it has Lifetime Insurance (usually via a Warbond sale). Good examples of token ships include:
   • Mirai Pulse
   • Greycat Industrial MTC
   • Drake Cutter

Even an Aurora or similar starter package with LTI. The cheaper this token is (while still having LTI), the more links you can stack. The token’s LTI will carry through to your final ship.

1. Plan Intermediate Links: Map out a series of upgrades from your token to your target, stepping up incrementally. Each link should upgrade to a slightly more expensive ship. There are community tools (like CCU selector websites and spreadsheets) that list possible upgrades between ships – use these to ensure each link is valid. Try to include ships for which Warbond CCUs are available, since Warbond CCUs give extra discount at each step. For example, common intermediates might include Avenger variants, Freelancer, Constellations, or medium haulers, depending on your specific chain.
2. Perform Each CCU: Log into the RSI Pledge Store, go to Add-Ons → Upgrades, and apply the first CCU (your token → the next ship in your chain). Complete that purchase. Then proceed to use the resulting ship as the base for the next CCU (the new ship → next bigger ship), and so on. Each CCU is a real-money upgrade (though Warbond discounts reduce that cost). After each step, confirm that the upgrade was applied correctly and that you still have LTI on the resulting ship.

Example Chain with fake prices: Suppose your goal is an Anvil Carrack (base $310). You start with a $40 LTI ship. One possible chain is:

• Upgrade 1: $40 ship → $60 ship (you pay +$20)
• Upgrade 2: $60 ship → Freelancer Max ($150) (you pay +$90)
• Upgrade 3: Freelancer ($150) → Carrack ($310) (you pay +$160)
  Total paid: ~$270 (instead of $310). You end up with the Carrack’s LTI from the original token.

Each chain will differ based on current prices and available CCUs, but the core idea is the same: stack multiple smaller upgrades to reduce overall cost.

Additional Tips for Maximizing Discounts

• Time Big Events Right: CIG’s major sales (IAE, Invictus, holiday events, etc.) often feature Warbond CCUs and special ships. Plan your chain around these events when more options and tokens appear.
• Favor Warbond CCUs: Use Warbond upgrades whenever possible. They’re cash-only but give an extra cash discount on each link. (Just remember, Warbond CCUs cannot be refunded for credit later.)
• Preserve Your LTI: Start with an LTI ship if you want LTI on your final ship. If your token lacks LTI, the final ship won’t have it either, no matter what.
• Smart Store Credit Use: If you have any store credit, save it for your final non warbond purchases or concept ships that often gain value closer to launch.
• Track Ship Prices: Keep an eye on any price changes in the pledge store. Occasionally a ship’s price can go up due to package changes or re-releases. If a ship in your chain increases in price after you get it, you effectively get extra upgrade credit on the next step. Conversely, if the price drops, you’ll need to verify your CCUs still cover the new price.
• Use Online Tools: Fan-run sites like StarCitizen.Tools or CCU-selector resources can list all allowed upgrades for each ship. These tools help double-check your planned chain and ensure nothing is missing.
• Document Your Chain: Write down each upgrade step with ship names and prices. CCU chains often involve many steps, and keeping a checklist prevents mistakes (and makes it easier to share your plan or ask for help).

Common Pitfalls and Considerations

• Pledge-Store Only: CCUs are part of the crowdfunding store, not in-game content. They use real money (or store credit) and have nothing to do with in-game UEC.
• No Turning Back: After you apply the upgrade to your final ship, you generally can’t undo it (except by melting the ship, which wastes all the discounts you accumulated). Don’t rush the last step until you’re certain.
• Limited-Time Ships: Some chains depend on ships that are only sold during events (e.g. holiday specials or collector’s editions). If your chain needs one of these, you must execute that CCU while it’s available, or adjust your plan if you miss it.
• Patience is Required: Completing a full chain often takes weeks, months or even years for the biggest savings. CIG releases CCUs over time, and some ships only appear briefly. Don’t get frustrated if you hit a temporary roadblock; new CCUs may appear later.
• Avoid Calculation Errors: A small arithmetic mistake can ruin a deal. Double-check the price difference and discount for each CCU before purchasing. If unsure, seek advice from experienced backers or use an upgrade calculator. Mistakes can be costly, especially on Warbond purchases.

Conclusion

CCU chains are a powerful strategy for any Star Citizen backer who wants to maximize value. By carefully planning a series of ship upgrades – starting from a cheap LTI token and moving through intermediate links – you can significantly cut the cost of a high-end ship. It requires research, strategic timing, and patience, but the payoff can be substantial: that coveted ship in your hangar, at a fraction of its normal price.

For new players, start small and build up. Take advantage of your referral bonus (don’t forget to use the code for 50,000 bonus credits!), get a cheap starter ship with LTI, and experiment with a short chain first. Observe how each CCU affects your credit cost and insurance. Then expand to longer chains as you become comfortable.

In January 2025 (and beyond), this CCU chain trick remains valid because the pledge upgrade system hasn’t changed. Stay organized, watch the store for deals, and participate in the community – experienced players often share new chain ideas after every sale event. With diligence and planning, you might find yourself piloting an expensive starship for far less than its listed price.

Happy upgrading, and fly safely in the verse!