abandoned bases, refugee help

[map]

If you decline to investigate an abandoned base or ship at the first window do you get a second chance? for instance, if you you discover an abandoned base but there's a giant kaitor sitting on it you want to destroy the kaitor first. But then I don't seem to get another opportunity to investigate the base. Also, I can't seem to see where your payments to pirates shows up in the budget screen. Finally, I think I get the game. I can get my empire running at a substantial profit, get the treaties I want, colonize my fair share of the universe. In other words, I'm at a point where I consistently have 2-3 million cash on hand, 5-10 upgraded fleets, 20-30 colonies and then the refugees show up. I'm generally 2/3s to 3/4s of the way thru research, but I can't even touch them. I get obliterated. Any suggestions?

[Merker]

Just one: Guerrilla warfare!!! Use hit and run and keep them going for your less important colonies. Reconquer those planets every time they get them. Hunt their fuel stations and lone capital ships. Use bait and catch style tactics for their smaller fleets. Always strike with your full might, and 5 to 1 number ratio. Build supply stations in less visible places like nebulae. Force other AI empires to take the hit for you first, while you strike at the back. They can't possibly divide their forces on innumerable fronts.

Try this and win....or don't come back at all!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Cheers

[tjhkkr]

If you decline to investigate an abandoned base or ship at the first window do you get a second chance? for instance, if you you discover an abandoned base but there's a giant kaitor sitting on it you want to destroy the kaitor first. But then I don't seem to get another opportunity to investigate the base.
Yes, you can. What I do is pull the scout ship out of range, and send in a larger fleet. You can either have the large ship investigate it (once you get close enough, it will either pull up the question OR you can right click and if you are in range, it will offer you that option there.
I generally have to be careful. My fleets seem trigger-happy; if there is one enemy around, my ships end up shooting up the neighborhood if I am not careful.

[Kayoz]

ORIGINAL: map

If you decline to investigate an abandoned base or ship at the first window do you get a second chance? for instance, if you you discover an abandoned base but there's a giant kaitor sitting on it you want to destroy the kaitor first.

I beleive that after the first decline to investigate, you need to do it manually. Just get a ship "close" to the base, right-click on it and "investigate" should be on the drop-down list. If it isn't, you probably aren't close enough, or it's damaged and needs to be repaired first.

I'm not sure why you'd consider the base to be worthwhile to fight your way through krators for. Once you take possession of the base, you get any information/wonga that it had. There's no need to keep the base. If it's in a strategic location - just build your own. There's no need for you to use the abandoned one.