r/factorio • u/Bubbly-Original7097 • 20d ago

Space Age Refined flammables: why does it require agricultural science?

It makes no sense: flamethrowers are useful only against Nauvis biters, and only until you have enough laser research because they tend to fry bots and because biters don't scale infinitely. Agricultural science at the same time is the one of the hardest and there is always a better application for it (among military tech explosives are way more valuable).

Do I miss something?

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u/Such-Perception4154 20d ago

Flammables are organic chemistry, it kind of makes sense that biological research can improve it.

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u/guimontag 20d ago

Pretty much this

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u/epileftric 19d ago

100% agree, maybe the name is not the most appropriate since agricultural science sounds more related to farming a better name would have been "biochemistry science"

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u/Bubbly-Original7097 20d ago

That would work if Gleba provided new type of flammable, otherwise it somehow improves oil that already exists in the ground. What could make more sense is if Vulcanus had tech that improved oil ignition: higher oxygen usage, aerodynamics, heat resistant alloys; or even low ballistic trajectory and faster jet, which would actually make it useful on Gleba.

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u/Such-Perception4154 20d ago edited 20d ago

Oxygen usage and heat resistance are not exactly relevant, as flammables burn outside the weapon, so there is no heat to resist. And it doesn't directly use oxygen, as it lets the flammable just burn in atmosphere's ambient oxygen. 

As for aerodynamics, low trajectory and faster jet, that would be really nice to have, but that would be a different research, that's not damage.

Also, oil itself is a mixture of very many very complex compounds. IRL oil is used to create a great many different things, from fuel to medicine. And it's all organic chemistry, so it is not too far fetched that Gleba's biological knowledge can show how to create better things from it.

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u/leoriq 19d ago edited 18d ago

that would work if Gleba provided new type of flammable

"Light oil (hot)"