[Randallw]

If I have enough tech points before start I go for construction and mines because it is a good defence that will take awhile to counter since you can produce plenty more mines than the few ships at the beginning can handle with mine sweepers. I tend to go for a slight edge in shipyards and research. If I have plenty of tech points I start with both the other colony types. Usually though I like to play with racial techs so I make sure to have them from the beginning rather than spend a year researching them. Drones are good to go for as you can send out probes to rush down warp chains and explore. At the beginning missiles are better, at least for awhile, to direct energy weapons so I research PD to combat them. The enemy will probably do so as well, but if they include lots of PD to stop missiles then they are wasting space if you stick to direct energy. It's sort of a trick to make them devote to a model while you are going in the opposite direction.