The research conundrum

[The Great Santini]

I have some questions about research. (1) Is industrial research(Production,Industrial technology,Intelligence,Infrastructure)more valuable over the long run than combat research?(2)Is there one research that is so powerful everyone must have it(like air combat research in SC1)?(3) Since U.S. and U.S.S.R. enter later in the game should their research and builds concentrate on units that take longer to build?(4)Should research dollars be spread out on many technologies or concentrated on a few?(5)Should you spend all your money and max out on research as quickly as possible or space it between unit purchases?(6)Could research actually be a war winner or is it just a minor addition to an overall strategy?

[Hyazinth von Strachwitz]

okay, let`s see...

(1) Depends on your strategy and what side you are playing; i.e. you need Industrial Tech as Russia. I would say in a long lasting game Research is vital.

(2) Infantry Weapons

(3) Not necessarily... Russia needs Infantry and the US need Air Power.... every country has its needs, but that depends on your strategy..

(4) Concentrate on the ones you need for your strategy; usually you need a few ones which are vital; with the Research Cap you won`t get all anyway.

(5) As well a matter of strategy.. but usually it`s wise to have Infantry weapons, Motorization, Heavy Tanks and Anti Tanks Weapons more or less advanced before entering Russia... and vice versa.

(6) It could be a war winner if you invest in it and score hits very early (once I had IW 3 in march 40... that blew the froggies into pieces), but usually it`s just a minor addition. Research isn`t easy to plan, coz is dependent on your luck. I saw games were I had HT 5 in 41.. and sometimes I ended up with HT 3 in 45...

[hellraiser]

@great santini

Economic techs are more valuable for the Allies than Axis for several reasons:

1. Industrial tech - this tech applies only to national resources!!! Germany, who has few national resources(i.e. german resources) and a lot of conquered ones, is simply not interested.

OTOH, the Allies, especially Russia/USA benefit greatly of IT. Think that Russia with all those oilwells, mines, cities if reaches a lvl 3-4 IT, it becomes an economical monster.

Another incentive for investing in economical techs as the Allies, is simply to augment their long term advantage which is CASH. In this game, the allies have the mpps. And money makes the world go round...SC2 ain't no exception

2. Production tech - reduces the base unit cost, but not the upgrades. Now Axis can see limited use for this tech - but my advice is first to try hard to get mil techs and save PT investment for later.

3. Intelligence - I really find no use for this tech given the cap imposed on research. It uses up 75 out of 750 (example is Axis here) and there are far more important things to research.

4. Infrastructure - I would leave it as it is - only default scenario invested chits.

Mil techs:

The most important part of research. IW/AT are crucial techs. HT - think long term here, you will most probably begin using tanks in 42, because the first troops you will buy are the corps - still best bang for the buck.

Jet Tech comes in handy once the battle in West errupts.

My personal research setup emphasizes IW and AT (more than 1 chit in easch of them) the rest 1 chit, or more if I had some luck with iw/at.

"Since U.S. and U.S.S.R. enter later in the game should their research and builds concentrate on units that take longer to build?"

Definitely no.

USSR's first priority is to defend and wait for the siberians to come to the rescue and for the Wallies to do something in the west. I would rather use up the corps' pool and then buy tanks, armies etc. USSR's territory is too vast - you need guards in a lot of places - even in some remote ones (because paratroopers can snatch undefended towns) and corps fit it for this purpose.

USA - now this is interesting. Different players use different buying pattern for the US.

I think infantry units are the priority, followed by whatever you want - air, bombers, paratroopers to capture Berlin in one long jump, etc

Infantry, because SC2's combat focuses heavily on land combat - so air has now the role it has IRL - more support than destruction. And infantry has the best price/quality ratio.

[TaoJah]

With the Axis, I only research Advanced infantry ASAP, then motorization and then heavy tanks.

I always end the game as Axis against the AI in 1942 with 1000 MPPs over anyway, so no need to get industrial tech or so.