Research Help

[Desolate Eden]

Started my ironman mode run on veteran difficulty again after my last one came to an end due to the assassin's stronghold mission... Anyway I just finished modular weapons which is the first thing I researched and now my scientists are inspired to research magnetic weapons, but it will take 24 days. I havent researched alien biotech, hybrid materials or experimental weapons yet which would all take considerably less time. Is it worth picking magnetic weapons since they're inspired to do it? Or should I do everything else?

[Tiasmoon]

Magnetic weapons is a pretty big upgrade. I'd research it right away.

[Desolate Eden]

Awesome, I'll do that first then, thanks.

[SkyLance]

Agree with Tiasmoon, get magnetic weapons as soon as you can. Then go for plate armour, these two will give you an edge early on. You'll need that edge on higher difficulties.

After that it's up to you really, but those two are top priority in my opinion.

[Sines]

While I generally don't go straight for Magnetic Weapons, if the game offers you an inspiration for that or Plated Armor, TAKE IT. The only possible exception to this is if you get inspiration to pop before you even get the ability to contact other regions. And even then, I'd have to think about it.

The upgrade to T2 gear (especially T2 guns) is HUGE, and is the dividing point between the RNG can kill me easily early game, and the 'play smart and you'll be fine' mid-game. Magnetic Weapons represent a 50% boost to Rifle damage, and a still fairly healthy 40% boost to other base weapons. You'll go from two-shotting enemies to one-shotting them, and everything else will die in two shots for a while.

The armor provides a much needed boost in survivability, and prevents your troops from getting one-shot with crits. The second armor slot allows them to carry a grenade AND a useful secondary item like Ammo, Medkit or a Vest.

Overall, you want to get T2 gear as soon as possible, and the only things you should do first is maybe grab the Proving Grounds and the ability to build Network Towers (though Network Towers can definitely wait if you start in Asia). With Inspirations in place, I'd suggest researching Modular Weapons and Hybrid Materials as soon as you can, in order to have two chances to proc Inspiration on T2 gear. While it's better to get weapons first, I wouldn't turn down Armor Inspiration if it came my way.

[Desolate Eden]

I'm going for magnetic weapons first yeah, it will take basically the entirety of the first month to complete since the progress is "very slow" but it seems worth it, I'll go for armour next I think, definitely want more defense seeing as this is an ironman mode run, thanks for the tips

Edit: Just got an extra scientist and now it will only take 10 days.