I just got Entrenchment, and have a few questions. I only play single player. I know these are basic questions, but help wiould be appreciated.
1. Where in a gravity well is it best to locate a Starbase? Should it be closer to the planet, to try to protect structures/and the planet? Or is it better to have it out at the edge by a phase lane? How close does it have to be to a phase lane to disrupt it?
2. I built a Starbase in a Magnetic Cloud because I thought it was a good chokepoint, but the infocard said "Abilities Disabled". I did upgrade it for a trade port, and that did seem to work to create a longer chain of trade ports (either that or magnetic clouds don't break trade changes no matter what), but ithe Starbase never had any antimatter and the Abilities disabled warning never went away. Was it because I built it in a magnetic cloud?
3. Is the only way to clear mines as TEC with scouts?
Thanks.
1. Can't comment cause I play Vasari but i'd imagine you'd want them close to the planet so they cover it / they're easier to protect.
2. Yes it was because of the magnetic cloud that your starbase had no abilties.
3. You only need scouts to de-cloak / find the mines, i've seen overseeers clear mines.
I think the answer might have to be: "it depends" -- on how you develop the starbase, and on the strategic situation.
A starbase that is heavy on strikecraft and light on direct weaponry / abilities should be far from the attackers, for instance. An Advent starbase with max'd confusion / meteor-smackdown abilities, both of which appear to affect all targets within a given radius, and with the armor upgrades to survive, might want to be in the thick of the fight.
Setting up very close to a phase line, surrounded by mines, repair stations, and beam platforms would mean you'd be immediately engaging arrivals. They'd have little time to quietly clear the mines or to attempt to go around you for easier prety, or to pick off your structures from long range. On the other hand, if the attackers is heavy on short-range firepower and abilities instead of carriers and long-range anti-structure ships...
In addition, if there are multiple ways in (and against a Vasari player with a Kostura in the same system, there *is* another way in), well... unless it's a star, you can only place on starbase. And even starbase weaponry has limited range.
Addition:
Oh, and regarding the phase line disruption: It doesn't matter. Anywhere in the gravity well is fine, as far as I can tell.
I like to place mine fairly close to the planet, at a location fairly close to where the enemy would go from their phase lane exit to the planet. If I'm defending the planet from more than one phase lane I will put it in between the two. For the most part, the AI will move to attack the starbase wherever it is (siege frigates aside of course).
The benefit of putting it close to the planet is that you can use it to protect your structures. I try to put as much stuff behind by SB as possible, and 'fence off' the starbase with static turrets. This way the enemy will *usually* work their way through most of the turrets before they attack the SB itself, improving its survivability.
Putting the thing close to phase lanes, like the AI does, is good if you know for sure where the enemy will emerge from the phase lane, but this isn't usually the case. Even with a single phase lane there are usually two locations from which the enemy may emerge.
As for the other questions - abilities were disabled by the magnetic cloud. I can tell you for sure though that putting a SB+trade in an uncolonisable grav well (space junk / gas giant / mag cloud etc) DOES add the world to your trade route, if appropriate.
Scouts are the only things which can *reveal* mines, but anything can clear them. Flak frigates are good for the job, but strike craft are the best. If you already have plenty of SC in a grav well, jump in a few scouts and the mines will be cleared pronto. Split the scouts up in this case though, or they will just bunch up and you won;t reveal as big an area.
Good advice on the starbases leejaywu.
Personally I play the TEC and have two strategies for placing starbases. My overall game stategy is to fortify and upgrade every planet completely, as well as building the max number of structures possible. I also put pretty much all my structures in a small area so the tactical structures can defend the logistic structures.
On planets that have a low tactical count (25) I build three or for hangar platforms and fill the rest with gauss platforms (when all the upgrades for these two structures are researched, they are very powerful for the size), and put the starbase close enough to support the gauss platforms and hangars.
When there is a high tactical count (35) I keep the same tactical stuctures (but more of them, obviously) and put the starbase on the other side of the system. to split up the targets and have fighter attacks coming from different angles.
As for starbase upgrades I always totally upgrade the weapons systems and hull points (I fell if I spend the time and money on a starbase, it should be able to last through a hard fight), and give at least two upgrades to strick craft (giving me eight squardrons in addition to whatever I have from my hangars). The last upgrade point, I give to the orbital government if it's by a planet, the trade port upgrade or the last strike craft upgrade if the starbase is defending say, an steroid field with just a couple of metal extractors.
As a final note, I LOVE starbases. Yup, LOVE them. On the easier difficulty levels the computer won't even attack a system with a fully upgraded starbase and a full compliment of defense structures. That leaves you free to go forth and CONQUER!
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