Making the military starbases really useful

from GalCiv3 Forums

As it is now, the AI and any human player won't really bother building a military starbase on larger maps.  The offensive&defensive bonus only apply to the area of effect generated by that base, so outside of small map or if you're really equal in strength to the AI (so that might apply to the highest difficulty level), they serve basically no purpose.

 

So, what if, only military starbase would extend the range of your military vessels?  As it is right now, just about any starbase extend your range.  That prompts the AI to over-extend itself in the hopes of reaching you (btw, something has to be done about that tendancy to declare war to players they can't reach, it just weakens the AI, shifiting their priorities to out of range aliens while they're pounded by their neighbours), or the next resource.  Maybe we could make it so that civilian vessels like cargos aren't affected that way and can still use any starbase to extend their range?


Also, maybe add a module to military starbases to repair ships faster when they're nearby?

 

What do you think?

37,836 views 14 replies
Reply #1 from GalCiv3 Forums Top

Good ideas.

Reply #2 from GalCiv3 Forums Top

i love my highway bases

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Reply #3 from GalCiv3 Forums Top

I have no problems giving military starbases some bonuses, but taking away the bonuses of other starbases is not going to get you much traction. I don't think people would generally agree that removing this aspect of other starbases is a good idea.

So the question is, what additional bonus should be added to military bases to make them more competitive?

 

Reply #4 from GalCiv3 Forums Top

One strategy in GC2 I came up with was something I called the Mayfly Defense Grid. I built tiny ships with 1 attack and 1 defense, and as many engines and I could pile on. My lesser colonies could pump these things out. I had the big colonies generating my general purpose ships, medium ones making constructors. With the constructors, I formed a line of military bases on my borders, and pumped up their attack and defense assist as high as I could. Because the attack and defense assist in GC2 just added to the attack and defense of your ships as long as they have at least 1, all 8-9 of the mayflies in my defense fleets would get boosted up to 7-8x their normal strength, and one fleet could cover 3 of the bases due to their speed.

That doesn't work in GC3 though, since the assists are percentage based...

Reply #5 from GalCiv3 Forums Top

Quoting Kazriko, reply 4

That doesn't work in GC3 though, since the assists are percentage based...
End of Kazriko's quote

 

And a pretty low % at that.   i liked the GC2 that slowed enemies and speed you up  :thumbsup: . 

How about a stasis field that boost your ship HP in their area of effect.\?

Reply #6 from GalCiv3 Forums Top

If I remember correctly in the original GC military starbases gave you extra logistics.

Reply #7 from GalCiv3 Forums Top

How about making them move. Make a component that can only be added to military bases each one gives the base a 1 hex movement. Max it out at three and don't let any other bonuses increase the movement. When you move the frontier you can repossistion the boarder forts. 

 

When you are feeling hostile you can start walking the forts into enemy territory as a wall.

Reply #8 from GalCiv3 Forums Top

I personally think every starbase types should get hp for each module so that starbases aren't so easy to kill late game. Maybe military starbases should get more hp than the rest if hp per module was ever implemented. If it's not, then maybe they should be the only type to get hp per module.

Reply #9 from GalCiv3 Forums Top

The thing that would most work for me is repair modules.

Reply #10 from GalCiv3 Forums Top

Quoting Kazriko, reply 4

One strategy in GC2 I came up with was something I called the Mayfly Defense Grid. I built tiny ships with 1 attack and 1 defense, and as many engines and I could pile on. My lesser colonies could pump these things out. I had the big colonies generating my general purpose ships, medium ones making constructors. With the constructors, I formed a line of military bases on my borders, and pumped up their attack and defense assist as high as I could. Because the attack and defense assist in GC2 just added to the attack and defense of your ships as long as they have at least 1, all 8-9 of the mayflies in my defense fleets would get boosted up to 7-8x their normal strength, and one fleet could cover 3 of the bases due to their speed.

That doesn't work in GC3 though, since the assists are percentage based...
End of Kazriko's quote

 

hehe, I actually called them mayflies as well!

The bonuses were very similar in the beta for a while, it was changed to percentage based towards the end. It technically makes them more useful late game.

Reply #11 from GalCiv3 Forums Top

I think the starbases should be able to attack everything in their influence zone.  When  I first saw them, I thought they would. Logically,  having a starbase on the orbit around the world should provide defence to it. 

Reply #12 from GalCiv3 Forums Top

Eh I feel they should be a defensive structure, so not a fan of the movement or buffing aspects.... I would prefer something along the lines of what Sins of a solar empire did.  Any planet inside the zone of control for the starbase can not be flipped until the starbase has been destroyed I believe sins called an orbital government or something.  Would gives players a good way to defend multiple planets.  Feel this would be a fair trade as if you are going with a military ring you can't go with economic rings to help your planets production, making this a fair trade off, while also eliminating a current conundrum of the enemy has one fleet with a transport... I have 3 planets.... but if I split my fleet to keep the transport from free capping, his fleet wins the fight, that is currently annoying.

Reply #13 from GalCiv3 Forums Top

How about giving military starbases modules that can boost the defense and resistance of a planet?

Reply #14 from GalCiv3 Forums Top

I like the idea of repair modals for military bases. It would make sense to build them since they would become the place fleets would return to for faster repairs. As it is there is no reason to ever bring a ship back since the only fast way to repair a ship is with upgrades and that can happen anywhere.