[Slick]

To answer the original question, I would have to say that there are lots of ways to approach research and you have to tailor your method to the particular in-game conditions. Most important: decide on a goal and maintain focus on it. If you try to research everything at once, you will definitely be behind the power curve when you meet other emipres in combat. This list is not all encompassing and varies slightly depending on the situation at hand.

I will do most of these early. Order will be determined by how soon I meet other empires:

- Construction to get Mines as an early defense
- DUC to at least level IV for my early beam weapon
- Military Science to get Point Defense Cannons to at least level IV
- Ship construction to Light Cruisers, then usually hold off until conflict happens
- Physics, Chemistry for Shields & armor up to a respectible level.
- Spaceyard II to meet ship demands.
- Intel just before I expect to meet another empire, sometimes after
- Cargo to level II for increased supply storage, cargo capacity.

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Mid game:
- Physics 2 for Phased Polaron Beams up to level 5 then retrofit DUC ships over.
- Mines to at least level III for Minesweeper III for my attack fleets.
- Troops I & Troop Weapons to level 3 for planet capture
- Sensors and Combat Support for Combat Sensors III & ECM III (before attacking anything in earnest)
- Ship Construction to Battlecruiser then usually hold off till end game.
- Remaining colony techs that I haven't been able to beg, borrow or steal to this point
- Military Science 2 for Ship & Fleet training up to level 3, then in late mid-game get Hyper Optics III for anti-cloak scans
- Stellar Harnessing to get Solar Sail III.
- Spaceyard III
- Take Minerals, Org, Rad, Research & Intel to level II facilities (these still can be built in 1 turn) If necessary, go to level III where required.
- Propulsion to Jacketed Photon I before attacking in earnest. Combined with a Solar Sail III, ship speed is super.
- Industry, Computers to whatever level I can get without sacrificing the edge elsewhere. Convert ships to use Master Computer for extra space or protection against Psychic Allegiance Subverters.
- prior to capturing enemy planets, Psychology then get Urban Pac Centers to level III to maintain captured population happy used in conjuction with troops.

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End Game:
- Troops to level III for capturing homeworlds.
- Ship Construction to Dreads for heavy fleets
- Shield depleting weapons to Shield Depleter max (I think level V) but not to research Shield Disrupter. Then APB to at least level X, if not max of XII then retrofit over PPB ships.
- Finish out areas of Mid-game which may be still outstanding

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Case Basis:
- Stellar Manipulation to supplement production with Monoliths (sparingly, and on high resource worlds); warp opener, warp closer to start working on pathing; Planetmaking out of asteroids.

- Fighters: If you go with fighters, you need lots of numbers so this is a strategic level decision. Don't go half-way or enemy PD will just make your effort wasted.

- Weapon Platforms II and III. Great place to spend extra resources on larger planets

- Repair and Resupply as time permits

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Throughout:

- Remain flexible to adapt and counter what you see your opponents using.

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I am no expert, but I hope this helps.

Slick.