Starbase Strategies

from GalCiv2 Forums
Hi there,

After a few weeks of lurking (and just a few weeks of playing the game) I decided to make my first post.

I've been fiddling about with some different strategies posted here, and am now looking for something else then the regular, after finishing my current game.

I'm planning on playing a costum race with abilities and starting techs in the influence/diplomacy, trade and cultural influence area.

My idea would be to colonise a few planets to start with and then advance techs as soon as possible to get the head start economical by means of trade and econ starbases. After that I plan on building fleets of constructors to get influence starbases up and running as soon as possible and basically conquer planets by influence (in my current game its rather succesfull with only 1 influence base with all the diplomacy and xeno cultural modules). The idea is to park 10+ constructors (with some decent engines) in one spot and have an instant 300+ IP's in one go.

Now I am wondering how starbases tend to withstand assaults. Do the defensive modules really do much good for a starbase?
Do military starbases also give their bonusses to other starbases or just to ships and fleets?

I think it would be fun to be the benevolent race in the corner that slightly gains influence and achieve influnce victory by diplomacy and not war.

Any thoughts on this? Has any one tried this before?
strategies
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Reply #1 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Star bases can sometimes hold their own early in the game, but late game it's pointless to arm them.

A note about using constructors. Set a waypoint where you want to build a star base (small arrow button on the far left), and then set your constructor producing planets to relocate constructors to that waypoint (little circle-like button next to planet icon on the bottom middle part of the interface). This method is a lot more effective than creating fleets and sending them out. I like to give my constructors powerful engines so they can get to most construction sites in a single turn.

When making economy star bases, try to get four of them in sectors with lots of planets. You can also sometimes get econ star bases to affect planets in a different sector if those planets are within its area of effect. In this way you can sometimes get planets boosted by something like 8-12 economy star bases, which is *really* sweet.

Also, if you can gain an economic advantage, you can probably just rely on military might to conquer your enemies. Influence star bases can work too, but they are pretty slow and boring after awhile. Military victories are more fun

Good luck, hope that helped.
Reply #2 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Arming starbass prevents the casual potshots from lone fighters,,although they cannot stand up against a determined effort to destroy the base.

Your biggest problem with the suggested strategy will be a percived weakness that eventually will lead to you being forced to take military measures or be wiped out as the other civs see you as a free meal unless you have the means to defend your teritory.
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Reply #3 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
If you want to advance in technology ASAP, then you need to focus on research.
Technologists get a 20% research bonus. (And there a techs that increase research ability to a great degree, like the Omega Research Center)

And influence starbases are a sure way of getting in a war very quickly.

You are better off snagging all the influence resources (and econ resources for increased cashflow) that you can and building them up, and going for influence techs and planetary improvements like the Restaurant of Eternity.

Then build a lot of cultural centers on your planets to extend and intensify their influence area.

If you go with a Neutral alignment and concentrate on getting the NLC early in the game you will pull ahead in research ability quickly. Then it is a simple matter to get stock exchanges to increase your economy.

Do it early, when the AI is concentrating on colonization, so you can outpace them in weapons techs when it really matters.


Nothing beats a good research advantage, because research is the key to everything.
Reply #4 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
A note about using constructors. Set a waypoint where you want to build a star base (small arrow button on the far left), and then set your constructor producing planets to relocate constructors to that waypoint (little circle-like button next to planet icon on the bottom middle part of the interface). This method is a lot more effective than creating fleets and sending them out. I like to give my constructors powerful engines so they can get to most construction sites in a single turn.


The reason I'm thinking fleets, is to pop a sizeable (and slightly armored) starbase in one turn, to prevent the "enemy" to snipe my constructors or my base before it can do anything But the idea for rally points is a good idea when operating in my own space indeed.

Your biggest problem with the suggested strategy will be a percived weakness that eventually will lead to you being forced to take military measures or be wiped out as the other civs see you as a free meal unless you have the means to defend your teritory.


I was planning on using some defensive ships for my planets and starbases anyway, just not offensive military force and invasion techniques. I want to try to win a game without open warfare from my part (if possible). But dearly noted


Reply #5 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
That's an ok stratergie, BUT I would use that to get new collonies off the other races strait after the collony rush is over, before anybody has any millitary strength. I'm going to try that on my latest game actualy, havn't finishd the rush yet!
Reply #6 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Nothing beats a good research advantage, because research is the key to everything.



That's the way I always play Getting the head start early, trade some minor techs with the other races to get some basics in field thusfar neglected, and later on trade tech I don't mind trading for IP's to get vote lock in the UP.

So yes, I plan on getting military tech, just not the battle ships to go on the warpath But getting a good economy up and running means that I can buy decent battleship when the Sh*t hit's the fan.

But you suggest using the colony phase primarily for research instead of rushing?

I did notice that building big influnece bases in your own space (be it at the edge with an AI planet within range, doesn't provoke war at all, just putting them within their space does. So extending your influence to overwhelm the opponent does work in my current game..
Reply #7 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
That's an ok stratergie, BUT I would use that to get new collonies off the other races strait after the collony rush is over, before anybody has any millitary strength. I'm going to try that on my latest game actualy, havn't finishd the rush yet!


In my current game I'm actually doing it in the end game. A lot of war was waged and due to my diplomatic supremity I got quite some cash for peace treaties, so their economy and miltary is pretty low, but I get your point indeed

Reply #8 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Nothing beats a good research advantage, because research is the key to everything.


The great thing about Galciv 2 is that military, diplomacy, or economy could also be the "key to everything", depends on your playing style. For my style, diplomacy is the key, followed by economy, followed by military. Research isn't that important because I can get ahead technologically by trading for techs. I like to manipulate races into destroying each other after which I swoop down for the kill. Just goes to show you how varied strategies in GC2 can be.
Reply #9 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Oh nice mate! Great work implimenting that one! The AI get's too pissd off about our influencers i rekon, and yet when they do it we have no option to give them a warning back!
Reply #10 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Too boost your military rating you could also built one or two military starbases and equip them with every available weapon. Much cheaper than building a whole fleet of ships. That will scare off most other races who would otherwise see you as a happy-meal
Reply #11 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
it takes 12 constructors to build a fully developed influence base. i don't see much use in putting them in fleets; it's an extra step but doesn't offer any real advantage. if anything, it's better to keep them separate. if someone does go to war with you (or already is), their ships will have to take out each constructor separately, whereas in a fleet you can take out several in 1 move.

i usually use influence bases to pick up some of the "boarder" planets i failed to grab during the initial rush. overtaking an entire civ with influence bases is going to be very time consuming and costly. i suggest destroying the bases after you've converted all the planets in their areas of effect (unless they're in otherwise empty space). doing this will keep low the cost of creating new ones.

i've found swarming planets you want with as many starbases as you can is the best way to flip them quickly. also, it doesn't always give the AI a long enough chance to become annoyed with you and go to war (your mileage may vary). in the game i'm in right now, i'm trying to widdle down the torians so they don't pose so much of a threat. i recently took possession of 4 militry resources: while the strongest ships out there, my fleet isn't large enough to take on their industrial might directly.
Reply #13 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
I remember the pride I felt in arming and shielding an economic resource starbase to the max level for "Starbase Fortifications III", including some +16 or +17 shields & armor for researching various advanced starship individual defenses. With the bonuses from the military resource I had, all three defense numbers were over 50 (one was in the high 60's), with correspondingly high numbers in armanents. "This sucker is tougher than the Bismark", I thought, right until the first 12 ship fleet cruised over and took it out, losing only 1 warship in the process.

After that I quit putting more than the minimum defense and the +7 beam weapon on any starbase.

This really should be fixed, there should be a way to add HP's to the starbases via constructor, up until a certain number is reached. Lets say add 10 points per dedicated constructor, with a high limit of 200 HP's. I still think the fleet would/should win, but it should lose at least half or more of it's ships to take out such a valuable and highly invested in target. If not, get rid of all those starbase fortification techs and add something more useful into the "vanilla" Metaverse game tech tree.
Reply #14 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
And influence starbases are a sure way of getting in a war very quickly.


I'm pretty sure there are significant competing factors here. I've gone for more than a few influence wins (mainly on account of finding *military* wins boring!).

In the early (and sometimes mid) game, I usually take a minimalist approach to warship production (just enough to avoid looking like a free lunch). When I've decided to be aggressive with influence bases, I've rarely seen my ambitions attract hostile responses until the silly warmongers have let *far* too many productive worlds join my empire.

I do supplement this basic approach with strong attention to soldiering techs, getting the Tir-Quan thingy, and building Planetary Defense facilities anywhere there's room.
Reply #15 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Re the talk about fleets of constructors, the details there really depend on the size of map you like to play and how the speed business shakes out during the DA development process.

In my DL 1.4X games, constructor fleets were perhaps *the* solution to late game micromanagement fatigue. But that's perhaps because I favor Huge maps and assume that a "mature" constructor is moving at least 30 parsecs per turn.
Reply #16 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
High influence levels and influence starbases really annoy the AI. Fleets of powerful ships however make the AI love you. So if you want a non military victory, you will need to use a military victory strategy!!!
Reply #17 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Too boost your military rating you could also built one or two military starbases and equip them with every available weapon. Much cheaper than building a whole fleet of ships. That will scare off most other races who would otherwise see you as a happy-meal



SB atk and def do nopt help much in the military catagory. Parking and average fleet on one and adding all of the ship assist modules will help tremendously.
Reply #18 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Oh... being Evil helps loads too since the SB costs are waivered


the cost for components is waived, but not for the initial construction (which i've managed to get into the thousands before). or am i wrong? i don't play evil that often.
Reply #19 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
i don't play evil that often.



I played evil once.... back in Galciv1, mid game i lost all my best planets. Never bothered playing evil again since that moment.
Reply #20 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
1.4x seems really biased towards Evil, though Neutral is good. Good is just... not good heh. Evil getting the cool weapons early combined with rediculous Star Bases, I've quickly maxed out every Star Base I had, and the people who say SB cannot stand up on their own must play on the larger maps with huge fleets, becuase on the smaller maps the Star Bases wipe the floor with the AI when attacked because the fleets can't compete with the Tech Evil allows you to cram into every base.

I like Star Bases and evil makes it easy to just pool your collectors and make a monster base for FREE in no time. There is no costs at ALL left when you're Evil and upgrade Star Bases, nada. So if you like Star Bases evil seems to be the way to go.
Reply #21 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Tech Evil allows you to cram into every base.


Evil is supposed to have special weapons in the SBs as well?


Good is just... not good heh


Well,,unlike the Evil's weapons,,the Good's Defences never becomes obsolete as well as getting a permanent bonus.
Reply #22 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Well,,unlike the Evil's weapons,,the Good's Defences never becomes obsolete as well as getting a permanent bonus.



huh? i'm confused, did you mean that the good's 'starbase' defences never become obselete?? What super modified version are you playing anyway????
Reply #23 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Neutral is the way to go. You make less enemies when you're nuetral. You also get the NLC, the best research center in the game. The costs of buying things outright is lower, and Evil's free starbase bonus isn't that good because you don't need to pay any extra money to fully upgrade an economic starbase, and econ starbases are 10 times more usefull than influence or military starbases.
Reply #24 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
huh? i'm confused, did you mean that the good's 'starbase' defences never become obselete?? What super modified version are you playing anyway????



He's talking about ship defenses.
Reply #25 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
He's talking about ship defenses.



And here i was thinking this thread was about starbase strategies.... silly me!

Even ship defences fail to keep up with weaponry, but different to starbases, a player can change the defensive capability of ships to suit whats going on at the time.