How does this Tech-K thing work?

[Captain Doombeard]

I started a skirmish against an AI with this "Tech-K" option enabled, but I didn't see any practical difference in gameplay. I didn't see any option to upgrade anything to higher tech levels... so I don't think I understand how this game mode works.

Anyone have any insight?

[Fulano]

The game is still the same, there's just some sort of single researching thing that buffs everything when it's completed, and it can be completed multiple times.

I've not tried it yet so I don't know what the mechanic actually is... if it's a new building, or some option in the menus or something... but I figured I'd share what I knew and wait for someone to say where the research is actually done.

[ſɪʟʟʏ ſᴀᴅᴀſꜱ]

You can use constructors (not your commander) to upgrade factories to 1 level higher than the constructors current level, and then constructors produced by said upgraded factory can upgrade existing buildings to their level.

[Fulano]

Originally posted by ſɪʟʟʏ ſᴀᴅᴀſꜱ:

You can use constructors (not your commander) to upgrade factories to 1 level higher than the constructors current level, and then constructors produced by said upgraded factory can upgrade existing buildings to their level.

So it doesn't just upgrade already existing units?

[|:| MnMC0rp |:|]

Originally posted by Fulano:

Originally posted by ſɪʟʟʏ ſᴀᴅᴀſꜱ:

You can use constructors (not your commander) to upgrade factories to 1 level higher than the constructors current level, and then constructors produced by said upgraded factory can upgrade existing buildings to their level.

So it doesn't just upgrade already existing units?

No

[Aquila Sagitta]

build T1 factory -> T1 factory builds T1 constructor -> T1 constructor upgrades factory to T2
Rinse and repeat to get to higher tiers. Constructors are only ones with new upgrade ability.
Each tier doubles health/cost/dps +some
T2 constructors build T2 buildings, which subsequently have double health/cost/benefits (usually). So like T2 mex mines double metal, T2 solar double power, etc.
Once you start getting upwards of tier 5,6,7+ you start getting stupid amounts of power/metal from single structure.

Unfortunately chickens and AI don't scale well with TechK. AI doesn't upgrade units and chickens get easier and easier as time goes on.

[Shagglehod]

Tech-K is experimental and the AI currently doesn't seem to know how to use it. Going beyond even tech 2 ("Adv." structures) becomes overkill for the AI rapidly, and getting to tier 4 ("Super") is obscene--a single heavy unit can solo most AI bases. I sent a single Super Krow and it laid waste without contest, nevermind if it had escorts. If you're gonna do Tech-K against the AI, I'd probably avoid going above tech 2, lest you make the game too easy for yourself lmfao