Odd, because I just tried it myself and it did work.. (I'm smacking myself for not just doing this earlier
)
Setting crystalline tech and weapons to racial area zero meant I could analyze and produce the stuff I captured.
Unfortunately, two problems crop up. Capturing an anazlying a ship w/ crystal armor and a Shard Cannon on it gave me EVERYTHING from those tech areas- i.e. I got the facilites too! Ick. I'm assuming it works like this for normal captures too?
More importantly, setting HIGH for the starting tech level gave everyone that stuff to start with. Oh well, at least it's possible to do it.. should help some with my mod.
Phoenix-D