Longterm research goals

[Illuminatus]

Let's say we've aquired Ethical Calculus. What should we research towards next?

I see three options - go for energy lifting and try to beat the game economically.

Go for missle weapons and air power and build up military strength - we can conquer Hive bases then and have a military to threathen or use against other human factions. (although choppers cannot attack bases, needles are still excellent units capable of covering our forces and striking from longer distances against enemy bases).

Go for the planetary datalinks and CDF. Not sure what to say, getting PD would be useful (although we would get a crapload of useless techs, but probably also restriction lifting ones too), but CDFs value diminshes if enemy uses air assaults to support his assaults.

Preferably we could go for Initiative waiting for Yang to discover HEC, probe it, and research missle weapons using that (or not, if Yang can research it faster). Having missle weapons and initiative we just need DAP for needles, and we can start massing forces for assault on Hive or someone else.
I guess we can get restriction lifting techs from others in future, or coop with Angels to discover them all alone. Also, adding Morgan in equation in future may affect things. This is not yet a poll, but discussion, and a very important one.

[binTravkin]

I say - take the first option + the 2nd option will be brought to us by probing Yang!

[Chaos Theory]

We can hold off on restriction lifting for a while since we can build condensor-farms and start creating specialist cities to aid our energy deficiency. Crawlers on forests can aid our mineral deficiency. Let's carefully go after D:AP, grabbing as many techs as practical from Yang on the way.

We currently have the option of pursuing the PTS. In a few turns, we'll have an artifact available to help construction, lowering its effective cost to 190 minerals (~8 crawlers). It's probably too early to go after it now, but if it's still unclaimed in ~10 years, it would be very helpful.

[binTravkin]

On the other hand - we have the best ability to build boreholes from all the factions, but we cannot use them till Eco Eng and D:AP will be DEFINITELY researched by Yang, it will onl take 5-10 turns longer than our "combined" efforts

[Illuminatus]

Originally posted by Chaos Theory
We can hold off on restriction lifting for a while since we can build condensor-farms and start creating specialist cities to aid our energy deficiency. Crawlers on forests can aid our mineral deficiency. Let's carefully go after D:AP, grabbing as many techs as practical from Yang on the way.

We currently have the option of pursuing the PTS. In a few turns, we'll have an artifact available to help construction, lowering its effective cost to 190 minerals (~8 crawlers). It's probably too early to go after it now, but if it's still unclaimed in ~10 years, it would be very helpful.

Is there any other SP that could be useful to us? What if we got TCN technology (DL) in near future? Would it be useful to us?

[Chaos Theory]

I don't value the Command Nexus very highly, especially with our ability to use native life. The first few morale levels are the easiest to gain, anyway, and when in Wealth, the CN is even less valuable.

[binTravkin]

It's a pity that EG is disabled..

Our next possible SPs:
CDF, AV, PD (Planetary Datalinks), LV

We're on the way to at least for 2 of them

[MrWhereItsAt]

Originally posted by binTravkin
On the other hand - we have the best ability to build boreholes from all the factions, but we cannot use them till Eco Eng

Is this because of resource restrictions are lifted then?

/me does not have his SMAX poster at hand right now.

It's across the room, in the drawer. I'm comfortable where I am.

[binTravkin]

Is this because of resource restrictions are lifted then?

Exactly, Eco Eng gives 3+ minerals. Without them boreholes are useless (as they produce 2mins & 2energy)

[livid imp]

Please jump in with your comments and / or additions.

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CDF Pros: Serious protection from both irrational AI and the irrational Spartans. Would be easily paid for since we would almost certainly have at least 6 cities in a large empire which build PDs anyway. Probe teams would be impotent to destroy PDs.

CDF Cons: The protection wanes after Doc:AP. We would likely have competition from the Spartans to build this SP.


AV Pros: With the +1 to Police, we could run the Police SE and gain the magic +3 (double)Police rating. This would help size 9 cities.

AV Cons: Hmm. can't think of any


PD Pros: We could "turtle" technologically. Stop all tech trading and allow the PD to deliver those techs we don't yet have.

PD Cons: This SP is still relatively weak. The other factions could simply not trade certain techs as a denial strategy.


PTS Pros: Faster population development even before hab complexes are built. More votes for governor. More resources collected.

PTS Cons: We might look like a fatter, juicier target for the other factions.


LV Pros: Suppresses one drone per city.....eh, who cares.

LV Cons: Can get the same basic effect plus some from either the AV or PTS

[Chaos Theory]

Originally posted by livid imp
Please jump in with your comments and / or additions.

AV Pros: With the +1 to Police, we could run the Police SE and gain the magic +3 (double)Police rating. This would help size 9 cities.

AV Cons: Hmm. can't think of any

The Gaians have -1 Police as a faction mod. The AV + Police State would only yield +2, nothing special. The cost of running PS could be pretty high, too.

LV Pros: Suppresses one drone per city.....eh, who cares.

LV Cons: Can get the same basic effect plus some from either the AV or PTS

Under Planned (where we might spend a lot of time), the LV quells 2 drones per city. It's like the Virtual World, but you don't need the network nodes! LV + Rec Commons = 4 citizens, regardless of bureaucracy. Once you hit size 5, start using specialists. The PTS only suppresses drones in small cities (size 3 or smaller).

[Illuminatus]

Back to thread topic, would getting Ethical Calculus for research be the best option then? I would prefer getting it via trade, however we should see what will Yang research next (after Optical Computers), then get Calculus, so we can redirect research the other option in our bid for DAP.

[binTravkin]

Let's go for it - it will take time anyway, so we can acquire it by other means as research nears completion!

[Natalinasmpf]

Do we want a democratic social engineering setting? It could quite disable our support level. But it would restore our efficiency rating to +2....good for ICS. If we are not intending to ICS and want to build up, we would need it as a road to splicing, then to eco engineering then environmental econ - for boreholes and such.

We don't need calculus that much if we were aiming for police state. Police State would bring efficiency to -2, more drones, but also more repression from police, but we have a hard time to get 3 police units unless we have Ascetic Virtues. However, it gives us great support.

What is Yang's research power? If he's quite slow, we should research Calculus directly first.

[Chaos Theory]

Yang's research power is pretty good, 6 turns/tech IIRC.

Police State is an awful choice for the Gaians, as the benefits it brings are higher support, +1 police unit allowed, and nerve stapling allowed. Democracy is a bad choice right now, but once we plant the next wave of bases we should consider it seriously. We will need to run it eventually to pop boom, but should not throw away free minerals at new bases. Even with +2 effic, we'll have b-drones, and will need to cope with first-citizen drones.