Constructing and improving starbases on Resources, and Advanced Asteroid Mining both require some tech research and shipbuilding time. Both contribute to the strength of your civilztion in different ways. Can someone discuss the relative merits of these two to guide us newbies in choosing which one to give priority to? Also, it seems that once acquired, war opponents can't take away an asteroid mining operation by force, only by influence, but they can blow out a Resource Starbase...is this true? If so, that should be a point in favor of Advanced Space Mining. Am I on the right track?

As always, thanks for your replies.