the price of starbases when entrenchment golden

from Sins Forums

i think i remember hearing that the price of starbases would be changed as the beta finalized. can anyone tell me if this is still being tweaked or is the latest build at (or somewhere near) the final cost? personally i would like to see the price greatly increases double or triple its current level. these structures are supposed to be huge and powerful, the cost should reflect that. also this would make them more interesting as they wouldnt be spammed all over the galaxy. 

thanks all

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Reply #1 from Sins Forums Top

a huge price increase at this point, without a similar increase in strength or slot numbers or some other factor, would make them prohibitively pricey and practically unemployable.

Reply #2 from Sins Forums Top

I played a MP game last night; I was able to win by setting up Starbases at planets/wells that I saw my oppoent moving towards (as he was moving towards it, after he had bypassed an already contructed Starbase/well).  The damage and antimatter reduction was just not enough of a deterent, he had lots of robotic crusers with him, and the antimatter came back fast enough.

I ended up putting Starbases at half my planets; I just put 1 Frigate factory at each planet, and whichever one I saw him heading for, I purchases a Starbase constructor, and the SB was being built as he entered the well.  Seemed really spammy and cheep, and made the starbases seem less "special", but it worked. 

BUT,  I do wish my original starbase, the one I first put at my choke point, had been worth all the time/money, cause he just cruised on by it, and the penalty (-30%/-100%) did'nt seem to effect him too much.  If I had to build Starbase constructors from a Cap-Ship factory, that might have made a bit of difference in my SB defence spamming.  Or if they took more cap, or were more expensive, OR if Starbase starteed out with 4 slots (and could be upgraded to 6, then 8).

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Reply #3 from Sins Forums Top

i want the starbases to be a tool to increase my defense in the mid to late game. i think that they work OK as they are currently in the 2.5 build but making them something for the later game would improve them.

Reply #4 from Sins Forums Top

For any large fleet, a single, very basic starbase shouldnt stop a determined attack, they really dont last long at that stage unless they are supported. But I agree getting them to the 8/8 slots used situation is INSANELY expensive. 4 cap ships worth, and is it worth it, maybe...

I dont think it should be changed though, it may be expensive atm, but i works better than a month ago :P

Reply #5 from Sins Forums Top

I find the price of starbases to be just about right. Low enough that they see use in every game, but high enough that it really hurts if one gets destroyed. One thing I have noticed with my current Vasari strategy against the AI (move in fleet to distact, and build a starbase in the enemy well while they are distracted) is that I use much smaller fleets than before. If nothing else, the starbases give me enough peace of mind that my planets will be defended that I don't turtle until I have maximum fleet sizes... I do not see them as insanely expensive, especially since a maxxed out starbase can take out pretty much any AI attack, unless they get really spammy with the anti-structure ships. And putting one in an enemy controlled star's gravity well can both turn the tide of a battle and give you a strong control over that star's well indefinately. They are nice defenses, but I find they are just as effective on the offensive. Unfortunately, the AI seems to not grasp their potential for an offensive weapon and prefers frigate fleets (which the starbases promptly chew up). IMO the starbases are nice how they are now.

Reply #6 from Sins Forums Top

i think i remember hearing that the price of starbases would be changed as the beta finalized
End of quote

I pretty sure they have upped the price of the final upgrades on some of the upgrades, armour, strick craft and a few other race specific upgrades. An extra 50% I beleive.

IMO there may be justification for small increases in cost to some of the other upgades, meteor shower of the Advent SB comes to mind. But I think the construction costs and the costs of the SB construction frigates/cruisers is very close to the mark at the moment. IMO, I don't think SB's can be spammed as only 1 per faction per GW. is possible (except a stars GW), and this way it is certainly leads to some really good battles.

I also agree with "alway". The AI don't seem to build SB's anywhere other than where they have colonised. I have no idea of the progaming expertise that goes into making an AI, but I would love to have a multi starbase battle in stars GW.

 

Reply #7 from Sins Forums Top

I did have an AI send in a Starbase constructor to my well once, it turned tail and jumped out when my fleet jumped in to stop it.  So the AI WILL do it, but it ONLY does it if you have no defences at the planet at all.  The moument I put a Hanger on the planet, and left with my fleet, he never tried that again.