Editing Tips for beginners (section)

==Top Tech for Beginners==
The most important techs to research in the beginning are the ones that increase economic growth - mining, production, research. This is probably the stuff you need to get started. In no particular order:

===Top Economic Techs===
* Higher construction rate +++
* Higher research rate ++++
* Higher mining rate +++
* Small jump gate (the big ones require huge ships your shipyards probably couldn't handle)
* Improved Command and Control (5000RP) (to build a [[Sector Command]] HQ)

===Top Military Techs===
* Missile reload rate (most important defense tech)
* Missile Engines, whenever you develop a new engine tech
* EM Sensitivity + Active Sensor strength (affect your Active Search Sensor range)
* One or two Armor tech levels (armor gets lighter, thereby making your ships faster)

===Top All-round Techs===
* Power plants (Reactor Tech), to get better engine tech +++++ An absolute must
* Don't ignore Engine Power +5/10/15% (faster engines, when fuel economy doesn't matter that much)
* Fuel efficiency (also gives longer missile range)

===Top Techs for a Conventional Start===
* Trans-Newtonian Technology (5000RP) - Just because you're starting in the Dark Ages, you don't want to remain there.
* Geological Survey Sensors (1000RP) - You can't very well strip mine the solar system if you can't find which minerals are there.
* Jump Point Theory (5000RP) - Don't leave home without it! Well, you can't. Not your home system anyway.
* Nuclear Thermal Engine Technology (2500RP) - Space is a big big place. 
* Gravitational Survey Sensors (2000RP) - You can't travel the Intergalactic Super-highway if you can't find the on-ramp.

===Techs you can safely ignore until mid-game===
* Cloaking
* Shields
* Most non-missile weapons (gauss guns for missile CIWS, some players also recommend carronades and railguns)
* Biology Techs & Terraforming rate & Colonization Cost Reduction (too expensive in the beginning)
* Laser size reduction, laser warheads (broken in v5.60), radiation warheads (of dubious value, according to some)
* Ground units