>>535877794
The research cost is mostly annoying at the very start when you can't fully automate taking away and dealing with byproducts.
I skipped heavy armor, but eventually had to research repair packs because exploding- and frost biters are really fucking annoying.
I'm much more annoyed that the game forces you to research trains, signals, and then steam trains, along with a bunch of tanks just to get to the electricity age.
I'd rather use extremely long belts than trains. especially now in the early-game when you can't just clear shit willy nilly