What techs do you get first

[jsberry]

I have been using my first school on the "pink" line of techs to boost early research speed, and the second school mostly for the "red" line to get better troops. But now I think it may be best to start with the green "fence" tech first to get growth going - then the first college tech, then the first bayonett tech. Finally, I will go along way without starting the metal and textile techs. What is recommended?

[Zarky]

I often start out by researching first tech from Enlightment tree (propably misspelled Empiricsm)
so that I can improve school for faster research. After that I do Common Land Enclosures (to improve farms). Unless I manage to get second school up very early I go back to enlightment right after plug bayonets.

[Hooahguy]

plug bayonet, screw bayonets immediately after (or socket- w/e the next line of bayonet is), destroy a building somewhere else, make a second school (helps if you have an awesome justice minister like i do), research square formation, then military syllabus, then fire by rank.
but in the meantime with my second school im researching enlightenment stuff, especially the one that reduces research time.

[A Very Super Market]

If I am playing as a minor faction (Especially if they have no school) I just send my gentlemen out to steal tech from anyone near me. I'm pretty sure that it's an exploit because no one gains bad relations from me, even if I fail for about 50 years..

[Quickening]

I often start out by researching first tech from Enlightment tree (propably misspelled Empiricsm)
so that I can improve school for faster research. After that I do Common Land Enclosures (to improve farms). Unless I manage to get second school up very early I go back to enlightment right after plug bayonets.

I do the exact same thing except after getting Common Land Enclosures I focus on military until I get the fire by rank upgrade. It makes such a devastating difference.

[Sheogorath]

I immediately rush for ring bayonets, then mostly act as the situation warrants. If I have a high income country, I focus on military techs initially. A low income country typically warrants some economic research first.

[Zarky]

No matter what country I'm playing I like to research enlightment first because I have this "I can always research military tech later" attitude. Suppose it could be smarter to research military and navy more because I always lack money to improve my cities and industries as much as I could.
I also try to avoid fighting major countries so that's why I don't worry about being out-teched by my enemies.

[pevergreen]

Plug bayonets then anything apart from square formation.

[Fisherking]

I find it depends entirely on the faction I am playing and perhaps the mood I am in.:laugh4:

Boosting the research speed is never a bad idea, so enlightenment may often be my first choice.

Then I may improve the farms next unless the military threat is so high that I need the bayonets. But actually what I am always doing is trying to find another place to build a school. Then government type comes into play. Too much enlightenment early on can lead to problems and switching governments takes time and hurts the economy so I seem to put it off or even avoid it.

In my latest campaign I managed to steal a dozen or so techs using only two agents which helped a lot as there were few regions suitable for schools. With most campaigns I never even try to acquire techs this way and have up to eight schools. In this one I have only had three of four schools and as an absolute monarchy the unrest prevented me from taking on any more. It may have been better to switch to some other government type at the start as it has also hurt the economy but I am leading in prestige none the less.