With limited research slots and dozens of technologies available, deciding what to research and when is one of the most repetitive — and most decisive — choices of every game.
Research Slots
Every country starts with a small number of parallel research "slots," and expands them through national focuses, doctrine technology, and specialized buildings (like military academies). The more slots you have, the faster you can advance several tech branches at once — infantry, armor, aviation, navy, industry and electronics all run separately.
The Cost of Getting Ahead of Your Time
Every technology has a "natural" year attached to it. Researching it earlier is possible, but it carries a research-time penalty that shrinks the further along you already are in that same tech branch. In practice, this means getting far ahead in a single specific field is expensive, while advancing more evenly across branches is cheaper.
How to Prioritize
- Industry first, almost always: factory and construction upgrades pay off for the rest of the game, so the sooner you have them, the longer you benefit.
- Your main doctrine's technology: if your plan is an armored force, prioritize tanks and motorization; if it's mass infantry, prioritize artillery and infantry support.
- Leave secondary branches for when you have spare time: naval or air branches that aren't part of your main plan can wait, especially if you're playing a nation with limited industry.
Common Mistakes
The most common mistake is trying to cover everything — land, sea and air at max level — without the slots or the industry to actually use that technology. It's better to master two or three branches thoroughly than to be mediocre across all five.