Starbases and Satellites useless

[God Emperor]

I have developed pretty much the same views as Jason regading satellites.

I tend to sit off at long range and destroy them with capital missiles. Later, once PD weapons become available, they become useful when used in large numbers. How many do you satellite builders usually build at a time?

I like the idea of the shipyard station station and the cloaked satellites. Does any one ever retrofit old transports as carriers? They are 1 mp slower of course but still quite useful..

[Shadow99]

hmm... I guess I'm one of the few to build lots of bases... My homeworlds normally have 1 or 2 spaceyards & 1 or 2 defense bases (varies dpending on max size researched)... beyond that portals direct into the heart of enemy territory get stations (as they make much better guards than sats). Their is just no equal to true defensive power to the Starbase, I mean sure a few hundred sats or a couple baseships could do the job... but not with as much style...

[Puke]

yeah, i would like to add a comment about the statement that bases are ineffective due to the fluid nature of the front line.

sure a base will always sit in the same sector. the wormhole wont. sure stacked wormholes to your interior worlds have defensive issues if they are penetrated. heres what I like to do:

2 gateway systems (per front). one leads to your core systems, and is moderatly defended (internal gateway). the other leads to frontier systems via stacked wormhole and some heavy static defenses (external gateway). as the frontier moves, move the wormholes with it. put a conquered system behind the internal gateway once its conqured, and cut off its direct access to other systems. add a new wormhole to the defended stack at the external gateway to attach to wherever the new 'front' is.

and uh, try not to fight a war on more than 8 fronts or so from the same system, unless you are the "heir to the throne of the kindom of idiots," as Londo would say

[AJC]

I agree the cloaked spy satellites work well - you can keep tabs on all the systems you dont inhabit.

In combat -I find satellites are only worthwhile if they are sporting seekers and/or PDC for defense of a planet from your opponents seekers and fighters.

I rarely build a base other than as repair facilities on the front lines, usually just space stations. They can also act as my resupply base when I dont have a planet nearby- just join up with them as a fleet.
I also use them when I build ring worlds and dyson spheres.
Occasionally I will build the symbolic "I built one" battle ready star base.

[Instar]

Something that makes bases better in tactical combat is that they have a range modifier on the mounts (massive mounts can reach pretty far now)

[Danny]

They'd work just fine if A) They'd orbit the planet/warp point two squares out, and stations where placed around a planet, not in a group on the wrong side.

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I AM Canadian.

[Psitticine]

I tend to use bases either as space yard facilities or warp point defenses. You can crank out a space station pretty quickly and the resupply capacity can be nice when moving into a nice plumb enemy system.

Something I don't completely understand about base placement in combat is why they start so far away from planets they are supposed to orbit. I suppose it makes it look a bit nicer to have some space but, considering the scale of the planets, wouldn't they be right snug up against the planet graphics if actually in orbit? And wouldn't that help, when combined with their new range enhancements, to make them more useful for defending those planets?

I just had a wicked idea. I wonder if you could use tractor beam ships to "tow" enemy ships into range of a base's weaponry? Nasty!