why build starships

[Rusty_Nail]

I should add that I am thinking of PBW here and should have said that. In single player it does make sense to build them because the AI never uses the "don't fire on starbases" option. It almost always uses the standard "optimal weapons range" which results in suicide missions against powerful starbases. But a human does not have to do this. In a way, using them in single player is taking advantage of the AI programming. The same thing applies to tactical combat. It is too easy to beat a superior AI force by "dancing" in and out with long range direct weapons and playing "just out of range". These problems could be dealt with by introducing some additional moving and firing options and letting the AI use them. I hope to post a note on some ideas on this another time.