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Thread: How do you determine what technologies to research first?

  1. #1

    Default How do you determine what technologies to research first?

    In my case what I do is evaluating what are the things I really need immediately specially in the early stage of a campaign. For example if I have a champion that I specialize him for increasing my military units attack skills when being attached to an army and if I'm in an urgent need for increasing my income to be able to raise and sustain a second army, I look for the technologies that give more income ( that are both in the economy and in the construction sections of the technology tree ). When I have enough income to sustain the amount of armies I need without having to increase the tax rate ( because that would cause rebellion problems ), I switch to the military technologies.

    In your case, how do you determine what technologies to research first before others?
    Last edited by twgamer20197; February 19, 2021 at 08:12 AM.

  2. #2
    Alwyn's Avatar Frothy Goodness
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    Default Re: How do you determine what technologies to research first?

    My experience is similar to yours, I research technologies that I need in the early stages. As Carthage, for example, I'll research some naval technology, because I'll use a fleet of cheap melee ships to keep Roman legions from my shores. I like upgrading farms and adding champions to my armies as early as possible, so I'll research techs to do that.

  3. #3

    Default Re: How do you determine what technologies to research first?

    I was thinking today of whether I should get Rome 2. Does it really have the kind of historically implausible tech tree items like "research having a champion so your troops get extra attack skills"? Are they even shrouded in some historically believable explanation?

  4. #4
    Morticia Iunia Bruti's Avatar Praeses
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    Default Re: How do you determine what technologies to research first?

    Eventually outdated:

    https://r2enc.totalwar.com/en/technologies/

    But the agent skills are not more overpowered than the general skills and general units of the historical total accurate RTW or Med II vanilla.
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  5. #5
    Alwyn's Avatar Frothy Goodness
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    Default Re: How do you determine what technologies to research first?

    Yes, Rome II tech trees include techs to recruit agents.

    I agree that it doesn't seem historical that you'd need to research recruiting a champion. Everything in a strategy game doesn't have to be about representing historical developments. This seems reasonable as part of Rome II's system of culture-specific tech trees. For example, the Iceni get champions with their first military tech, whch sounds reasonable, considering that Celtic cultures venerated champion warriors. Rome takes a bit longer as they need one military tech beyond the first one to recruit champions.

    Adding a champion improves units slowly over time by giving them experience, when the agent remains in an army for a a decade or so. It seems reasonable that, if a champion warrior trained soldiers for that length of time, they'd be more effective. I like the way that the quality of an army's training (as well as its equipment, traditions and commander) all make a difference in Rome II.

  6. #6

    Default Re: How do you determine what technologies to research first?

    Depends on my playstyle, for example if I'm turtling I'm going to rush the first tier of the agriculture tree to help me build tall.

    If I'm playing as a very aggressive faction with easy access to good units (barbarians, mostly), then I'm getting that champion and doing any techs that boost the economy.

  7. #7

    Default Re: How do you determine what technologies to research first?

    Thanks Morticia and Alwyn! I was afraid the game series had turned arcadey or not so serious already at that point.

    I haven't played the contemporary titles yet, but I have heard some people complaining about those. Looking forward to Rome 2 in the near future, although the price at the moment (60 Euros) is a bit steep and pxrobably not going to down anytime soon.

  8. #8
    Morticia Iunia Bruti's Avatar Praeses
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    Default Re: How do you determine what technologies to research first?

    I would buy the title in the next sale, then you will get nearly all dlcs for the 60,00 €.
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  9. #9
    Alwyn's Avatar Frothy Goodness
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    Default Re: How do you determine what technologies to research first?

    You're welcome! Morticia's advice is good.

    I've heard people complaining that newer Total War games are arcadey, too. As I see it, to be arcadey, a game should have a significant similarity with arcade games. Arcade games like Space Invaders, Frogger and Asteroids were simple, repetitive and were all about reflexes. Rome II has shortcomings, like any Total War game. To be fair, levelling up agents in the late campaign can get a bit repetitive.

    Even so, with its research trees, cultural groups, food mechanics, army traditions and internal politics, Rome II seems to me to be more complex, not more simple, than its predecessors. I don't see it as similar to arcade games in any significant way. (If you'd like to continue discussing the strengths and shortcomings of this game, I suggest that we do this on another thread, if that's okay.)
    Last edited by Alwyn; February 21, 2021 at 11:55 AM.

  10. #10

    Default Re: How do you determine what technologies to research first?

    I would say that the WH titles are arcadey due to the inability to effectively turtle (among other mechanics), and Thrones of Britannia has an arcade pace.

    If you want a title like no other Total War game, get Attila! It's insanely fun.

  11. #11
    Welsh Dragon's Avatar Content Staff
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    Default Re: How do you determine what technologies to research first?

    Good question.

    First I check if any of the first Chapter Objectives call for a technology. Then I check whether any will give me early access to agent types or early bonuses to income or units which I'll find useful in those first few turns. After that, well depends what's going on in the campaign and what I feel like doing.

    All the Best,

    Welsh Dragon.

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