Research & Technology
“Science is organized knowledge. Wisdom is organized life.” – Immanuel Kant
Technology is the engine of progress in Annhexation. Every new unit, building, improvement, government, and ability is unlocked through the tech tree. A civilisation that falls behind in research will find itself fighting swordsmen with warriors, besieging cities without siege engines, and watching its rivals launch spaceship parts while it struggles to discover gunpowder.
How Research Works
Each turn, every city generates research points that accumulate toward the technology you are currently studying. When the accumulated research equals or exceeds the technology’s cost, the tech is completed, its unlocks become available, and you choose a new technology to study.
Research points do not carry over – when a tech is completed, the counter resets to zero. If you switch research targets before completing a technology, your progress on the original tech is saved and can be resumed later.
Research Sources
Research comes from several sources, all of which stack:
Base Research
Every city generates a base of 2 research per turn, regardless of buildings or terrain. This is the city centre’s innate contribution.
Buildings
| Building | Research Bonus | Required Tech | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Library | +2 per turn | Writing | Essential early building |
| University | +4 per turn | Education | Requires Library first |
A city with both a Library and a University produces 2 (base) + 2 (Library) + 4 (University) = 8 research per turn before government and tech bonuses.
Technologies
| Technology | Research Bonus |
|---|---|
| Electronics | +1 research per city |
Electronics is a late-game technology that provides a global boost. With 10 cities, that is +10 research per turn across your empire.
Government Bonuses
| Government | Research Bonus |
|---|---|
| Republic | +1 research per city |
| All others | None |
Republic is the strongest research government. The +1 per city stacks with base research and buildings, making Republic the natural choice for science-focused strategies.
Civilisation Bonuses
| Civilisation | Research Bonus |
|---|---|
| France | +1 research per city while at war |
France’s bonus rewards aggressive play – each city produces an extra research point as long as France is at war with anyone. This makes France a strong choice for players who intend to combine military action with scientific advancement.
Summary Formula
Per-city research = 2 (base) + Library (2) + University (4) + Republic (1) + Electronics (1) + France at war (1)
Maximum per-city research = 11 (France, Republic, Library, University, Electronics, at war)
The Six Eras
Technologies are organised into six historical eras. Your civilisation’s current era is determined by the most advanced era of any tech you have researched.
| Era | Period | Key Unlocks |
|---|---|---|
| Ancient | Dawn of civilisation | Basic units, Agriculture, Writing, Pottery, Mining |
| Classical | Classical antiquity | Iron Working, Mathematics, Currency, Horseback Riding |
| Medieval | Middle Ages | Chivalry, Theology, Education, Longbow |
| Renaissance | Age of discovery | Gunpowder, Navigation, Printing Press, Banking |
| Industrial | Machine age | Industrialisation, Rifling, Metallurgy, Steam Power |
| Modern | 20th century and beyond | Flight, Electronics, Rocketry, Nuclear Fission |
Ancient Era Priorities
The Ancient era is about establishing your foundation:
- Agriculture – Allows Farms (+1 food on worked tiles with river edges).
- Pottery – Unlocks the Granary (+2 food) and Hanging Gardens wonder.
- Mining – Enables Mines (+1 production on hills).
- Writing – Unlocks the Library (+2 research). This should be an early priority in every game.
- Archery – Unlocks the Archer, your first ranged unit.
- Bronze Working – Unlocks the Barracks (+1 starting XP) and Colossus of Rhodes wonder.
Classical Era Priorities
- Iron Working – Unlocks the Swordsman (12 attack, 8 defence). Your first truly powerful melee unit.
- Mathematics – Unlocks the Catapult, your first siege unit.
- Currency – Unlocks the Marketplace (+2 gold) and diplomatic actions (declaring war, proposing peace).
- Horseback Riding – Unlocks the Horseman (requires Horses resource).
- Sailing – Unlocks the Galley, Harbour, and Fishing Nets.
Medieval and Renaissance
- Chivalry – Unlocks the Knight and Pikeman.
- Education – Unlocks the University (+4 research). Critical for science strategies.
- Gunpowder – Unlocks the Musketman (14 attack, 10 defence).
- Navigation – Unlocks the Frigate and Magellan’s Expedition wonder.
- Printing Press – Unlocks Republic government and Shakespeare’s Theatre wonder.
Industrial and Modern
- Rifling – Unlocks the Rifleman (20 attack, 16 defence).
- Industrialisation – Unlocks the Factory (+4 production).
- Flight – Unlocks the Fighter and Airport.
- Rocketry – Unlocks the Apollo Program wonder (required for science victory).
- Nuclear Fission – Unlocks the Manhattan Project wonder (enables nuclear weapons).
- Combustion – Unlocks the Tank (28 attack, 4 movement).
Tech Prerequisites
Technologies form a tree structure. Each tech may require one or more prerequisite technologies before it can be researched. You cannot research Chivalry without first completing its prerequisites.
The tech tree branches into several paths:
- Military path – Bronze Working –> Iron Working –> Chivalry –> Gunpowder –> Rifling –> Combustion
- Science path – Writing –> Education –> Scientific Theory –> Electronics
- Economic path – Currency –> Banking
- Naval path – Sailing –> Navigation –> Astronomy
- Culture path – Mysticism –> Theology
Plan your research to reach your key unlocks as efficiently as possible. Do not meander through the tree – identify the technologies you need and chart the shortest path.
The Great Library
The Great Library wonder (120 production, requires Writing) grants a free technology upon completion. The free tech is the most expensive technology you are currently eligible to research. This can save dozens of turns of research and is one of the most powerful wonders in the game.
Tip: Begin building the Great Library early, but research cheap techs in the meantime. When the Great Library completes, it will grant the most expensive tech you qualify for, maximising the value of the free tech.
Strategic Approaches
Fast Science
Goal: Rush to Universities and Republic for maximum research output.
- Research Writing early (Libraries in all cities).
- Reach Printing Press for Republic government.
- Research Education for Universities.
- Push toward Electronics for the late-game bonus.
- Build the Apollo Program and spaceship parts for Science Victory.
Military Tech Rush
Goal: Unlock powerful military units before your opponents.
- Research Bronze Working and Iron Working for Swordsmen.
- Push to Chivalry for Knights.
- Prioritise Gunpowder and Rifling for Musketmen and Riflemen.
- Reach Combustion for Tanks.
Balanced Approach
Goal: Stay competitive across all fronts.
- Writing first for Libraries.
- Iron Working or Archery for military units.
- Currency for Marketplaces and diplomacy.
- Education for Universities.
- Adapt to the situation – if threatened, pivot to military techs; if peaceful, push science.
Tips
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Never stop researching. Always have a technology selected. Unspent research is wasted potential.
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Libraries are non-negotiable. Build a Library in every city as soon as Writing is available. The compound effect over many turns is enormous.
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Republic accelerates science. If science is your priority, switch to Republic as soon as Printing Press is researched. The +1 research per city adds up fast.
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Watch your opponents’ tech level. If an enemy has Musketmen and you are still fielding Swordsmen, you are in serious trouble. Prioritise military techs when you detect a threat.
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The Great Library is a race. If another player completes it first, your production is lost. Only commit to the Great Library if you are confident you can finish it quickly.