Materials Science

_{Focus Areas · Design document §3}

Available from: CH11 (Polymer Science) + ME12 (Bessemer)

Also reachable in this focus (dual-path; home focus in parentheses): Room Temperature Superconductor (EL12, from Electricity).

13 breakthroughs — CORE 2 · STANDARD 8 · UNCOMMON 2 · RARE 1 — Atomic – Space

Builds on: Textiles & Materials (1) · Chemistry (3) · Optics (1) · Computing (1) · Quintessic Physics (4) · Quantum Physics (4)

Leads into: Metallurgy (1) · Construction (1) · Warfare (1) · Medicine (1) · Electricity (1) · Computing (1) · Nuclear Physics (1) · Quintessic Physics (1) · Quantum Physics (1) · Relativity & Cosmology (1) · Rocketry (1) · Aeronautics (4) · Space Engineering (1)

_{The numbers count prerequisite links between this focus and the other. How to read the tables.}

Non-atomic worlds: Materials Science sits largely in the Deep-Reconciliation convergence zone — by the late Atomic era, elemental and atomic worlds have both arrived at a working account of fine structure (atoms, or the deep quintessic/phase structure of the elements), so most of this focus is shared. Two nodes name atomic/molecular mechanism explicitly and read the HIGH_ENERGY_PHYSICS token instead of a specific theory: MS02 (Nanotechnology, with Graphene merged in) is reached via NP02→QP02 in atomic worlds or QM-E01→QM-E04 in elemental worlds. The "molecular manufacturing" of MS02 is, in an elemental world, fine elemental structuring — same mechanics, different account of what is being arranged.

Overview

ID	Breakthrough	Tier	Era	Prerequisites
MS01	Composite Materials	CORE	Atomic	CH11 + TX08 (Carbon Fiber)
MS02	Nanotechnology / Fine Structuring	CORE	Atomic	HIGH_ENERGY_PHYSICS (QP02 atomic, or QM-E04 elemental) + CH07
MS03	Metamaterials	UNCOMMON	Atomic	MS01 + OP07 (Laser) + (QP05 Quantum Field Theory, or QM-E04 Unified Field Theory)
MS05	Self-Healing Materials	UNCOMMON	Atomic	MS02 + CH07
MS07	Programmable Matter	RARE	Space	MS02 + CP09 (AGI) — cost ×4
MS08	Exotic Matter Engineering	STANDARD	Space	(QP11 Exotic Matter Synthesis, validated, or QM-E06 Exotic Matter, validated) + MS02
MS17	Transformation Media	STANDARD	Space	MS08 + (QP12 or QM-E13) — cost ×4
MS10	Structural Nanomaterials	STANDARD	Space	MS02 + MS01 — cost ×2.5
MS11	Field Repair Systems	STANDARD	Space	MS10 — cost ×2.5
MS12	Signature Management	STANDARD	Space	MS10 — cost ×2.5
MS13	Adaptive Armour	STANDARD	Space	MS10 — cost ×2.5
MS16	Self-Sealing Hulls	STANDARD	Space	MS10 — cost ×2.5
MS15	Modular Platforms	STANDARD	Space	MS13 + MS11 — cost ×4

Prerequisite map

flowchart LR
  n_MS01["MS01 Composite Materials"]:::CORE
  n_MS03["MS03 Metamaterials"]:::UNCOMMON
  n_MS10["MS10 Structural Nanomaterials"]:::STANDARD
  n_MS11["MS11 Field Repair Systems"]:::STANDARD
  n_MS15["MS15 Modular Platforms"]:::STANDARD
  n_MS12["MS12 Signature Management"]:::STANDARD
  n_MS13["MS13 Adaptive Armour"]:::STANDARD
  n_MS16["MS16 Self-Sealing Hulls"]:::STANDARD
  n_MS02["MS02 Nanotechnology / Fine Structuring"]:::CORE
  n_MS05["MS05 Self-Healing Materials"]:::UNCOMMON
  n_MS07["MS07 Programmable Matter"]:::RARE
  n_MS08["MS08 Exotic Matter Engineering"]:::STANDARD
  n_MS17["MS17 Transformation Media"]:::STANDARD
  n_MS01 --> n_MS03
  n_MS02 --> n_MS05
  n_MS02 --> n_MS07
  n_MS02 --> n_MS08
  n_MS08 --> n_MS17
  n_MS02 --> n_MS10
  n_MS01 --> n_MS10
  n_MS10 --> n_MS11
  n_MS10 --> n_MS12
  n_MS10 --> n_MS13
  n_MS10 --> n_MS16
  n_MS13 --> n_MS15
  n_MS11 --> n_MS15
  classDef CORE fill:#dbeafe,stroke:#1d4ed8,color:#0b1b3b
  classDef STANDARD fill:#f1f5f9,stroke:#64748b,color:#0f172a
  classDef UNCOMMON fill:#dcfce7,stroke:#15803d,color:#052e16
  classDef RARE fill:#fef3c7,stroke:#b45309,color:#3b2005
  classDef UNIQUE fill:#fae8ff,stroke:#a21caf,color:#3b0a3f

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_{Prerequisites within this focus. Box colour is the tier (blue CORE, grey STANDARD, green UNCOMMON, amber RARE, purple UNIQUE); dotted arrows are alternatives (“or”); a line can pass behind another box, so follow it from its start. 7 of these 13 breakthroughs also need breakthroughs from other foci, which the overview above lists.}

Breakthroughs

MS01 · Composite Materials

• Tier: CORE · Era: Atomic
• Prerequisites: CH11 + TX08 (Carbon Fiber)
• Unlocks: ⟨All newly-trained [Land] units [in all cities] receive the [Composite Armour] promotion⟩ (Composite Armourⁿ: ⟨[+10]% Strength <when defending>⟩).
• Leads to: ME15 Memory Alloys, CO14 3D Printed Construction, WA21 Powered Armor, MD12 Cybernetic Enhancement, NP09 Compact Fusion, RK07 Reusable Launch Vehicle, MS03 Metamaterials, MS10 Structural Nanomaterials, AE08 Scramjet, AE12 Grand Aerostat, AE14 Aerospace Industry, SE03 Radiation Shielding

MS02 · Nanotechnology / Fine Structuring

• Tier: CORE · Era: Atomic
• Prerequisites: HIGH_ENERGY_PHYSICS (QP02 atomic, or QM-E04 elemental) + CH07
• Unlocks: ⟨[+1 Happiness] [in all cities]⟩ (targeted medicine). In elemental worlds the craft is fine structuring, and the building is the Fine-Structure Forge — nothing there is built atom by atom. ⟨[+5]% [Production] [in all cities]⟩ — the strongest cable ever spun (Graphene Production, merged here in v3.101).
• Notes: Same mechanics; the account of what is being arranged depends on FQ9.
• Leads to: EL12 Room Temperature Superconductor, CP15 Neuromorphic Processors, QM-E06 Exotic Matter (Elemental), QP11 Exotic Matter Synthesis, RC09 Inertial Dampening, MS05 Self-Healing Materials, MS07 Programmable Matter, MS08 Exotic Matter Engineering, MS10 Structural Nanomaterials

MS03 · Metamaterials

• Tier: UNCOMMON · Era: Atomic
• Prerequisites: MS01 + OP07 (Laser) + (QP05 Quantum Field Theory, or QM-E04 Unified Field Theory)
• Unlocks: ⟨[+1] Sight <for [Military] units>⟩ (perfect lenses); ⟨[+15]% Strength <for [Submarine] units>⟩ (acoustic damping). (Cloaking land units has no fair Unciv mechanism and is dropped.)
• Leads to: AE07 Stealth Technology

MS05 · Self-Healing Materials

• Tier: UNCOMMON · Era: Atomic
• Prerequisites: MS02 + CH07
• Unlocks: ⟨[-25]% maintenance cost for [All] buildings [in all cities]⟩; ⟨All newly-trained [Military] units [in all cities] receive the [Self-Healing] promotion⟩ (Self-Healingⁿ: ⟨May heal outside of friendly territory⟩). The atomic counterpart of Incorruptible Matter and Self-Renewing Structures.

MS07 · Programmable Matter

• Tier: RARE · Era: Space
• Prerequisites: MS02 + CP09 (AGI) — cost ×4
• Unlocks: ⟨[+25]% Production when constructing [All] buildings [in all cities]⟩ (one material, every building); Morphic Armourⁿ [unit, Armored; cost 600; mv 3; str 90; ⟨[+25]% Strength <when defending>⟩; requires Rare Earths]. RARE.
• Notes: W18 — Capstone B, rare.

MS08 · Exotic Matter Engineering

• Tier: STANDARD · Era: Space
• Prerequisites: (QP11 Exotic Matter Synthesis, validated, or QM-E06 Exotic Matter, validated) + MS02
• Unlocks: Exotic Matter Foundryⁿ [1000/3; ⟨[+15]% Production when constructing [SS FTL Drive] units [in this city]⟩] — practical fabrication; prerequisite for Warp and Wormhole FTL. Elemental: the same practical fabrication, of exotic Aether made in quantity — Aether held heavier or lighter than its rest density (Substance; Model I, §7) — or of broken-cycle matter held past its own closure (Process; Model II, §7). (Named apart from that Forge under the filter discipline of §7.0.) It needs exotic matter that holds: where none can be sustained, there is nothing to fabricate. Exists only where exotic matter is validated (QP11 / QM-E06). Hosts the bubble is stable (Warp) and the throat is stable (Wormhole), both merged into those builds (W14).
• Notes: W18 — Pool; Wormhole's and Warp's engineering, wherever exotic matter is validated; hosts two conditions (W14), so priced as a decider.
• Leads to: MS17 Transformation Media

MS17 · Transformation Media

• Tier: STANDARD · Era: Space
• Prerequisites: MS08 + (QP12 or QM-E13) — cost ×4
• Unlocks: Shockproof Wallsⁿ [building; cost set at spec; ⟨[+50]% Strength for cities <vs [Siege] units> <when defending> <in this city>⟩ — the walls route a bombardment's shock waves around their own city's structures; <in this city> makes the unique local, so each building strengthens only its own city and the bonuses never accumulate across cities]. Bomb Shelters (SE03 Radiation Shielding) become 50% more effective: the Bomb Shelter itself gains ⟨Population loss from nuclear attacks [-50]% [in this city] <after discovering [Transformation Media]>⟩ and ⟨Damage to garrison from nuclear attacks [-50]% [in this city] <after discovering [Transformation Media]>⟩, so a sheltered city loses 12.5% of the normal amount instead of 25% (fork engine work: City.getAggregateModifier in Nuke.kt must use the defending city's own context, not an empty one, for the conditional to apply). A nuke's damage to city health is not reducible. Distinct from Hardened Shelters (NP13), which protects every city. Designing a space by its shape: choose the geometry, then build the medium that produces it — as Morris and Thorne designed traversable wormholes, and as transformation optics steers light (Pendry, Schurig and Smith; Leonhardt, 2006); analogue wormholes have been built in metamaterials (a magnetic one, 2015), and seismic metamaterials tested at full scale (2014). On the wormhole path it is the discipline of shaping exotic matter into a designed throat, tried first on analogue throats. Substance: graded substance that makes waves travel as if the Aether were folded; Process: a pattern grown to channel the flow's course.
• Notes: W18/balance round two — Wormhole's engineering, outside its tests; the Space-era successor to MS03 Metamaterials, without needing it.

MS10 · Structural Nanomaterials

• Tier: STANDARD · Era: Space
• Prerequisites: MS02 + MS01 — cost ×2.5
• Unlocks: ⟨[+15]% Strength for cities⟩ (taking over Dyson Sphere Materials' city strength).
• Notes: W18 — Entry: opens the pool.
• Leads to: MS11 Field Repair Systems, MS12 Signature Management, MS13 Adaptive Armour, MS16 Self-Sealing Hulls

MS11 · Field Repair Systems

• Tier: STANDARD · Era: Space
• Prerequisites: MS10 — cost ×2.5
• Unlocks: Field Repair Unitⁿ [unit; statistics set at spec; ⟨All adjacent units heal [15] HP when healing⟩].
• Notes: W18 — Pool.
• Leads to: MS15 Modular Platforms

MS12 · Signature Management

• Tier: STANDARD · Era: Space
• Prerequisites: MS10 — cost ×2.5
• Unlocks: New military land units gain ⟨Withdraws before melee combat⟩; unlocks one dedicated stealth reconnaissance unit (statistics set at spec) with ⟨Invisible to non-adjacent units⟩.
• Notes: W18 — Pool.

MS13 · Adaptive Armour

• Tier: STANDARD · Era: Space
• Prerequisites: MS10 — cost ×2.5
• Unlocks: New military units gain an Adaptive Armour promotion: ⟨[+15]% Strength <when defending>⟩.
• Notes: W18 — Pool; first step of capstone A.
• Leads to: MS15 Modular Platforms

MS16 · Self-Sealing Hulls

• Tier: STANDARD · Era: Space
• Prerequisites: MS10 — cost ×2.5
• Unlocks: ⟨[+15]% Strength <for [Water] units> <when defending>⟩.
• Notes: W18 — Pool.

MS15 · Modular Platforms

• Tier: STANDARD · Era: Space
• Prerequisites: MS13 + MS11 — cost ×4
• Unlocks: Modular Combat Vehicleⁿ [unit; statistics set at spec; ⟨Can transform to⟩ a support configuration and back — assault one turn, air defence and repair the next].
• Notes: W18 — Capstone A (the reliable one).