Second Sphere Technology Rules

Basics

This page is entirely self-contained; references to tech index modifiers on other pages are duplications for completeness and/or clarity.

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A graphical representation of the relative tech levels and cost.

Technological development costs is controlled by the comparison of appropriate Tech Level ('Tech Index') compared to the Tech Level of the advance in question.

For every Tech Level that the advance is over the Tech Index, all costs are increased by 10%.
For every Tech Level the advance is more than 5 points below the Tech Index, all costs are reduced by 5% to a minimum of 50% of base.

Furthermore, over time Tech Indices increases due to the effects of fundamental research being disseminated across the Sphere. This means over time, more advanced technologies become cheaper to develop.

Technological Fields

Not all technological research projects are created alike. Some are derivations of a long history or common need, while others are esoteric and specialized. Thus they are broken into several types as follows.

Common Technologies

Common Technologies are universally available and cover fields such as conventional newtonian propulsion systems, electronics, shipbuilding, various forms of weapons, materials science, biology and civilian engineering.

The following are all Common Technologies:

Shipbuilding

Aerospace Construction

Mecha Construction

Ground Vehicle Construction

Electrochemical Weapons

Railgun Weapons

Particle (Pulse-Beam) Weapons

Missiles

Propulsion (STL)

Materials

Stealth

Shields

Power

Electronics

AI

Transgenics

Cyberware/Supersoldier

Industrial/Mass Production

Catapult

Civilian

Signature Technologies

These are more unique technologies that are the outgrowth of strong, directed research into a specific field, one that is often neglected or unknown to others. These will often have commensurately high difficulties making them difficult (but not impossible) for others to research into them.

Signature Techs/Applications may be treated as Common Techs/Applications during nation creation only if their paths or template explicitely grants a starting amount into a Signature Tech.

The following are all Signature Technologies:

Mega Particle Weapons

Hangarize

Collarize

Advanced Stealth

Theotechnologies

The posthumans (and before them, the Precursors) used metric-alteration technology far beyond baseline human understanding. Even after a century of intensive investigation mankind's understanding of its operating principles is limited to hazy theories and empirical engineering uses.

Theotechnology will often rely upon a Common Tech as well, thus T-Forced Fusion Reactors will require a certain minimum Power tech index.

Theotechnology can have a very wide spread of difficulties; to compensate, artefacts and the expenditure of dust can temporarily increase the level of theotechnologies for research projects.

Basic Theotechnology

FTL Drives

Advanced Theotechnology

Xenotechnology

National Tech Indices

Note that in all cases, specific Tech Levels override more general Tech Levels.

Any route that does not grant a tech index modifier instead provides 1 SP.

Universal

[No Suitable World|Adapt] +5 Transgenics

[No Suitable World|Build Our Own] +5 Xenotech or +2 Shipbuilding

[No Suitable World|Posthuman Structures] +5 Basic Theotech

[Hell World|Adapt] +5 Transgenics

[Hell World|Make Do] +2 to any two fields you have no other bonus in

[Hell World|Thousand-Year Plan] +5 civilian

[Terraformable World|Get to Work] +5 civilian

[Terraformable World|Artifact Rush] +5 Basic Theotech

[Terraformable World|Interesting Pharmaceuticals] +2 Transgenics

[Terraformable World|Terraforming Failure] +2 Vehicle Construction

[Garden World] +3 Civilian tech

[Posthumans|Observation Posts] +2 FTL

[Posthumans|Nano-Factories] +2 Mass Production

[Posthumans|Hostile as Fuck] +2 Materials

[Posthumans|Baby Singularity] +5 Basic Theotech

[Posthumans|Honeypot] +5 Basic Theotech

[Posthumans|Industrialized Spacetime And Magic] +100 Advanced Theotech

PACT

Global Technology Level: 20

Shipbuilding: +2 [22]

Aircraft: +5 [25]

Electronics: +5 [25]

Beam/Pulse Weapons: +5 [25]

Shields: +5 [25]

Stealth: +5 [25]

Transgenics: -5 [15]

[Region|New Freedoms] +4 Transgenics

[PACT Economy|SIA's Graces] +100 Advanced Theotech

[Eridanus|Front Line State] +2 Particle weapons

[Eridanus|Drone Deconstructors] +10 Xenotech

[Arms Production Center] Mass Production +2 [22]

[Corporate State] Civilian Tech +3 [23]

[Transhumanize!] Transgenics +3 [18]

[Center for Research] Global Tech Level +4 [24]

[Arms Production Center] Particle Weapons +3 [28], Mass Production +2 [22]

[Blood for Dust] Basic Theotech: +15 [35]

[Ignore the War] Civilian Tech +5 [25]

[Zoom and Boom] Propulsion +5 [25]

[The Fleet does the Flying ] Materials +5 [25]

[Send in the Marines]: Ground Vehicles +5 [25]

[Rangers Lead The Way] Ground +5 [25]

[Once Tom Clancy Is Mass Produced...] Stealth +3 [28]

[Area 52] Technology +4 (Any)

[Tin Soldiers] AI +5 [25]

[Beta Carbon Samurai] Mecha +3 [23], Propulsion +2 [22]

[Keep 'em Flying] Civilian Tech +3 [23]

EU

Global Technology Level: 20

Shipbuilding: +5 [25]

Ground Vehicles: +5 [25]

Materials: +5 [25]

Railguns: +10 [30]

Transgenics: -10 [10]

Catapults: +30 [50]

[Region|New Freedoms] +4 Transgenics

[EU Economy|Lingering Posthuman Help] +20 Basic Theotech

[Project PRISM|Beyond The Aquila Rift] +2 Shipbuilding

[Project PRISM|Heart Of Darkness] +10 Basic Theotech

[To Go Boldly] Basic Theotech +15 [35]

[New European Millenium] Ground Tech +3 [28]

[Center for Research] +4 Global Tech Level [24]

[Fraying Patchwork] Transgenics +5 [15]

[Outstretched Hand] Propulsion +2 [22], Shipbuilding +2 [27]

[Arms Production Center] Railguns +3 [33], Mass Production +2 [22]

[Ignore the War] +5 Civilian Tech

[Drastic Military Reformation] Any Technology +4

[New Golden Age] Shields +5 [25]

[Gundam Counterattack] Mecha +5 [25]

[Foreign Legionnaries] Infantry +5 [25]

[The Special Aerospace Service] Stealth +5 [25]

[The Silent Service] Stealth +5 [25]

[Keep 'em Flying] +3 Civilian Tech

[Tin Soldiers] +5 AI [25]

[NELSON Uplink] Railguns +2 [32], Electronics +2 [22]

China

Global Technology Level: 20

Shipbuilding: +10 [30]

Aircraft: +5 [25]

Electronics: +2 [22]

Missiles: +5 [25]

Stealth: +5 [25]

Transgenics: -2 [18]

[Region|Control Them] +2 Transgenics

[Region|New Freedoms] +4 Transgenics

[Exhumanism|Cut a Deal] +2 Infantry weapons

[Exhumanism|Successionism and Secrets] +3 Transgenics

[Running Back into the Fold] +2 Civilian Tech [24]

[Still Free] +2 Weapons Tech (any) [22]

[One Nation, Twenty Systems] +2 Civilian Tech [22]

[Send in the Blue-Helmets] -2 Global Techlevel, +2 Missiles Tech [30]

[Former Trading Hub] +3 Civilian Tech [23]

[Nationalized] +2 Mass Production Tech [22]

[Financially Independent] +5 Civilian Tech [25]

[Brain Drain] -2 Global Techlevel

[Outsystem Research Facility] +2 Any Technology [22], +2 Any Other Technology [22]

[Supersoldier Factory] Transgenics +3 [21], Infantry +2 [22]

[Got a PLAN] Materials +5 [25]

[Long March into Space] Propulsion Tech +5 [25]

[Crysis Situation] Stealth +3 [28]

[FIST Teams] Ground Vehicles + 5 [25]

[Steel Dragons] Mecha +5 [25]

[Fort Up] Shields +5 [25]

Russia

Global Technology Level: 20

Shipbuilding: +5 [25]

Propulsion: +5 [25]

Materials: +5 [25]

Railguns: +10 [30]

Transgenics: -2 [18]

Collarize!: +30 [50]

[Tsar Putin III] Transgenics +2 [20]

[Sovetskiy Soyuz] Propulsion +2 [27]

[Whatever The Cost] Transgenics +2 [20], Mass Production +2 [22], Civilian Tech -2 [18]

[Industrial Heartlands] Mass Production +2 [22]

[Resurgent Economy] Civilian Tech +5 [25]

[Bunker Mentality] Materials +2 [27]

[Infodump] +4 Global Tech Level [24]

[Under the Radar] Stealth +5 [25]

[Strategic Missile Command] Propulsion +3 [28]

[Where No Man Has Gone] +20 Basic Theotech [40] OR +580 Advanced Theotech [600]

[Big Gun Lobby] Materials +2 [27], Propulsion +2 [27], Stealth -2 [18]

[Military Surplus] -2 Global Tech Level [18], +2 Shipbuilding [25]

[Soldier of the Future] Transgenics + 3 [21]

ZOCU

Global Technology Level: 18

Shipbuilding: -3 [15]

Hangarize: +32 [50]

Mecha: +7 [25]

Power Systems: +7 [25]

Propulsion: +7 [25]

Mega Particle Weapons: +32 [50]

Basic Theotech: +22 [40]

[Put It Behind Us] +3 Civilian Technology [21]

[Guiding Star] Transgenics +2 [20]

[House of War] Transgenics +2 [20]

[Regional Hub] +3 Civilian Technology [21]

[Center for Research] +4 Global Tech Level [22]

[Arms Production Center] Mass Production +2 [20]

[Transhuman Resources] Transgenics +3 [21]

[Crash Industrialization] Mass Production +4 [22], -2 Civilian Technology [16]

[Internal Collapse] Any Weapon: +2 [20] Civilian -3 [15]

[Fort Up] Materials +5 [23]

[Fight in the Jungles] Infantry +5 [23]

[Giant Robots Rule] Mecha +2 [27], Shields +3 [21]

[The Silent Service] Stealth +5 [23]

[Midseason Uglies] Basic Theotech: +5 [45] + Global Tech +1 [19] or Advanced Theotech: +777 [795]

[Low Profile] Electronics +5 [23]

[Crush them WITH YOUR MIND] Transgenics +5 [23]

League

Global Technology Level: 12

Shipbuilding: -2 [10]

Ground: +8 [20]

Materials: +3 [15]

Projectiles: +13 [25]

Mass Production: +8 [20]

Feral Xenotech: +38 [50]

Collarize +18 [30]

[Still Alive (And Out There!)] -2 Global Tech Level [10]

[Law of the Gun] +5 Any Weapons Tech [17]

[Evil to Fight Evil]/[Transhuman Supremacy] +5 Transgene [17]

[Regional Hub] +5 Civilian Tech [17]

[Exploration Launching Port] +8 Basic Theotech [20], +10 Collarize [40]

[Regional Port] Shipbuilding +5 [17], Collarize +5 [35]

[League Production Center] +2 Mass Production [22]

[Mao Mode] -2 Global Tech Level [10]

[Stalin Mode] +3 Any 2 Weapons Techs [15], -2 Civilian Tech [10]

[Battlefield World] Infantry +5 [17]

[Salvation Armada] Mass Production +3 [23]

[Scrap Heaps] No tech bonus

[Magnate Killteams] Stealth +3 [15], Infantry +2 [14]

[Copycat] +8 Mecha [20]

[High Tech Bullshit] +3 Global Tech Level or 21 points, max of +7 in any field.

[Guts] No tech bonus

Magnate

Global Technology Level: 16

Railguns +4 (20)

Materials +4 (20)

Transgenics +9 (25)

Ground +4 (20)

Xenotech +14 (30)

Collarize +14 (30)

[Front Lines]: +4 Mass Production Tech [20]

[Voice for Peace]: +4 Civilian Tech [20]

[Perfected Society]: +2 Transgenics [27]

[Diplomatic Cunning]: +2 Civilian Tech [18]

[We're People Too]: +2 Global Tech Level [18], +4 Civilian Tech [20]

[THINK HARDER]: +4 Global Tech Level [20]

[Exhumanize]: +5 Transgenics [30]

[Time-Motion Engineers]: +4 Shipbuilding [20], Collarize +10 [40]

[We come in Sixpacks]: +2 Mass Production Tech [18]

[Evangelical Transhumanism]: +2 Propulsion [18], Collarize +5 [35]

[Face Dancers]: +9 Stealth Tech [25]

[Series VII Replicants]: +3 Ground [23], +3 Transgenics [28]

[Holy Shit It's the Clans]: +4 Global Tech Level [20], +2 Weapons Tech [22], -4 Civilian Tech [16]

[Reverse Engineering]: +4 Mecha Tech [20], +10 Xenotech [40]

[War Winner]: +24 Basic Theotech [40]

Independent

Global Technology Level: 18

25 points to distribute as desired, no more than +7 points in any single field

[Get Sirius] Shipbuilding -3 [15], Hangarize +30 [48], Power Systems: +7 [25]

[Be Interventionist] Ground +2 [20], Aircraft +2 [20]

[Fie on the Homeland] Global Tech -3 [15]

[Still Alive (and out there!)] Global Tech -8 [10]

[Phezzan] Stealth +7 [25]

[Transhuman Supremacy] Transgenics +3 [21]

[Expanse Production Center] Shipbuilding: +3 [21], Materials: +2 [20], Mass Production: +7 [25]

[Transhuman Resources] Transgenics +3 [21]

[Center for Research] Global Tech Level +4 [22]

[The Tensor Building] Global Tech Level +2 [20], Specific Weapon Tech +5 [25]

[Fort Up] Ground +7 [25]

[Salvation Armada] Mass Production +7 [25]

[Scrap Heaps] No tech bonus

[Zoom and Boom] Aircraft +7 [25]

[The Fleet does the Flying] Shipbuilding +2 [20], Specific Weapon Tech +5 [23]

[Friends from ZOCU] Mega Particle Weapons: +27 [45], Mecha: +7 [25]

[Supertech Bullshit] Basic Theotech: +32 [50]

[Hypertech Bullshit] Advanced Theotech: +782 [800]

[Low Profile] Stealth: +7 [25]