How important are starbases?

I think they are very important. I only built one starbase per colonized system, and that on orbit of the system because I believe that only the the system gets the bonuses. (I could be wrong).
Also because it works as good defense against invading armies.

Starbases provide many good things, increased culture and money. I do sense that there might be some imbalance if you built many of them, thats why I built only so few.

Also for expansion (especialy when you play with rare good planets as I do) they can be a necesity for early expansion.


~SDC~

Starbases are extremelly important to many game strategies.

A starbase effects the whole sector, not just a given system, so you don't have to build it next to a system.

~SDC~

Well, consider this Q&A example:

Q: How many starbases is too many?
A: Nobody can count that high!!

You should ALWAYS be building constructors at any planet not making warships, freighters, or colony ships. There is always a starbase to be upgraded, or a new location that needs one. Considering you can augment production, ship fighting ability, ship speed, and cultural influence, they are a key part of the game.

The only possible exception is if you are going for a tech victory, and are delaying the conclusion of a game (I haven't done this yet, all my games have been over by 2195 so far).

Try a gigantic military victory. I've got one wrapped up, but it's 2227 and it's gonna take a *while* to finish everything up.

So that still fits my recommendation, you can't have too many starbases, especially with culture palaces on board!!

It really depends on your style of play. I've won games without a single starbase. I've also built several in other games. It all depends on the situation at hand.

Thank you LanVik.

~SDC~

Doesn't the maintainence cost of starbases occasionally crush your economy like a anvil dropped onto an eggshell?

~SDC~

that was going to be my next question: is there a point of diminishing returns on a starbase? Can the upkeep outweigh the economic bonuses received?

There are points of diminishing returns on certain effects starbases influence, but not on the starbases specifically.

Production at a colony encounters a point of diminishing returns when the bonus production reaches 10×PQ, and a second when normal production reaches 30×PQ.

Tax income at a colony reaches a point of diminishing returns at 5×PQ, IIRC.

Total income may or may not also hit a point of diminishing returns at a total per turn income of 30000 bc. This is mentioned in the Economy Undocs. The ability Crime was intended to partially offset this, but it doesn't seem to be implimented yet. Whether that means the Income dropoff itself has not been implimented yet or not in unknown, at least to me.

At one time, there was consideration on making starbase upkeep exponential instead of linear, as it is now, but apparently that didn't go through.

~SDC~

I'm in a pretty big game right now. The planets that don't have two maxed starbases in their quadrants are junk compared to the ones that do.

The more I play, the more value I find myself placing on starbases.

Resource mining bases need no further comment, but I habitually place starbases in the orbit of *ALL* of my colonies. Even the humblest colony away from your trading routes can benefit from Factories (Production bonuses) on a starbase, and you can never have enough culture improvements IMO

Once you get a few starbases with trade upgrades on your trade routes the income really starts to add up too.

Can't get enough of them.

Very important!!
Here's a topic how you can use them very very effectively..
http://www.cdgroup.org/forums/tbs/gc/viewtopic.php?t=94

A late-tech starbase can give a 120% production boost to the planets in the quadrant. That's worth a *LOT*.