If I remember correctly, there was a 4X game about 8-10 years ago, in which you created a specifically designed ship (very expensive) that housed a construction team that could build a Star Base. (It might have been Birth of the Federation, but I really don't remember) Once at its destination, you could instruct it to build the station. It could be updated with expansion slots -like fighter bays and long range sensors- as well as ship repair while in system...for a hefty price of course. Having a Star Base in your home system Star's orbit will really add a huge strategic element to the game. Wow, I was really hoping for this in Sins.....can't think of any major science fiction civ that didn't have deep space bases. I can't wait! Thanks IC, great news!

Gamespy has an article on Entrenchment.

I have to chip in in support of stardock and Ironclad here. I'll admit, I pirated the game at first, as I do with most games as I can't really afford many games a year. But I was really impressed with tha game and got into locating patches and new info. When I saw how much effort was being put into this awesome game I just had to buy it. It may have cost me a week of food, but damn its worth the money. And I will gladley be paying for the expansions

They can be towed, so I suspect they will not impact tactical slots at all - besides, giving up the myriad regular defensive assets for some different defensive assets wouldn`t make a great deal of sense.

I would imagine they`ll use fleet capacity but not capital ship capacity. Probably less than that used by a cap ship, since you will be utilizing starbases to help protect vast empires (I can`t see "charging" large costs to fleet capacity when the purpose of a starbase is to help defend remote regions of said empires... starbases have to be made relatively appealing versus further fleet constructions, which have the added advantage of being swift & mobile).

If based only on fleet capacity though, can I place multiple starbases in a single planetary system?

What happens when I am towing a second starbase through a system already equipped with a starbase... do both starbases actively defend? Can a starbase be towed through such a 'starbased' system?

Can I tow a starbase into an enemy system?

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Interesting questions, I hope.

I don't want to give much away at this point so I can't answer all these questions, but I can say that there was a misinterpretation on how Star Bases move. A deployment cell is built from the capitalship factory which can move through both subspace and phase space. Once you have the deployment cell at the desired location, you can deploy the Star Base which is then immobile. While being moved / deployed the Star Base is very vulnerable which is why you would want an escort fleet (not for towing).

We'll release the answers to your other questions at a later time.

Ahh, yes, cool. That idea is definitely superior to 'towing'; thanks as per usual.

I beleieve the expansion is digital download only. but I am not 100% sure.

yee! quite nice infos that gamespy article had, hoping to learn more as it comes along. seems to become promising.