Starport concerns

from GalCiv3 Forums

In my current game, I'm the Iridium, with the Altarians right next to me. In the very early game I sent two unfleeted fighters into Altarian space and destroyed their starbase. I've parked the two fighters next to each of their worlds in their home system. Every few turns they build a new starbase, and in the same turn I destroy it with one of my fighters. Because of this, I have completely crippled their civilization, they can't do anything. They can't build a single ship to explore, to colonize or to fight. This seems pretty gamebreaking to me.

I have two suggestions for starports:

1. Make them immobile. Think well about where you want to build them, and then leave them be, like starbases. It really makes no sense that they can move one space per turn anyway. That's hyperdrive speed. That's one parsec (or 3.26 lightyears) in one week. They shouldn't be whipping around the galaxy like ships.

2. When built, they should have level one weapons in all categories, and level one defense in all categories, and plenty of hit points. This would protect them well against early game attacks, they really should be a force to be reckoned with. This wouldn't make them too powerful, because they wouldn't be able to move and attack, the weapons are defensive only.

Something needs to change though, a couple of very low end fighters shouldn't be able to cripple an entire empire.

Thanks.

2,790 views 5 replies
Reply #1 from GalCiv3 Forums Top

There are some changes coming to the starports right now. It is really unfortunate that the AI hasn't protected these things at the moment. They should in the future be well guarded. That strategy you mention, I used to stop the AI from building ships in Gal Civ 2, as well. It is a real problem that needs some way of being dealt with. I wouldn't mind seeing a planet based defense rocket that targets ships within a 2 hex radius for explosion :)

Also, if Carriers are placed in the game with the ability to build Tiny ships close to enemy territory basically a mobile star port near enemy territory. I worry about the 1000 hex distance that would have to be covered in a extra large game without the mobile star ports, shrinking the gap.

Reply #2 from GalCiv3 Forums Top

Quoting parrottmath, reply 1

I worry about the 1000 hex distance that would have to be covered in a extra large game without the mobile star ports, shrinking the gap.
End of parrottmath's quote

 

You could just send constructors and build them, constructors move faster anyway, they SP's themselves wouldn't have to actually fly to where you want them.  And if your empire grows larger and you want a new SP on the edge of it, you can just de-commission the existing one and build a new one.  I think they should really be treated like starbases as far as movement is concerned.  They're so important, they really need to be able to fight off attackers.

Star Control: Origins
Reply #3 from GalCiv3 Forums Top

I like the mobility of star-bases but they do need to be heavily armed and armored from the start otherwise the camp and blast approach will determine who wins. 

Reply #4 from GalCiv3 Forums Top

Quoting Xabulba, reply 3

I like the mobility of star-bases but they do need to be heavily armed and armored from the start otherwise the camp and blast approach will determine who wins. 
End of Xabulba's quote

The camp and blast approach works in Gal Civ 2. The blockade of the space around your planet causes major issues and the star-ports themselves point out this issue quite clearly. Once I've surrounded the enemy planet, there is little they can do to stop the onslaught of attacks. We'll have to see what armor or defenses they provide in the next iteration of the game. It seems like an early game issue, with some late game lucky shots arising as problems. But, I think strategies will have to change to adjust for these problems.

Reply #5 from GalCiv3 Forums Top

Quoting parrottmath, reply 4


Quoting Xabulba,
reply 3

I like the mobility of star-bases but they do need to be heavily armed and armored from the start otherwise the camp and blast approach will determine who wins. 



The camp and blast approach works in Gal Civ 2. The blockade of the space around your planet causes major issues and the star-ports themselves point out this issue quite clearly. Once I've surrounded the enemy planet, there is little they can do to stop the onslaught of attacks. We'll have to see what armor or defenses they provide in the next iteration of the game. It seems like an early game issue, with some late game lucky shots arising as problems. But, I think strategies will have to change to adjust for these problems.

End of parrottmath's quote

 

The difference is in GC2 you at least had the opportunity to get a ship built.  With GC3 starports, you can destroy the port before a player has the ability to build a ship.  So it's much more crippling.