What you build depends on what effects you want to produce. There are several unique abilities that static defenses have that ships do not.

Firepower-based static defenses do not contribute to your fleet cap, delaying the point at which you must upgrade... allowing more total firepower for a given amount of upkeep cost. This is more than balanced out by the fact that a static defense is only useful while the system is invaded, which unless it is being constatly hammered then its useless most of the time. Using a fleet instead defends that system AND nearby systems.

Exception #1: you can use hangers to prevent scouting.
Exception #2: any worlds that have labs can benefit from the full defense setup, as losing them has serious consequenses.

Buildings that give special abilities that are hard or impossible to come by with ships are invaluable, however. PJI's delay an enemy fleet until your defense fleet can catch up, and hold them where you can pound them. Deep penetrations become risky propositions if the enemy can't be sure he will be able to escape. They can also be a nice suprise for a fleet that likes to bypass worlds if you (re?)install them AFTER the fleet passes by.

Repair buildings keep other buildings alive (like your PJI's). They also keep a defending fleet alive. If you are reasonably certain of forcing the enemy to action in a system, by all means install them. They and restore-AM also serve the purpose of refreshing your own fleets, provided your repair facility is near the front and will remain so.

Culture buildings are something you'd want to have anyway, as in addition to the tactical benefits you also get +econ and resources. You don't necessarily need them at every planet.

i like those ideas, espiacally the 1 about building turrets offensively. however, the build time may b a problem, and since u cant get many builders it may b difficult 2 get enough turrets in time. It could work tho, i think

I think Vasari has the best fluid defense in the late game, since they have warp gates with the ability to hugely cut travel time between planets in large maps and summon ships, and they have a tech that lets them view any ship making a jump anywhere. All I usually do as Vasari is place a warp gate and a few hangers on my frontline planets and connect it with my major shipyards, or just RA till my fleet cap is up, and then scuttle all of the ships after the battle. I've played a battle (against the ai) where i saw their fleet coming from 7 planets away, so by the time they got to my planet I'm already dug in.

One of the best defenses i have been able to do is with vasari.

I like to setup nano jammers/ repairbays in the center, with a deacent amount of missile platforms around them. I place the repairbays/nnanojammers right on the planet, and put the missile bays just inside of repair range of the repair bays, leaving as much room as possible.

If the planet is large enough you can also put a phase thingy in the center, or a few warp jammers around.

After this like to put an assortment of flaks and lrms (dont remember what the vasari versons are called atm) in between the planet and the ring of guns. And put them in hold position mode.

Station your heavier ships in another system with a phase generator, or in a nearby system.


After you get everyhting prepared you should be able to see when you enemy is coming, once you see his fleet coming pull out any heavy ships you have in the system, And move your lrms and flaks to the center.

Most players will take the bait and try to seige the planet, i so far i havent had anyone that will forego the seemely ill-defended planet. And