Factorio 2.0: Circuit Network Masterclass
Factorio 2.0 has overhauled how we automate our factories. The introduction of multiple-condition combinators and named Logistics Groups allows for complex logic with 90% fewer entities than was previously possible.
Major Change: You no longer need separate combinators for individual signals. Many machines now support multiple wire connections and complex logic within a single GUI.
1. The New Combinators
Decider Combinator 2.0 (The Logic Brain)
The old Decider was limited to one condition. The 2.0 version is a powerhouse:
- Multiple Conditions: You can now use AND/OR logic within a single combinator (e.g., IF Iron < 100 AND Coal > 50).
- Individual Wire Inputs: You can choose to listen specifically to the Red OR Green wire, or both.
- Visual Feedback: The status of conditions is visible directly in the GUI with green/red indicator dots.
The Selector Combinator (The Signal Sorter)
This new entity is the "Swiss Army Knife" of signal processing:
- Index Mode: Output only the Nth highest signal (essential for balanced loading).
- Count Mode: Outputs the number of unique signals it receives.
- Random Mode: Outputs one random signal from the inputs.
- Stack Size: Outputs the maximum stack size of the input item, allowing for dynamic inserter behavior.
What the four combinators cost, and what unlocks them
All four combinators are base-game 2.0 entities. You do not need Space Age for any of them, and three of the four arrive together on one research:
| Entity | Recipe | Hit points |
|---|---|---|
| Constant combinator | 5 copper cable, 2 electronic circuits, 0.5 s | 120 |
| Arithmetic combinator | 5 copper cable, 5 electronic circuits, 0.5 s | 150 |
| Decider combinator | 5 copper cable, 5 electronic circuits, 0.5 s | 150 |
| Selector combinator | 2 advanced circuits, 5 decider combinators, 0.5 s | 150 |
The circuit network research itself is 100 units of 15 seconds, red and green packs only, with logistic science pack as its single prerequisite. It unlocks the arithmetic, decider and constant combinators, the power switch, the programmable speaker, the display panel and the iron stick recipe in one go, which makes it one of the cheapest big unlocks in the tree. The selector combinator is the expensive one and it is expensive in an unusual way: its recipe eats five decider combinators per unit, so a wall of selectors is a wall of deciders you already had to build.
The display panel is the piece of that unlock people miss. It is 1 iron plate and 1 electronic circuit, it comes free with circuit network, and it is the cheapest way to put a readable label on a circuit condition instead of rediscovering your own logic six months later.
2. Logistics Groups: Automation at Scale
Gone are the days of manually setting requester chest values on every single box across your mall.
- Named Groups: Create a group called "Standard Outpost" and assign it to dozens of requester chests.
- Global Sync: Change the request for "Repair Packs" in the group, and every chest in that group updates instantly.
- Personal Logistics: Organize your inventory requests into groups (e.g., "Combat Mode") and toggle them instantly.
3. Smarter Belts & Stacking
Item stacking on belts multiplies belt throughput by up to 4x in the same physical space. The 4x is not a marketing number, it is three research steps of plus one each on top of a base stack of one, and here is where they come from:
| Research | Cost | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| Stack inserter | 1,000 units of 60 s | unlocks the stack inserter, and belt stack size bonus +1 |
| Transport belt capacity 1 | 2,000 units of 60 s | belt stack size bonus +1 |
| Transport belt capacity 2 | 3,000 units of 60 s | belt stack size bonus +1, inserter stack size bonus +1 |
That is 6,000 research units at a minute each, and every one of the three needs seven science pack types including agricultural science. Belt stacking is therefore a Space Age feature with a Gleba prerequisite, not something a base-game 2.0 save can research. The stack inserter's recipe makes the same point more bluntly: a bulk inserter, a processing unit, 2 carbon fiber and 10 jelly, and jelly comes out of the Gleba fruit chain.
The distinction worth holding on to, because the two are constantly confused: the bulk inserter is base-game 2.0 (15 iron gear wheels, 15 electronic circuits, 1 advanced circuit and a fast inserter) and it swings more items per swing. The stack inserter is the Space Age one that puts stacked items onto a belt. Likewise the turbo belt, which is tungsten plate, an express belt and lubricant, needs Vulcanus tungsten and is not in the base game either. If you are on a vanilla 2.0 server, your belt tiers stop at express.
- Wire Everything: You can read the contents of an entire belt segment by dragging a wire across multiple tiles simultaneously.
Automate like a pro. View plans.