Part 17

Learn about Galactic Civilizations II starbase components: Military, Economic, Influence, and Mining starbases, and their modules.

Walkthrough:

1. Military Starbase: Augments your ships by improving firepower, defenses (even against researched weapon types), speed, and can slow enemy ships. Use them to protect vital star systems. Offensive modules require the ship to have at least one attack of that kind. Defensive modules augment ship defenses based on module level, allowing for new defense types like shields on ships previously only having armor. These are priority targets during war; avoid being caught within their influence. Building one during an invasion can turn the tide against heavily fortified areas. Military starbases provide a significant advantage to widen or close technology gaps.
2. Economic Starbase: Boosts trade revenue from freighters and increases production of planets within its sphere of influence. Bonuses from multiple starbases stack. You are allowed 4 per sector, but their sphere of influence can overlap sectors. To maximize trade revenue, originate freighter routes from a single planet and ensure nearby econ starbases have trade boost modules. Both trade and production modules can fit on the same starbase. The first few starbases are free to build (aside from the Constructor cost). Even an initial 3% upgrade bonus is helpful for a starting planet. Production bonuses were reduced in v1.1, requiring more starbases for the same bonus.
3. Influence Starbase: Expands your influence to take over enemy planets without combat. To flip a planet, you need to produce 4 times its native influence. High espionage ratings reveal planet influence. These can also protect your planets from AI takeover. They act as a multiplier for influence in an area; build them near target planets. No friendly planets are needed in the area for the bonus influence. Fully upgraded, they can increase influence by over 300%. In v1.1, the cost of influence modules changed: only the first module of a branch (diplomacy or influence techs) is charged; subsequent upgrades in that branch are free.
4. Mining Starbase: Exploits space resources for significant boosts to military, research, morale, economy, or influence, as detailed in the components list. Protect these well, as AI fleets hunt them, often followed by a constructor to capture them. Use this tactic yourself when taking over enemy mining starbases. Allies may also attempt to capture resources you've secured.
5. Starbase Components: Information is sourced from StarbaseModules.xml. Components are categorized by starbase type. 'Required module' indicates a prerequisite module must be installed. All starbase modules stack effects.
• All Components:
• Overload Armor: Requires Zero-Point Armor tech and Battle Stations module. Size 2. Effect: +16 Armor.
• Invulnerability Bloom: Requires Advanced Force Fields tech and Battle Stations module. Size 2. Effect: +16 Shields.
• Electro-Magnetic Surge: Requires Aereon Missile Defense tech and Battle Stations module. Size 2. Effect: [Effect not fully specified in source].
Tips
• Use starbases to extend ship range by placing them closer to enemy territory, allowing ships to deploy further in before taking planets.
• Military starbases are crucial for enhancing ship capabilities and are high-priority targets for enemies.
• Economic starbases are vital for boosting income and production, especially in the early game when some are free.
• Influence starbases offer a non-violent method to conquer enemy planets by expanding your galactic presence.
• Protect your mining starbases diligently, as they are attractive targets for both enemies and allies.
• Remember that all starbase module effects stack, allowing for powerful combinations.