Master of Orion/Techs always available

It seems possible that the premise of this entire page is just completely incorrect, and that there are no techs that are always available.

Below is a short listing of techs that you will end up getting in almost every single game you ever play.

If you absolutely want to plan your strategy around getting the same set of techs every game, plan around these. The author started out with a list of every tech in the game and marked off techs as they did not occur and over 12 games and the author narrowed down the list to these.


 * Computers
 * ECM Jammer 1
 * Improved Space Scanner
 * ECM Jammer Mark 6
 * Battle Computer Mark 8


 * Construction
 * Industrial Tech 9
 * Industrial Tech 8
 * Armored Exoskeleton
 * Industrial Tech 4
 * Powered Armor
 * Neutronium Armor


 * Force Fields
 * Class 2 Deflector Shields
 * Personal Deflector Shields
 * Class 4 Deflector Shields
 * Class 6 Deflector Shields
 * Cloaking Device
 * Personal Barrier Shield


 * Planetology
 * Controlled Barren Environment
 * Death Spores
 * Controlled Toxic Environment
 * Terraforming + 60
 * Complete Terraforming


 * Propulsion
 * Range 6 Fuel Cells
 * Range 7 Fuel Cells
 * Fusion Drives
 * Impulse Drives
 * High Energy Focus


 * Weapons
 * Ion Cannon
 * Mercullite Missiles
 * Fusion Beam

It is suggested that you can cross off 80% of the items in this list. Some techs were stolen if they were missing (less than lvl 40) or taken from Orion esp. lvl 45+ ones (Complete Terraforming is quite common). This information is most consistent on Hard or Impossible. It is assumed that once the tech lvl is passed and tech is missing from the research list, it will never appear.

Some techs seem to be much more common than others, e.g. Ion Cannon.

Things that can be crossed off are:


 * Computers
 * ECM Jammer 1
 * Improved Space Scanner


 * Construction
 * Armored Exoskeleton
 * Neutronium Armor (inconvenient)


 * Force Fields
 * Cloaking Device
 * Personal Deflector Shields


 * Planetology
 * Controlled Barren Environment
 * Death Spores (missing a few games, but recommended to avoid getting it)
 * Controlled Toxic Environment (often missing)
 * Complete Terraforming (often lacked)


 * Propulsion
 * Range 6 Fuel Cells
 * Range 7 Fuel Cells (first available was 8, after 4)
 * Fusion Drives (FIRST engine tech available was antimatter, recent game)
 * Impulse Drives (FIRST engine tech available was antimatter, recent game)
 * High Energy Focus


 * Weapons
 * Ion Cannon (noting but fusion before)
 * Mercullite Missiles (sometimes missed)
 * Fusion Beam (can be missing)