quick questions about all X strategy

Is the potential for this "strategy" still present with the new expasion? I was hopoing it'd go away since it doesn't seem to fit the spirit of the game - but SD has never done anything about it then I guess not.

It doesnt work as well on ToTA.

In DA/DL the trick is your focus factor. With all-labs, you leave your sliders at 100% research but put focus on social on the planets where you need buildings, and focus on military where you need ships. Money is definitely more of a problem with all labs, so econ is key. Gotta research those government techs and econ techs and get your population growing quickly.

ok, I was generalising my research, so going for government/economy first makes sense.

what about the tile bonuses though? do I just totally ignore a 700% research bonus tile if i'm 100% industrial?


finally, is this all-x tactic no longer valid with the latest expansion?

To the tile bonus question, yes you would ignore a research tile if you are using all factory.

And in the new expansion I think there is a stiffer penalty to using focus on the planet, as well as a tighter economy in general. So yes the All-X is not "as" effective as it was in DL/DA

well, I still do use all-factories, mainly because of the "tight economy". So I only have to pay the maintenance once instead of twice for buildings that only run at 50% or so.
But all factories means much slower research these days compared to DA

I still use both strategies in TA. As noted above, the "focus" is not as efficient as before, but it is still better to get 100% usage out of your tiles - all the more important now that maintenance costs are so high.

I start the game all labs (usually for about the first 6 months) to take advantage of the lower cost race-specific research buildings (if the tech tree I'm using has them, e.g. Iconian / Yor), get some key techs done and use focus to build initial infrastructure ready for the switch over to all factories. Then it's demolish all research buildings, and factories all the way.

Note, however, that research bonuses still apply to "focused research" - so the Iconian Pre-Cursor Library that gives +10% to planetary research is still useful in an all-factory approach (albeit at a maintenance cost of 5bc per week).

With enough planets focussing research, and a few fully mined research resources, it is still possible to complete the entire tech tree in under 3 game years!

At which research speed?

Super Breeder + pop growth bonuses with the right use of morale structures can get your economy past the early economic choke points + of course tons of tech sales to the AIs (minor civs help a ton btw).

Also I am finding success with building a nice combo of research and econ structures on core worlds while then newer planets get just econ (unless special research tiles). Soon you will have absurd tech rating and at same time be buying everything you want. While it might not hold out forever you will definitely have a long period of "why produce when you can buy".