Just a quick couple of things that I have noted regarding starbases in star grav-wells.. and some questions.
First, I have noted that they don't receive the antimatter bonus, does this make sense? It seems only appropriate should receive the same bonunses as all the ships which surround them (same applies to asteroid belts and nebulae).
Second, does anyone know if there is a cap on the number of starbases you can place in a star's gravity well? I have definitely placed 4 in before (maybe more, cannot recall), and have no reason as of yet to think there is any cap at all.. I don't necessarily mind it.... though it doesn't make a great deal of sense that you could have 20 starbases placed side-by-side, but when you go to place them in a planet's grav well there is 'not enough space' to place two at opposite ends of the grav-well. Don't get me wrong, I love placing a few advent SB's side-by-side at important stars in order to have culture spread, swarms of fighters, and a fully upgraded battlestation all at a key trade route.. but maybe a little justification for this capacity is in order, if not some limitations.
Finally, from a bigger view to making stars more strategically important: I think it may be nice for phaze lanes to be slightly narrowed (and their entrances being more visibly demarkated) at star-wells IN PARTICULAR, in order to accentuate the strategic benefit of placing starbases in their well... if they had more power to police movement routes within stars I think they would far more often be the site of wicked show-downs. At present, AI never go for your SB's in these wells, and perhaps nor should they bother, as they can get around them entirely too easily just by travelling a wee little bit.
Look forward to thoughts and comments..