Favourite MOO1 techs

[Zed-F]

Just curious & bored, so polling favourite techs out of each tree. List one per tree, though you can give honourable mentions if you're so inclined. Doesn't have to be the sexiest in the tree overall, but it should be a standout tech relative to its tech level.

For me,

Computers: Robotic control N. Practically a must-have to be able to keep up in research. Honourable mention to improved/advanced space scanner for being very useful.

Construction: A tough call, lots of useful stuff but not much sticks out. Probably go with auto-repair since it makes huge ships actually worthwhile to build.

Force Fields: Planetary shield V. Get this at TL12 and laugh at most AI attack forces in the early-mid game before the AIs get their weapons tech up to TL 25 or so (miniaturized AM bombs). Repulsor beam gets an honourable mention too.

Planetology: Soil Enrichment/Advanced Soil Enrichment. Basic terraforming is pretty easy to get ahold of, so everyone gets some. Soil enrichment can really give you a big boost toward getting 1/3 galactic pop and vote immunity, not to mention the research/production benefit. Planetology in general is probably the most important tree in the game as a result. Atmospheric terraforming gets an honourable mention for the same reason, depending on how many hostile planets you have.

Propulsion: I'll go with a non-obvious choice and say Fusion drive. This isn't the first drive you can go on the offensive with, nor is it the fastest drive, but it is a very nice early drive -- it allows a combat move of 3 (4 with stabilizer) which is critical for bombers, and allows pop transport and fleet movement at a decent rate, and miniaturizes nicely. If I have it, this is my default drive for most of the game, unless I'm using small ships. Honourable mention to the ever-popular HEF and Star Gates for big maps.

Weapons: The biggest tree in the game, makes for some tough choices. I'll have to go with Stinger missles, probably the first really good offensive missles as they are the first with a +5 damage increment rather than a +2 damage increment. They are great on raiders (shoot & scoot missle boats) in the mid-game and are still useful later on small ships as a cheap supplemental punch to your beam attackers.

I wonder if the fact that I prefer the first half of the tech tree over the last half shows through at all?

[vmxa1]

Re: Favourite MOO1 techs

Computers:
Well RC is key and I get excited when I get one, but I have seen many times when I would trade it for a decent scanner. I see a fleet coming, but I am not sure where it going until it is too late to get over there.

Construction: Duralloy or what ever my first armor is.

Force Fields: Planetary shield V. This has saved me many times

Planetology: This is a tougher one to me. I hate it when I do not get either +10 or +20. This hurts the Klacs a great deal. Atmospheric is my next pick in a game with UR planets close to my start point.
Soil Enrichment/Advanced Soil Enrichment. I love them, but I can steal and can wait. If I do get +10, then Soil moves to first place.

Propulsion: HEF

Weapons: Merculite Missile and then Auto Blaster. I want the missile to use as my force retreat tool.
The blaster as my first real ships killer. With HEF and 3 shots, I can start to chew up those stacks.

Yes late game tech is super, but if you miss some of the key early tech, it will be a rough game.
I dread those draws with no Soil, no +pop until 60. No RC until RC5 or later. No shields until at least XV and no missile until Pulson or later. That can get ugly.

[Cxwf]

Computers, I have to agree with all of the votes for Robotic Control. It's simply overwhelmingly powerful. Honorable mention is Hyperspace Comms. That would be a lot more useful in multiplay, as you could fool an opponent into thinking you were going PAST a planet you were really planning to attack.

Construction: Not a lot to choose from here. Either Duralloy, Zortium, or Industrial Waste Elimination

Force Shield: Again I go with the crowd on Planetary V, but the Repulsor Beam is a close second. A ship designed to take advantage of it can become nearly unkillable with a Repulsor Beam.

Planetology: Enhanced Eco Restoration, as your first real way to combat Waste, unless I'm playing my favorite Silicoids (get the feeling I don't like waste?)
Then Eco is pointless, but cloning is a must to overcome slow growth.

Propulsion: Hm, I guess I'll say HEF. I like to be able to kill a few retreating ships before they escape, and this is often the only way.

Weapons: There's only 3 blank spots in 50 tech levels for weapons. A lot of options. My favorite would have to be Ion Cannons. Theyre a very good weapon for their level, and they basically rule the stage until Neutron Blasters appear. Mass drivers are only worthwhile if the AI is using a lot of shields.

[DaveV]

I view planetary shields as something of a mixed blessing: great for developed worlds with missile bases already in place, but a huge initial hurdle for newly settled planets. I hate having a planet sit there defenseless for a number of turns while it struggles to build the shield AND its first missile base.

I usually spend most of the game on the defensive, so the techs that really warm my heart are (weapons)scatter packs, (propulsion) subspace interdictor, (shields) repulsor beams, and (construction) the armor techs. I'll agree with vmxa1 on the scanners: advance warning of an attack is often the key to defeating it. In planetology, I'll go with the improved eco restoration techs, so I can reduce the money that's blown on ecology (half of my starting economy wasted - ouch!).

[vmxa1]

Once in a while it can get hairy on a new planet, trying to get the shields up and then missiles. For the most part, that is not a big problem, as I will have fleet sitting there until it is up.
It does cost me time and mean I can not grab another planet until it is up.
It really is painful in the early game, when I colonize before war breaks out. If they attack at this point, I may not have a fleet to speak of and be in a bind.

[Zed-F]

For completely new colonies, I agree that it's sometimes a pain. The nice thing is, by the time in the game when you're ready to go seriously on the offensive, the AIs have built up their planets enough that when you go capture them, they can usually get a shield and some missle bases up in just a couple turns if you throw some money from your reserves at them.

[vmxa1]

Yeah that is what I like planets that have a bunch of factories built.

[Daerwok]

I have a problem: When I have Advaced soil enrichment reaserched, I'm not able to use it on planets...never. Where is the problem? Thanks

[Whoha]

If you are talking about MOO2 then there is no problem because it is handled automatically.

[Garth Vader]

I have a problem: When I have Advaced soil enrichment reaserched, I'm not able to use it on planets...never. Where is the problem? Thanks

If you have regular soil enrichment it will do that first and then reset the sliders, and you have to manually increase your eco slider for advanced. If not when you get the tech you should have the option of adjusting all your sliders at once which has always done it for me.

[vmxa1]

You cannot use it on hostile planets. You need to terraform them to normal and then you can apply the soil/adv soil. As Garth Vader said, you need to use the slider to apply it on any valid planet in Moo1.

[jillyronald]

There are no problem with MOO2 and it working properly. Other thing is that MOO2 is handled automatically and no need to adjust it. About hostile planets that you not allow to use.

[Alex2018]

I love proton torpedoes (in worst case, anti-matter torpedoes). Late in the game I usually just build them because gauss auto cannons don't work well on strong planetary shields.

repulsor beam
fast engines
robotic control techs
all terraforming