Noobs in Combat Tech Tree and Evolutions

The tech tree is the long-term progression spine of Noobs in Combat. Campaign clears feed Research Points, Gold Nuggets, and Gems into unit unlocks, evolutions, loadout slots, and starting Tix. V6 rebuilt the research UI on a scalable layout with clearer branch lines, reorganised several trees, and added new evolutions. This guide explains how to spend without stranding your starter loadout halfway through campaigns.

Three spend types

Research Points — primary unlock currency from map clears and early daily rewards. Buy base units, many evolutions, loadout slots, starting Tix upgrades, and some skins. Surplus Points can exchange into Nuggets in the market (commonly on the order of thousands of Points per Nugget — confirm the live rate in the Exchange Market).

Gold Nuggets — Tryhard (and sometimes Rigged) specialty rewards plus rare dailies and market trades. Mostly evolution costs and selected high-tier nodes. Map Nuggets are generally first-clear limited per difficulty.

Gems — premium currency from later dailies, Rigged clears, campaign finale bonuses, and Robux. Buy premium units, variants, skins, extra presets/slots, and EXP skips for evolutions. Do not gem-skip EXP on units you never deploy.

Tix is not a lobby research currency; it is the in-battle spawn budget. Still, research upgrades that raise starting Tix are among the best Point sinks in the game. Full economy notes sit on the currency page.

EXP evolutions

Unlocking a unit on the tree is only half the job. Evolutions usually require combat EXP earned by deploying the predecessor and scoring hits, captures, repairs, or mission contribution (Sappers and Combat Engineers now gain EXP from repairs, mines, and mine damage in recent patches). Gems can buy missing EXP when you are one evolution short before a Tryhard sweep, but grinding Normal maps with the unit in your preset is cheaper.

Practical rule: put the unit you want to evolve in the loadout you actually play. Parked unlocks with zero EXP waste Nuggets when the evolution node finally opens.

Infantry branch priorities

V6 added and extended several infantry lines:

• Troopers → Shock Troops → Grunts — new mainline SMG tree; best default Capture/Radio infantry for most PvE presets.
• Riflemen → Rangers → Marksmen — longer-range rifle line; Marksmen combine range, Capture, Radio, and Scouting, but cost more Tix than Grunts for frontline spam.
• Medium Gunner → Light Gunner — anti-infantry backbone.
• AT Rifle → Bazooka → RPG — essential Ambush AT.
• Flamethrower → Flame Launcher — town and forest clearing.
• Sapper → Combat Engineer — utility evolution; V6.1 reduced Combat Engineer EXP requirements, so this path is faster than before.
• Sniper → Sniper Team for suppression and specialty Radio range.

Early Point order for new accounts: starting Tix upgrades and slots → Troopers (or Riflemen if Troopers are gated) → Supply line → AT Rifle line → Light Gunner path. Leave gem-locked vanity infantry alone until Expert campaigns demand them.

Vehicle branch priorities

Vehicles cover transport, armor, tank destroyers, and towed guns:

• Transports: Transport Truck, Halftrack, APC (including Wheeled APC), IFV / Wheeled IFV.
• Light armor: Tankette, Scout Tank, Light Tank, Recon Tank lines.
• Medium and heavy: Medium Tank → Heavy Tank → Battle Tank (and cold-war heavy variants).
• Tank destroyers: Tank Hunter (new V6.1 TD pre-evolution) into Tank Destroyer.
• Towed AT: Anti-Tank Gun → Heavy AT Gun (new V6.1 evolution) → Recoilless Rifle options.
• Supply: Supply Wagon → Supply Truck → Supply Halftrack → Supply Carrier.
• Multi-turret premium tanks remain Gem sinks for collectors and specific PvP niches.

If your best loadout still lacks a Supply Truck or APC, buy those before a Battle Tank. A 175 Tix tank without fuel or infantry screen loses more campaigns than it wins.

Aircraft and AA (V6.1 slot changes)

Aircraft unlocks cover spotters, fighters, bombers, helicopters, and related support. V6.1 moved AA trees toward air slots and added extra air slots, which changes how you build anti-air:

• Plan AA when campaigns introduce enemy air, not as random early Point dumps.
• SAM Battery evolves from the Anti-Air Cannon line and is the new high-end towed AA answer.
• SPAAG / AA Tank style units still matter for mobile cover.
• Helicopter and dive-bomber evolutions (including Tank Buster style bomber upgrades from V6) need airfield or carrier context — unlock them when those maps appear in your tab.

Check unit cards after each patch; air balance and slot rules are active tuning targets noted on the Updates hub.

V6 reorganisation — what changed for spenders

Version 6 overhauled infantry aesthetics, research layout, helicopters, and naval presentation, then V6.1 added Tank Hunter, Heavy AT Gun, and SAM Battery while reshuffling campaigns into clearer tabs. For research planning that means:

• Horizontal, scalable tree windows replace older rigid layouts — follow connecting lines carefully so you do not miss a pre-evolution.
• New evolutions may sit behind EXP walls even if you own the Points; deploy predecessors.
• Campaign tab splits change which maps you farm for Nuggets while unlocking a branch.
• Close-support radio blind-fire rules returned for eligible guns — artillery-focused trees are relevant again when Radio infantry are alive.

Suggested unlock roadmap

Hours 1–3: Boot Camp and Guest Rebellion funding. Buy starting Tix, a loadout slot, Troopers/Riflemen, Supply Truck, AT Rifle.

Early medium campaigns: Light Gunner, APC/Halftrack, Bazooka, Tankette or Light Tank. Begin Troopers EXP toward Grunts.

Guest War / Home Madness Tryhard: Spend Nuggets on key evolutions (Grunts, RPG, Battle Tank prerequisites). Add Combat Engineer if you value mines and repairs.

Historical / Hard tabs: Heavy AT Gun, Tank Hunter line, dedicated AA toward SAM Battery, air units as maps require.

Expert / PvP: Gem variants, multi-tank niches, extra presets, and EXP skips only for units in your main competitive preset.

Mistakes that stall accounts

• Buying every base unit instead of evolving the five you deploy.
• Ignoring starting Tix while owning late tanks you cannot afford to field with support.
• Spending Gems on skins before Rigged-ready AT and AA exist.
• Leaving Tank Hunter or Heavy AT Gun unresearched while complaining about armor maps.
• Forgetting that radio bans in PvP devalue pure artillery trees — keep direct-fire AT researched.

How to use the tree with the rest of the wiki

1. Farm the right difficulty on the campaigns ladder.
2. Convert currencies wisely via the currency guide and codes when gifts exist.
3. Rebuild presets on the best loadout template after each major unlock.
4. Practise new units under fog and Ambush rules from the controls guide.
5. Compare roles on the tier list instead of unlocking by splash art.

Research is a funnel into better turns, not a completionist checklist. Unlock what your next campaign tab demands, evolve what you actually deploy, and keep starting Tix climbing. More walkthroughs stay organised on the Guides hub, and co-op groups that already own late trees are easier to find through Players.