Scientific HQ

Basic Benefits

 * Manufacturing Buildings can use raw resource deposits when placed on that tile (including water ice, dry ice, sulfur dioxide ice)
 * +50% faster research of Patents
 * Starts with a free Goon Squad

Overview
Of the gameplay changes given to the scientific player, the one most notable to most players is the ability to build manufacturing buildings on top of raw resources for more efficient production. For example, if a Farm was placed on a water resource tile the farm will not require water to be purchased or subtracted from a player's inventory. This benefit exists regardless of whether the raw resource is trace, low, medium, or high level, and there is no increase in production for being placed on higher deposit tiles. Under ideal circumstances this means fewer tiles needed, lower costs, constantly profitable production and no supply shortages - for the same output as with other HQs.

It should be noted that this bonus only applies to the resources used during the manufacturing of a resource, not in the building of the structure itself. For example: building a solar panel on a silicon tile will still cost the standard amount of silicon to build and will provide no benefit to the solar panels power production.

As a result scientific players benefit greatly from large amounts of available raw resources arranged in adjacent groupings of 3-5. Conversely, a lack of such clusters nullifies this perk as spread out buildings don't gain the important adjacency bonuses. As outlined below, slant drilling is a good way to fix this.

Scientific players are the least concerned of all the HQs about the existence of high deposits, although scientific players should not feel deterred from claiming them to deny others access to them or to build stockpiles for colonies.

The increased speed of research for patents allows scientific players to all but guarantee their choice of patents should they go for them early - and they should.

Openings
Typical scientific openings involve landing adjacent to iron and water and ideally silicon or carbon. Players should place 2-3 steel mills, depending on whether there is an available triangle of iron to place it upon. If there is a high or medium aluminium nearby, or if the map is generally lacking in valuable aluminium deposits it can be wise to claim and mine an aluminium for easier HQ upgrades.

After reaching level 2 look to claim a nearby patch of water or silicon. By using your scientific bonus you can begin producing food, fuel, oxygen, or glass without having to pay the raw resource costs associated with the typically high value goods. However, if this high-value production is not directly connected to your HQ, you will have to worry about transport fuel costs and other players attacking it using Filthy Pirates or Magnetic Storms. It is generally not recommended to pursue a scientific found if you will have to ship resources long distances, unless you can patent Teleportation early.

Once you have reached level 3 look to secure power, generally using Geothermal Plants or taking advantage of Superconductor.

Useful Patents
Slant Drilling- By purchasing slant drilling a scientific player can use the tiles next to a raw resource and still get the scientific bonus of not having to use the raw resource. This can turn any single resource tile into one that can support up to 7 production buildings, assuming there is space available for that.

Teleportation- If you are forced to place your manufacturing buildings far from your HQ, you will be very vulnerable to pirates and magnetic storms, and face significant fuel and time costs to transport goods to and from the HQ. Teleportation alleviates this burden or can open up the possibility of moving into silicon-, carbon-, or water-based production away from your HQ later.

Carbon Scrubbing- Many scientific players find themselves without carbon mines in many games, especially if there are multiple scavenger players on the map. As a result, chemical and electronics production can become very costly. With carbon scrubbing these demands are lifted, and players can often produce electronics in the late game using only 1 raw resource.

Weaknesses
Scientific players are extremely vulnerable to pirates and magnetic storms. Unlike other players, they tend to transport valuable finished goods instead of raw materials. Look for their valuable production lines away from their HQ when you can.

Scientific players often do not have the tiles or interest in getting power in the early game. This early high debt can lead to easy stock purchases and quick elimination from a game.

Scientific players frequently lock into certain types of production. If you notice a scientific player secure multiple iron or silicon tiles early on then their actions should be more predictable than other HQ types. In a 1v1 setting, you may consider founding as a robot to reduce the income they can earn from life support resources, which are typically their bread and butter.