[Sessile]

I generally pump research points into the applied research field, until I get the second level of research facilities. Tech is such an important advantage in the middlegame that it's worth the initial loss of advantage. The first tech you choose to rsearch receives whatever bonus you picked initially, and choosing AR first makes a big difference in your research curve. The question is, can you hold out against the rest of the creepies till then? Well, CSM escorts can be cranked out pretty quickly, and you should also colonize like mad-- whoever has the biggest facility base in the middlegame will have the overwhleming advantage, since that player will be able to out-produce and research the others. If you have the initial jump in research, you can skew more of the facilities to production, which in turn allows you bigger fleets.

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If it floats and it don't say quack, sink it.