Sure! (firstly, I created a thread which details all the thing I LIKE about Sins. I'll do one about my ideas for improvement soon!)

Connection lines are mainly to put an element of strategy into base expansion. Your primary base (HQ or Homeworld?) is the sole supplier of energy (power) which is required to power all of your bases and base defences.

Because the resources are spread over the map, you need to transfer the energy to across the map to your newly constructed Resource Collection structures (refineries, if you prefer) to power them.

Energy is transfered by a series of Transmitters, which have limited range and must have an unbroken link from the HQ to be powered. (much like any electric wiring we have, it must be connected to the power station one way or another.)

How does this add strategy to the game? Simply this... The more you expand, the more vulnerable you become to attacks on your power network. If an enemy was to destroy a key transmitter that was a key link in your network, that would leave several of your expansions unpowered. (atleast until a new transmitter was erected.)

With your expansions unpowered, production stops, resource collection stops and your base defences are offline. (much like destroying Pylons in StarCraft.) With your base expansion crippled, it is easy prey for a prepared enemy.

p.s. I hope you outsell Kane's Wrath.

seems like you are trying too hard now to "make peace"...

while I also like the idea of this transmitted power over large areas of land you control, it seems very "Perimiter-ish" without the 3d or terraforming...

http://www.gamespot.com/pc/strategy/perimeter/

WWW Link

I own, and loved Perimeter.

You could also draw comparison to the Universe at War Novus Network, their buildings power-down if you destroy the linking "towers" too, but their units can "flow" through the network to effectively "teleport" (although slower) around the map.

I played Perimeter, but never really got it. I didn't like how the "power relays" gave such a small area of land.

At the end of the day, you can draw comparisons of game features to many other games but the execution is what counts, not the basic details. One feature in Game A, could mean a completely different effect in Game B, or Game C. Like the difference of "Full-Scale Tactical Zoom" in SupCom and Sins. In Sins, it is necessary for managing multiple worlds, but you don't use it in battles. In SupCom, it is necessary for getting around the maps, but you even use it in battles, which does mean you can't look at the units, so it might as well be a 2D icon-based game.

Apparently the game is out? Talk about coming out with a whimper... I see its on TGN also, has anyone took the plunge, it looks ok, sorta fun in a retro way. I wonder if there will be a demo?

I actually snatched this up yesterday. Ive enjoyed the gameplay alot so far. The controls take a bit of getting used to though. The placement and target preference mechanics is the hardest thing to change gears on so far. Im so used to just right clicking and having the units auto move and engage. In sunage it doesnt work like that. Right clicking an enemy assigns a priority target to the unit BUT the unit will continue doing whatever it was doing. If it was moving to an objective it will continue to do so taking targets of opportunity along the way. Conversely if your unit was sitting back smoking a dubey, it will just sit there and get shot at.
Some people have griped about the graphics being dated. Personally I enjoy them, especially the comic like cut scenes and clean looking map.
The game isnt without its faults however. I average a complete crash once every 30- 40 min in the campaign. And when I say complete crash I mean it. I am forced to pull the power to restart the system. No amount of alt tabs, alt f4's, ctrl alt del or window keys will help me to recover a suns game that goes kurplunk. While I see that they have released a patch addressing some issues it has yet to be released for tgn (of course it just came out today). Multiplayer also isnt functioning properly in its pre patch build.
The vertex crew themselves seem like a great bunch of dedicated programmers (judging by their forums). They respond to many posts in a constructive and sincere manner much like our beloved IC/SD people do. Beware the fanboi aggro though. Ive seen people get reamed for asking questions and displaying dissatisfaction over alot of the game breaking bugs.
In conclusion, great game, huge potential for a cult following and supportive devs. Now lets fix those crashes!!