(Though having a Lab constructed increases the odds that you'll get a Breakthrough a little bit -if I'm reading the files correctly, it's something like giving you Breakthroughs 25% more often) This is unaffected by your number of Scientists, and also unaffected by whether you have a Lab constructed or not. Conversely, completing an Instant Autopsy doesn't give you a new chance at a Breakthrough)īreakthroughs themselves are always free aside the lab time (That is, they don't require resources like Elerium), and the time they take to research is completely fixed aside that Legendary difficulty doubles it: on all other difficulties, a Breakthrough will (almost) always take exactly 5 days.
(Caveat: performing Instant Autopsies does not take away the ability to select the Breakthrough. (Yes, this includes that you can be offered a Breakthrough immediately after completing a Breakthrough, though it's uncommon) If you do not immediately start on the Breakthrough, it will promptly vanish. In short, each time you complete a Research project ( Not a Shadow Chamber project), there is a chance that a Breakthrough will be offered. Breakthroughs are yet another ambitious mechanic added in by War of the Chosen, this time connecting to Research.
