How to get automated ship turrets in Starfield

At certain times during your playthrough of Starfield, space combat will become an inevitability. Some players love a good dog fight, while others like me struggle. But whether you’re an ace or a zero in the chair, who’d turn down a little extra firepower? If you’re looking to upgrade your weapons, read on to find out how to get automated ship turrets in Starfield.

How to fire ship turrets - Starfield

Using automated ship turrets in Starfield to help in space combat isn’t as easy as you might hope. The biggest obstacle you’ll come up against is you have to unlock the Automated Weapon Systems skill for turrets to work. The skill is in the Tech section but is a Master level skill, which means it won’t be available until you have put 12 skill points into the Tech skill section. 

Related: Starfield Habs Guide – Best Habs and Features, Explained

On the plus side, you only need the skill to be at Rank 1 for your turrets to be operational. This additionally gives automated ship weapons a 10 percent damage boost and reduces all targeting mode costs by 20 percent. To open Ranks 2, 3, and 4, you will need to do damage with your automated turret weapons:

• Rank 2 (1,000 automated turret damage dealt to enemy ships): Automated weapons do 20 percent more damage, targeting mode costs 30 percent less, and your ship takes 20 percent less damage while in targeting mode.
• Rank 3 (4,000 automated turret damage dealt to enemy ships): Automated weapons do 30 percent more damage, targeting mode costs 40 percent less, and your chance of criting sub-systems with them rises 20 percent.
• Rank 4 (10,000 automated turret damage dealt to enemy ships): Turrets rechange 40 percent quicker and do 20 percent more damage when a sub-system is targeted.

Where to get automated ship turrets in Starfield

Once you’ve unlocked the Automated Weapons Systems skill you’ll be able to purchase ship turrets from either a Ship Services Technician or directly from a manufacturer showroom. Once in the shipbuilder menu, select Add and scroll across to the Weapons list.

In terms of placement, the best use of automated ship turrets I’ve found is for covering your back! Make sure to place a turret towards the back of your ship, allowing your automated weapons to attack enemies tailing you. This is incredibly useful in battles where you’re facing more than one ship on your own.

For more on Starfield here at Pro Game Guides, check out Best Weapons for Companions in Starfield or Can you reset skill points in Starfield.