Cadet I/Technology paths
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Brief overview of Tech Paths available
Optional: If you wish more indepth information visit the station index on the academy.
Stations
In order to get certain kinds of equipment, ships and general upgrades, teams have to get technology stations. There are generally five types of techbase, but certain factions such as GT have unique "Research centres". Each of the five main techbases has its own tab within the Investments menu.
Summarized details
Each technology station obviously brings different kinds equipment, upgrades, and ships. All stations can be upgraded at least once to unlock more advanced ships, equipment and upgrades. Game-ending tech (i.e. the ability to destroy or capture the enemy's techbases) almost always requires upgrading the base.
Note Bios' stations are already upgraded.
In two team conquest games (the most widely played game type) a team that loses all technology bases loses the game. Pressing G will display a window where, among other information, you can view the percentage of technology bases. Both teams having the same number of tech bases will result in 50% each, for example. If a team has three tech bases, and another two, the ratio will be 60% to 40%.
In games with more than two teams, keeping a technology base is not necessary for survival. Only a base containing red and green doors is necessary.
Garrison
Every team starts with at least one Garrison, the most central building. The garrison is large, has a lot of hitpoints, and excellent scan range. Although the upgrades available within it are very basic the garrison is still very important, as no other techbase can be built without one.
Garrisons are built on generic asteroids (brown). The garrison is not normally considered a "real" techpath as the ships and equipment within it are not normally enough to overpower an enemy team. Furthermore any equipment you spend money can be stolen and used by the enemy team immediately. The equipment and ships researched in a garrison are unique in that they can continue being used after the garrison is destroyed.
Supremacy centre
A Supremacy Center must be built on Carbon asteroids (purple). It allows for good bombing technology and fighters, the most versatile ship, mild in both attack and defense. Its upgrades concern mostly ship improvements and missiles.
The sup tech path is a "Jack of all trades", very flexible and adaptable but somewhat weak in certain aspects. Sup teams can research the galvonic blaster, a fighter weapon capable of destroying minor stations, making sup unique in having small-class ships with base destroying ability. A sup team will rely on galving, regular bombing, fighter bombers, and teleport probe attacks to win.
Expansion complex
An Expansion Complex must be built on Uranium (orange) asteroids. It allows for good economic upgrades and interceptors, the best dogfighting ships.
The exp tech path is a "brute force" approach and is very popular among players. An exp team will rely on heavy troop transports to capture enemy stations, however these are difficult to use and often the exp team will use their improved economy to pursue a second techpath to finish their opponents off.
Tactical laboratory
A Tactical Laboratory must be built on Silicon asteroids (green). It has few upgrades, although all of them are useful for the stealth fighter.
By itself, the tac tech path is a "win big - lose big" choice. The stealth fighter excels at destroying the enemy's economy completely and utterly and if you can continue killing miners faster than they build them you are well on your way to victory. However, with no miners to defend the enemy team will often respond by engaging on massive bomb runs and the stealth fighter is a poor defender. Tac relies on stealth bombers to destroy the enemy team which are very powerful ships - as long as they are escorted to the enemy sector, as they are sure to be camping the alephs.
Shipyard
A Shipyard can be built on generic asteroids (brown). It allows the team to get high-cost capital ships, massive and beautiful crafts that specialize in different tasks, from head-on heavy assault to stealth behemoths that serve as teleport receivers. Note that all these ships cost money, meaning that a pilot must get money from the commander to get one, and they often cost many thousands of dollars.
Shipyards are not always a good choice because small-class ships, which are free, can have the necessary technology to take them down. Most factions require that you build a regular techbase before you can build a shipyard, further increasing its cost.
Unique techbases
At this stage the main core, CC, contains only one faction-unique station which also counts as a techbase - the Ga'Taraan Federation's Palisade. It has all the same attributes as the garrison, with the addition that it must be built before GT techbases can be upgraded - making it a vital structure.
GT can also build a research station on any type of tech rock (green, orange or purple). Although it is not a techbase it unlocks several new technologies in every other techpath. If the GT team has both a palisade and a research station then they can research very powerful ships such as the Mustang.
| ← Phases of the game II | Week Two review → |
