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Research
Research is an critical part of the "Space Economic Model". For without it, your economy would become stagnant. Research allows for the exponential, geometric growth of not only your economy, but also for the strength, power and diversity of your fleet. Military strategy isn't the only deciding factor in a battle. The alliance whose fleet has the superior technology is generally the fleet that wins the day.
Research Topics
Hull:
- Increases the amount of hull per slot you get when designing starships. The cost per slot is increased proportionately. You have to design a new starship to get the benefit.
- Increases the resilience of minefields to beam damage. Applies Immediately.
- Increases the resilience of buildings on planets being bombarded. Applies Immediately.
- Each level gained reduces the cost of the topic Researching very slightly.
Engines:
- Increases the amount of speed per slot you get when designing starships. The cost per slot is increased proportionately. You have to design a new starship to get the benefit.
- Each level gained reduces the cost of the topic Researching very slightly.
Shield:
- Increases the amount of shield per slot you get when designing starships. The cost per slot is increased proportionately. You have to design a new starship to get the benefit.
- Increases the shield resistance on ships, i.e., reduces the amount of damage which penetrates to the hull. Applies Immediately.
- Increases the shield power of planetary shield generators. Applies Immediately.
- Sufficiently high shield tech will absorb minefield damage. Has to be 50% over enemy missile tech.
- Each level gained reduces the cost of the topic Researching very slightly.
Advanced Sensor Tech:
- Increases the amount of sensors per slot you get when designing starships. The cost per slot is increased proportionately. You have to design a new starship to get the benefit.
- Increases the ability of planetary scanners to detect incoming fleets, including scout missions and attempt stealth missions. Applies Immediately.
- Each level gained reduces the cost of the topic Researching very slightly.
Stealth:
- Increases the amount of stealth per slot you get when designing starships. The cost per slot is increased proportionately. You have to design a new starship to get the benefit.
- Increases the ability of minefields to evade beams. Applies Immediately.
- Each level gained reduces the cost of the topic Researching very slightly.
Beams:
- Increases the amount of beam-damage per slot you get when designing starships. The cost per slot is increased proportionately. You have to design a new starship to get the benefit.
- Increases the ability of beams to penetrate shields and do hull damage in combat. Applies immediately. Note that beams have a base penetration of 0% to shields of the same tech-level.
- Each level gained reduces the cost of the topic Researching very slightly.
Missiles:
- Increases the amount of missile-damage per slot you get when designing starships. The cost per slot is increased proportionately. You have to design a new starship to get the benefit.
- Increases the ability of missiles to penetrate shields and do hull damage in combat. Applies immediately. Note that missiles have a base penetration of 50% to shields of the same tech-level.
- Allows 100% shield penetration for your minefields if missile tech is at least 66% of enemy shield tech. Applies Immediately.
- Each level gained reduces the cost of the topic Researching very slightly.
Fighters:
- Increases the amount of fighter-damage per slot you get when designing starships. The cost per slot is increased proportionately. You have to design a new starship to get the benefit.
- Increases the ability of fighters to penetrate shields and do hull damage in combat. Applies immediately. Note that fighters have a base penetration of 25% to shields of the same tech-level.
- Each level gained reduces the cost of the topic Researching very slightly.
Nanotechnology and Design:
- Increases the efficiency of bioformers, leading to more rapid bioforming. Applies immediately.
- Increases the population growth rate. Applies immediately.
- Increases the rate of hull-repair for damaged starships. Applies immediately.
- Unlocks the ability to design heavier and more powerful starships. Applies immediately.
- Reduces the build-time for starships. You have to design a new starship to get the benefit. Beyond level 20 no further benefit is derived.
- Increases the resilience of populations to orbital bombardment. Applies immediately.
- Each level gained reduces the cost of the topic Researching very slightly.
Economics:
- Increases the amount of credits you earn from megapolii. Applies immediately.
- Reduces the upkeep cost of starships. You have to design a new starship to get the benefit.
- Improves your market discount at the Toag Market. Applies immediately. Beyond level 9 no further benefit is derived.
- Each level gained reduces the cost of the topic Researching very slightly.
Ore Mining:
- Increases the amount of ore you earn from ore-mines by 4% per level (i.e, 10 levels = 40% bonus). Applies immediately.
- Reduces the rate at which ore is depleted due to having ore-mines on your planets. Applies immediately.
- Each level gained yields a 1% discount to the ore-cost of components fitted to your starships. Beyond level 20 no further benefit is derived. You have to design a new starship to get the benefit.
- Each level gained reduces the cost of the topic Researching very slightly.
Production:
- Increases the amount of production you earn from factories by 4% per level (i.e, 10 levels = 40% bonus). Applies immediately.
- Each level gained yields a 1% discount to the production-cost of components fitted to your starships. Beyond level 20 no further benefit is derived. You have to design a new starship to get the benefit.
- Each level gained reduces the cost of the topic Researching very slightly.
Researching:
- Increases the amount of research points you earn from laboratories by 10% per level (i.e. 10 levels = 100% bonus). Applies immediately.
- Each level gained yields a 1% discount to the cost of researching any research topic besides researching. Applies immediately.
Summary
Hopefully, you now have a better grasp of how important research is to the overall success of your empire. Apply the information above properly and your empire has a fighting chance at surviving Space: Glory Through Conquest!