Randomization of tech and point defense

[Ghostbear]

I read somewhere that techs are randomized for each game.

Does this include all techs?

I'm playing my second game without access to point defense (and, of course, no one will trade it to me). Lacking PD, even with it broke, is a crippling problem.

Or maybe I'm missing something, I'm at level 30 or so in Physical, Math, and Energy and no PD.

Anyway, PD should always be available, without it, you can't assault even marginally defended planets without loosing zillions of ships.

[lakon]

I had the same problem in my recent game. But you can do several things.
First of all, you can also use light mount for defense, PD is only faster.
You can also use pd missles for defense and finally you can trade or steal PD from other races.

[Ghostbear]

PD Missiles

I had wondered if PD missiles would work.

Do they fire on their own? If you have the TF attack a target will they fire on the target or stay for defense?

GB

[lakon]

It's not 100% clear to me, if the PD missles stay for defense. Most of the time I had this impression.
When I had normal missles and PD missles the normal missles flew to enemy ships or planets and the PD missles intercepted incoming figthers. But you should still have some light mount laser or something to defend against enemy missles.

[Brazuca]

There is a BUG,a good bug

PD missiles have a bug, they fire like a normal missile, so it is useless use they as a PD weapon, try something differente, create a rack size 5, Number X PD missile, the best you have and next create a X/2 rack size 2 or 3 best missile available, when your ship fire the enemy will don't know who is the big one, will atack normal and you will got a great chance to get a great shot, when PD bug is fixed use Rocket or Light missile chacis.Great don't you think?, a good PD weapon are the LF generator, they always work, the problens is their short range, use greater mounts.if you dont have discovered PD.

[Haray1951]

Try to explore all possible research paths in Physics, block blast, Mathematics and Energy.​