Source: http://www.fantasyflightgames.com/edge_foros_discusion.asp?efid=123&efcid=3&efidt=566856

Q. Are the increased Ship Point Costs (and therefore corresponding increased difficulty at acquisition costs) for Good + Best Quality shipboard components in Battlefleet Koronus in addition to, or instead of the usual -10 and -30 to acquisition tests for good + best quality.
A. The Ship Points modifying Acquisition Tests specifically apply to procuring either ship hulls or full starships. So if you're buying a hull, or buying a built starship, you'd modify the test by the Total Ship Point Cost. If you were buying the Component individually to install on an existing ship, you'd use the Acquisition Test modifiers for Good and Best Craftsmanship instead.

I've put in bold the part that really interested me on this FAQ. According to it, it seems that if you want to buy a whole new Starship, you don't need to buy first the Hull and then each component individually with separate Acquisitions, you can just make a single roll with a penalty equal to the whole Ship Point Cost of the new ship.

For example, my players want to replace their old transport ship with a Frigate. After selecting all Components, they get a starship just like the Sabre (Core, p. 211). To get the ship fully equiped they only need to do a single Acquisition Test with a -50 modifier.

Since I'm not english native, maybe I got the text wrong, but I think that's what that sentence is saying, isn't it?

If that's what the sentence is saying, what do you guys think about it? Would you allow such a rule on your games?

I do believe that is what the sentence is saying. Imo that makes it much more logical for a player to buy an entirely new starship rather then upgrade an old, at least for frigates, raiders and transports.

Personally i'd allow for the rule but exclude xenotech entirely and say that any archeotech component increases the ship cost for this purpose by 15/component. Else one could get a kickass raider fairly cheap.

"Hm, should i choose a teleportarium or a energy conversion matrix?"

"Take'm both, these fools of the mechanicum give their most sacred tech away like it was candy!"

Badlapje said:

By RAW, youy can't build a ship with archeotech or xenotech unless:

A- It has the Relicary of Mars or Xenophilus Past History Complication.

B- It has the Thulian Explorator Vessel or Planet-bound for Millenia Background Package.

So if they want to get a ship with archeotech or xenotech, they should purchase such Components with separate Acquisitions. Another factor is if they are purchasing an old ship or they are commissioning one to be built from scratch to a Forge World. If they go for the second option (maybe asking some favors to thwe Imperial navy or a Forge World), I would allow them to purchase Background Packages or roll Relicary of Mars or Xenophilus on the Past Complications table. If they are buying a ship froms cratch, on the other hand, that would make sense. Actually, we don't have many applicable options for Compliations for ship's built from scratch.

Maese Mateo said:

By RAW they cannot spend ship points on xenotech or archeotech. Since the only time they have SP to spend is at chargen it isnt a concern for purchasing a new ship. After chargen, it is all up to the GM as to whether a ship is available with any components desired.

The sentence in question clearly states that you do not have to buy a ship piece by piece. It does NOT say that the players dream ship is available for purchase any time they go looking for it. What ships are available for purchase is something that is completely up to the GM.