Tech Web (CivBE)

Civilization: Beyond Earth
The Tech Web is a feature in Civilization: Beyond Earth, previously introduced in Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri, which represents the possibilities for technological development of your colony. Unlike previous Civilization games which featured linear tech trees, the tech web branches off radially in several directions. Higher tier techs again require lower tier techs to be developed first, but because of the web - style of organization, even the most sophisticated technologies are accessible after you develop only 5 - 6 lesser technologies.

Tree Analysis

In Civilization Beyond Earth the technologies are divided in two types:

• Branch technology, or Primary tech: this is a main line of development, representing a broader approach to some subject. In the web branch techs are shown bigger, and always at the top of a technology 'cluster'. Branch technologies are required to advance and unlock higher tier technologies - this is illustrated in the web by the lines connecting the main techs (branch techs). Note, however, that unlike Civilization V, you don't need all lesser technologies to unlock a greater one - you just need one! At the same time, researching a branch technology also unlocks several deeper technologies, also known as 'leaf' techs. Branch techs enable access to main units and abilities, important Buildings, etc.

• Leaf technology, or Secondary tech: this is a more focused technology, concentrating on a deeper development of some aspect of the broader branch tech. Each leaf technology can only be researched after its branch technology has been researched. Leaf techs appear smaller than branch techs, and immediately underneath them; note, however, that the order in which leaf technologies appear underneath doesn't show any precedence, or further dependence: once you have unlocked the branch tech, you can research any tech in its cluster, regardless of where it's found. Leaf techs often allow Affinity advancement, and unlock affinity-specific units. Also, most high-level buildings and Wonders are unlocked in leaf techs.

In Civilization V, icons in each technology node are ordered from left to right: Units, City Buildings, Wonders, Revealed Resources, Tile Improvements, Abilities, Projects. Beyond Earth appears to preserve this order, with the addition of a +Affinity Points type, which appears to the left of Units.

Unit icons are monochromatic and borderless. Building icons have an octagonal border, and Wonder icons have a crescent border. Abilities appear as a star in a circle. Resource icons appear in color in a dark circle. Tile improvements appear borderless, but have a deeper color shade than units.

This illustrator will give you a good overview of the Tech Web: http://apolyton.net/civbe/techweb/

Tier 0

• Habitation (free): Worker unit, Explorer unit, Soldier unit, Old Earth Relic building, Clinic building
  • Pioneering (80): Colonist unit, Trade Convoy unit, Trade Vessel unit, Trade Depot building
  • Planetary Survey (80): Work Barge improvement, Embarkation ability

Tier 1

• Chemistry (95): Laboratory building, Recycler building, reveals Petroleum, Petroleum Well improvement
  • Biochemistry (249): Water Refinery building, Petrochemical Plant building

• Ecology (95): Miasmic Repulsor satellite, Vivarium building, Ultrasonic Fence building
  • Geophysics (249): reveals Geothermal, Geothermal Well improvement
  • Alien Biology (249): +12  Harmony XP, Workers can clear Miasma, Worker Miasma Immunity

• Engineering (95): Combat Rover unit, Thorium Reactor building, Repair Facility building, reveals Titanium
  • Power Systems (249): +12  Supremacy XP, +1 Energy from Geothermal Well improvements, +1 Production from Quarry improvements
  • Defense Grid (249): Defense Perimeter building, Panopticon wonder

• Genetics (95): Pharmalab building, Cytonursery building
  • Alien Lifeforms (249): Alien Preserve building, +1 Culture from Paddock improvements
  • Genetic Mapping (249): +12  Purity XP, Gene Vault wonder

• Physics (95): Ranger unit, Observatory building, Launch Complex building
  • Ballistics (249): Rocket Battery building, Stellar Codex wonder

Tier 2

• Alien Sciences (380): Xenofuel Plant building, Xenonursery building, Xenomass Well improvement
  • Alien Adaptation (770): +18  Harmony XP, Xeno Swarm unique unit
  • Alien Ecology (770): Miasmic Condenser orbital unit, Workers can Add Miasma

• Computing (380): Missile Rover unit, Gunboat unit, Spy Agency building, Network building
  • Autonomous Systems (770): +18  Supremacy XP, Master Control wonder, Node improvement
  • Transcendental Math (770): Transcendental Equation (required for Contact Victory)

• Genetic Design (380): Gene Garden building, Cloning Plant building, Ectogenesis Pod wonder
  • Alien Genetics (770): +18  Purity XP, +1 Culture from Biowell improvements, +1 Science from Xenomass Well improvements

• Robotics (380): Tacjet unit, Autoplant building, Firaxite Mine improvement, Manufactory improvement
  • Tactical Robotics (770): +18  Supremacy XP, CNDR unique unit
  • Swarm Robotics (770): +18  Harmony XP, Drone Sphere wonder

Tier 3

• Artificial Intelligence (770): CEL Cradle building, Surveillance Web building, Markov Eclipse wonder
  • Synthetic Thought (1160): +25  Supremacy XP, SABR unique unit, Cynosure wonder
  • Swarm Intelligence (1160): +25  Harmony XP, Bytegeist wonder

• Biology (770): Biofuel Plant building, Growlab building, Dome tile improvement
  • Vertical Farming (1160): +25  Purity XP, +1 Energy and +1 Food from Farm improvements

• Bionics (770): Bionics Lab, Institute, Biowell
  • Servomachinery (1160): +25  Purity XP, Battlesuit unique unit
  • Tissue Engineering (1160): +25  Harmony XP, +10 Healing for units

• Cognition (770): Neurolab building, Holosuite building, Academy improvement
  • Collaborative Thought (1160): +25  Supremacy XP, Precog Project wonder

• Communications (770): Tacnet Hub orbital unit, Command Center building, Feedsite Hub building, Array improvement
  • Orbital Networks (1160): Lasercom Satellite orbital unit, Memetwork wonder

• Fabrication (770): Carrier unit, Alloy Foundry building, Workers can build Magrails
  • Civil Support (1160): +25  Purity XP, Holomatrix orbital unit

• Organics (770): Biofactory building, Mass Digester building, +1 Energy from Generator improvements
  • Photosystems (1160): +25  Harmony XP, Solar Collector orbital unit, +1 Food from Plantation improvements

• Terraforming (770): Gaian Well building, Terrascape improvement, Floatstone Quarry improvement
  • Biospheres (1160): +25  Purity XP, +10% Food carried over after city growth, +1 Energy from Dome improvements
  • Climate Control (1160): +25  Supremacy XP, Weather Controller orbital unit

Tier 4

• Alien Ethics (1160): Xeno Sanctuary building, Mind Stem building, Xenodrome wonder
  • Alien Domestication (1820): +32  Harmony XP, Xeno Calvary unique unit, +1 Culture from Xenomass Well improvements

• Mechatronics (1160): LEV Plant building, Optical Surgery building, Crawler wonder
  • Mobile Lev (1820): +32  Purity XP, LEV Tank unique unit
  • Ballistic Lev (1820): Mass Driver wonder

• Transgenics (1160): Gene Smelter building, Promethean wonder
  • Photogenetics (1820): +32  Supremacy XP, +1 Culture from Academy improvements
  • Alien Hybridization (1820): +32  Harmony XP, +10 Healing in Miasma and Miasma Immunity

Tier 5

• Artificial Evolution (2480): Progenitor Garden building, Resurrection Device wonder, +1 Science from Farm improvements
  • Alien Evolution (3216): +40  Harmony XP, Xeno Titan unique unit
  • Alien Materials (3216): +40  Supremacy XP, Xenonova wonder

• Astrodynamics (2480): Planet Carver orbital unit, Neoplanetarium building, Skycrane building, +1 Science from Array improvements
  • Orbital Automation (3216): Deep Space Telescope orbital unit
  • Dark Networks (3216): All-Seer orbital unit

• Augmentation (2480): Augmentary building, Daedalus Ladder wonder
  • Surrogacy (3216): +40  Purity XP, Aegis unique unit, +10% Worker speed

• Bio Engineering (2480): Molecular Forge building, Bioglass Furnace building, Xenomalleum wonder
  • Industrial Ecology (3216): +40  Purity XP, +1 Production from Farm improvements
  • Biometallurgy (3216): +40  Supremacy XP, +1 Science from Generator improvements, +1 Energy from Mine improvements

• Cybernetics (2480): Orbital Laser orbital unit, Phasal Transporter orbital unit, Node Bank building
  • Autogyros (3216): +40  Supremacy XP, CARVR unique unit
  • Meta Materials (3216): +40  Harmony XP, Tectonic Anvil wonder

• Field Theory (2480): Field Reactor building, Mantle building, Quantum Computer wonder
  • Exotic Matter (3216): +40  Harmony XP, Ansible wonder

• Hypercomputing (2480): Hypercore building, Emancipation Gate Planetary wonder (required for Emancipation Victory), +1 Science from Node improvements
  • Hyperconductors (3216): +40  Purity XP, Holon Chamber wonder
  • Neural Uploading (3216): +40  Supremacy XP, ANGEL unique unit

• Nanotechnology (2480): Nanopasture building, Nanothermite wonder, Exodus Gate Planetary wonder (required for Promised Land Victory)
  • Tactical LEV (3216): +40  Purity XP, LEV Destroyer unique unit
  • Nano Robotics (3216): +40  Harmony XP, +1 Science from Manufactory improvements

• Planetary Engineering (2480): Borehole building, upgrade: +1 Production from Generator improvements
  • Geoscaping (3216): +40  Supremacy XP, Orbital Fabricator orbital unit
  • Seismic Induction (3216): +40  Purity XP, Archimedes Lever wonder

• Social Dynamics (2480): Civil Creche building, Soma Distillery building, Terra Vault building
  • Human Idealism (3216): New Terran Myth wonder
  • Human Conservation (3216): +40  Purity XP, Deep Memory wonder
  • Euthenics (3216): +40  Supremacy XP, Human Hive wonder

• Synergetics (2480): Microbial Mine building, Organ Printer building, Armasail wonder
  • Designer Lifeforms (3216): +40  Harmony XP, Rocktopus unique unit