diff --git a/.gitlab-ci.yml b/.gitlab-ci.yml
index 7aa31a7a2..a7b43f377 100644
--- a/.gitlab-ci.yml
+++ b/.gitlab-ci.yml
@@ -1,16 +1,11 @@
-# use Eclipse's JDK
-image: gradle:eclipse-temurin
-# TODO, try the following to see if that offers any speed difference
-#image: alpine
-
-
-# Note: when making new changes please use 4 spaces for tabs, 
-# this is because Gitlab's editor (which shows errors in the script) uses 4 spaces per tab. 
-# - James
+image: alpine
 
 # all stages need to be defined here
 stages:
-  - build
+  - build_18_2
+  - build_18_1
+  - build_17_1
+  - build_16_5
 
 variables:
     # Pull core when building
@@ -24,57 +19,53 @@ before_script:
 
 
 
-# # 1.16.5 build
-# build compile_18_1 1/2::
-#     stage: build_16_5
-#     script:
-#         - ./gradlew deleteMerged --gradle-user-home cache/;
-#         - ./gradlew build -PmcVer=1.16.5 --gradle-user-home cache/;
-#         - ./gradlew merge --gradle-user-home cache/;
-#     image: eclipse-temurin:16
-#     artifacts:
-#         name: "Merged_NightlyBuild_1_16_5-${CI_COMMIT_SHORT_SHA}-${CI_COMMIT_TIMESTAMP}"
-#         paths:
-#             - Merged
-#         expire_in: 1 day
-#         when: always
-#     cache:
-#         key: "gradleCache"
-#         policy: pull-push
-#         paths:
-#             - .gradle
-#             - cache/
-#     allow_failure: true
+# 1.16.5 build
+build_16_5:
+  stage: build_16_5
+  script:
+    - ./gradlew deleteMerged --gradle-user-home cache/;
+    - ./gradlew build -PmcVer=1.16.5 --gradle-user-home cache/;
+    - ./gradlew merge --gradle-user-home cache/;
+  image: eclipse-temurin:16
+  artifacts:
+    name: "Merged_NightlyBuild_1_16_5-${CI_COMMIT_SHORT_SHA}-${CI_COMMIT_TIMESTAMP}"
+    paths:
+      - Merged
+    expire_in: 1 day
+  cache:
+    key: "gradleCache"
+    policy: pull-push
+    paths:
+      - .gradle
+      - cache/
 
-# # 1.17.1 build
-# build_17_1:
-#     stage: build_17_1
-#     script:
-#         - ./gradlew deleteMerged --gradle-user-home cache/;
-#         - ./gradlew build -PmcVer=1.17.1 --gradle-user-home cache/;
-#         - ./gradlew merge --gradle-user-home cache/;
-#     image: eclipse-temurin:16
-#     artifacts:
-#         name: "Merged_NightlyBuild_1_17_1-${CI_COMMIT_SHORT_SHA}-${CI_COMMIT_TIMESTAMP}"
-#         paths:
-#             - Merged
-#         expire_in: 1 day
-#         when: always
-#     cache:
-#         key: "gradleCache"
-#         policy: pull-push
-#         paths:
-#             - .gradle
-#             - cache/
-#     allow_failure: true
+# 1.17.1 build
+build_17_1:
+  stage: build_17_1
+  script:
+    - ./gradlew deleteMerged --gradle-user-home cache/;
+    - ./gradlew build -PmcVer=1.17.1 --gradle-user-home cache/;
+    - ./gradlew merge --gradle-user-home cache/;
+  image: eclipse-temurin:16
+  artifacts:
+    name: "Merged_NightlyBuild_1_17_1-${CI_COMMIT_SHORT_SHA}-${CI_COMMIT_TIMESTAMP}"
+    paths:
+      - Merged
+    expire_in: 1 day
+  cache:
+    key: "gradleCache"
+    policy: pull-push
+    paths:
+      - .gradle
+      - cache/
 
 # 1.18.1 build 
-build compile_18_1 1/2:
-    stage: build
+build_18_1:
+    stage: build_18_1
     script: 
-        - ./gradlew deleteMerged --gradle-user-home cache_1/; # make sure any previously merged jars are removed before running this job
-        - ./gradlew build -PmcVer=1.18.1 --gradle-user-home cache_1/; 
-        - ./gradlew merge --gradle-user-home cache_1/;
+        - ./gradlew deleteMerged --gradle-user-home cache/; # make sure any previously merged jars are removed before running this job
+        - ./gradlew build -PmcVer=1.18.1 --gradle-user-home cache/; 
+        - ./gradlew merge --gradle-user-home cache/;
     # build using Java 17
     image: eclipse-temurin:17
     artifacts:
@@ -83,37 +74,32 @@ build compile_18_1 1/2:
         # relative to the root directory
         - Merged
         expire_in: 1 day
-        # even if one build fails, upload the successful jars
-        when: always
-    # cache:
-    #     key: "gradleCache"
-    #     policy: pull-push
-    #     paths:
-    #         - .gradle
-    #         - cache/
-    allow_failure: true
+    cache:
+        key: "gradleCache"
+        policy: pull-push
+        paths:
+            - .gradle
+            - cache/
 
 # 1.18.2 build
-build compile_18_2 2/2::
-    stage: build
-    script:
-        - ./gradlew deleteMerged --gradle-user-home cache_2/;
-        - ./gradlew build -PmcVer=1.18.2 --gradle-user-home cache_2/;
-        - ./gradlew merge --gradle-user-home cache_2/;
-    image: eclipse-temurin:17
-    artifacts:
-        name: "Merged_NightlyBuild_1_18_2-${CI_COMMIT_SHORT_SHA}-${CI_COMMIT_TIMESTAMP}"
-        paths:
-            - Merged
-        expire_in: 1 day
-        when: always
-    # cache:
-    #     key: "gradleCache"
-    #     policy: pull-push
-    #     paths:
-    #         - .gradle
-    #         - cache/
-    allow_failure: true
+build_18_2:
+  stage: build_18_2
+  script:
+    - ./gradlew deleteMerged --gradle-user-home cache/;
+    - ./gradlew build -PmcVer=1.18.2 --gradle-user-home cache/;
+    - ./gradlew merge --gradle-user-home cache/;
+  image: eclipse-temurin:17
+  artifacts:
+    name: "Merged_NightlyBuild_1_18_2-${CI_COMMIT_SHORT_SHA}-${CI_COMMIT_TIMESTAMP}"
+    paths:
+      - Merged
+    expire_in: 1 day
+  cache:
+    key: "gradleCache"
+    policy: pull-push
+    paths:
+      - .gradle
+      - cache/
 
 
 # unused deployment stage