Manufacturing System

[Woyzeck]

Robinson Crusoes building objects requiring specialized, 20th-century-and-beyond manufacturing bothered me, though I recognized it was required for gameplay purposes.

A solution that occurred to me was this: Components as resources.

Want to build a turret? Each one will require a "turret controller" (the computer, sensors, and servos as a kit), as well as metal and the desired weapon; the weapon and controller available from your friendly neighborhood Combat Supplier ship.

Solar array? You'll need the panels/cells from an industrial supplier. However, your standard escape pod's SHTF bag might just happen to include one when you make an emergency planetfall.

Nuclear reactor? You'll need a core for that.

Geothermal generator? Turbine/dynamo kit.

Battery? Nutrient paste dispenser? Ditto. The NP is another you might drop with a component for.

This gets around the problem of suspension of disbelief, while simultaneously making these more complex structures more valuable (i.e. you'll have more invested in protecting them). To buy a little leeway though, there could be a % chance of the essential component surviving, should the structure you used it to build suffer an unfortunate mishap.