Research: what am I forgetting?

[Acheron]

I get the feeling that I do something wrong in regards of research. I play USA, 1938 the year, and Germany is already developing turbojet engine, frist strike air doctrine and other stuff that is one or two techs away from me.

My general reserach startegy is to research no earlier than the historical date, except stuff that boosts industrial output and research, which I study a year in advance.
I also give no new research order from december on, figuring that within a month that tech will be a year older and more quickly researched (or does the boon for "old tech" apply to techs started within their histroic cear, too?).

I usually assign tech teams that have most overlapping fields (carefully taking note when one techfield is sued mutliple times for a tech), except like some industry techs, starting with oen time chemistry than five times industry, then I take the one tem which ahs industry specialization and highest skill.

Am I doing something horribly wrong? Is there some way maybe to boost research or tech team skill? The Christie team isn't a very great team to make tanks...

 

[mike^_^]

christie is decent for the armor and artillery field with researches of 3 skill (most arty aa, brigades mainly) however marmon harrington is your main researcher for that field.. you dont have them?

 

[Acheron]

Oh, I do have Marmon Harrington and frequently use them. I guess even though they are having one tech field less in soem areas (several tanks) than christie, they are still the better chocie ebcause of their higher skill?

Say, is skill 8 1/7 better then skill 7, or how does the system work?

 

[blue emu]

My general reserach startegy is to research no earlier than the historical date, except stuff that boosts industrial output and research, which I study a year in advance.

Good.

I also give no new research order from december on, figuring that within a month that tech will be a year older and more quickly researched (or does the boon for "old tech" apply to techs started within their histroic cear, too?).

Bad.

There is NO bonus for "old Techs"... a 1940 Tech will take just as many days whether you start it on January 1st, 1940 or in July, 1943.

Never leave a Research Team idle... the penalty for researching ahead is figured PER DAY, not per year... (-0.15% per day, which totals -54% per year)... so starting a 1940 Tech in December 1939 only involves a very small penalty, -4.5% at most; while leaving the team idle is the equivalent of a -100% penalty, since it does no research at all.

I usually assign tech teams that have most overlapping fields (carefully taking note when one techfield is sued mutliple times for a tech), except like some industry techs, starting with one time chemistry than five times industry, then I take the one team which has industry specialization and highest skill.

Correct... always assign projects on the basis of Component matches, not skill level. Each match counts for roughly as much as three skill levels. If the last Component is doubled (eg: Prototype Tests, or Development Process), count it as two Components.

 

[unmerged(29126)]

I get the feeling that I do something wrong in regards of research. I play USA, 1938 the year, and Germany is already developing turbojet engine, frist strike air doctrine and other stuff that is one or two techs away from me.

Jet engines in 1938 ? WOW

My general reserach startegy is to research no earlier than the historical date, except stuff that boosts industrial output and research, which I study a year in advance.

Researching doctrines ahead of time will also have a systemic effect, so I'd research those ahead of time as well ... furthermore your Infantry will do most of the fighting and having a head-start in that tech will also help tremendously. Researching 12 months in advance is still ok, researching 18 months ahead of time is usually the cut-off date for me ... I don't even resrach the industry techs earlier than that

I also give no new research order from december on, figuring that within a month that tech will be a year older and more quickly researched (or does the boon for "old tech" apply to techs started within their histroic cear, too?).

AFAIK the historic year penalty is calculated on a daily basis, so you're wasting a month of research there.

I usually assign tech teams that have most overlapping fields (carefully taking note when one techfield is sued mutliple times for a tech), except like some industry techs, starting with oen time chemistry than five times industry, then I take the one tem which ahs industry specialization and highest skill.

use the Research Assitant to give you an accurate prediction of which team will perform best:
http://hoi2.nsen.ch/wiki/index.php/Utilities#Research_Assistant_Time_Calculator

Am I doing something horribly wrong? Is there some way maybe to boost research or tech team skill? The Christie team isn't a very great team to make tanks...

nope, apart from minister effects and the computer techs theres nuffin you can do ...

 

[Acheron]

So the penalty for reseraching ahead of time is calculated per day and not per year? Good to know, I knew I was making a mistake...

But still, is that penatly calculated dynamic? I mean, when I started researching a 1940 tech in December 1939, will the team operate under no peanty when it becomes 1940, or will they carry that penatly from when they staretd reaearching ahead along with them all the time?

 

[blue emu]

So the penalty for reseraching ahead of time is calculated per day and not per year? Good to know, I knew I was making a mistake...

But still, is that penatly calculated dynamic? I mean, when I started researching a 1940 tech in December 1939, will the team operate under no peanty when it becomes 1940, or will they carry that penatly from when they staretd reaearching ahead along with them all the time?

The penalty is re-calculated at the beginning of each new Component (each 20% slice).

... so if it takes about 20-odd days per component, and you start research in early December, the first component will have about a -4% penalty, and the second component (and later) will have no penalty at all... that's much better than sitting there for most of a month with no research at all going (-100% penalty for waiting) and THEN starting research.

 

[unmerged(55467)]

I've read that the AI can cheat with research... I'm not sure though.

 

[blue emu]

I've read that the AI can cheat with research... I'm not sure though.

Not quite... the "Hard" and "Very Hard" difficulty levels give the AI a hefty research bonus... and the Human-player a research penalty.

... call it a cheat if you like...

There are also certain things (like Escort Fighters) that the AI can build even if they haven't researched them yet... THAT might be called a cheat.

 

[Alexander Seil]

I'm pretty sure that Hard and Very Hard diff. levels also give AI research bonus.

 

[Acheron]

All right, got it, thanks to everyone for their great advice! Tech si the one thing I could never keep up to satisfieing levels no matter who I played (well, I am quite greedy in regards of tech), I will enjoy this game even mroe now.

One last question: When germany recalls that General Falkenhausen from National China, I suppose it also kills that Chinese tech team "Falkenhausen"?

In that case, and in any other case where a techteam gets killed, does that mean the reserach accumulated so far is gone and lost? That would be quite hard too stomach, given China's limited tech slots AND the long time some land doctrine take, even with Falkenhausen...

 

[blue emu]

In that case, and in any other case where a techteam gets killed, does that mean the reserach accumulated so far is gone and lost?

Nope... for example, if USSR does the Purges and Alksnis (Air Doctrine Researcher) is killed, he disappears from the list of research teams available to be selected for a new project... but he still hangs around long enough to finish his CURRENT project.

 

[Acheron]

Thanks a lot, that is great! I cannot tell you how unendingly I'd be pissed (to put it nciely) if a research team kicked the bucket after doing reaearch for several motnhs on some project.

Back to the drawing board. Though one way I found to boost research: since I figure that as the USA I will eventually be on war with Germany and Japan... well, got some nice blue prints from them. And the way you get money in as USA, it is quite worth it.