What base to build over new colonies?

[Yaotzin]

I build large spaceports for mass repair and construction at strategic/spread out points, but I'm unsure what to build over all the other colonies. My understanding is that any spaceport design will cause large quantities of resources to be shipped there in anticipation of construction, which would be pointless, and it could also cause bottlenecks with repairing - unless I make them all large and crush myself with the maintenance.

So, I would like a design that 1) makes rec/medical centres work 2) allows for mass/rapid refueling and 3) mining/luxury extractors will work - gotta ensure I'm getting all that chromium! Is such a thing possible?

Disclaimer: I may have faulty knowledge included, making this moot; feel free to correct if so.

[Darkspire]

Defensive base with med' and rec' facilities does the trick, gives defense and adds to the populations happy scale.

Darkspire

[CyclopsSlayer]

Lately I have been using a modified Star Base as a sort of mini Defense Base. I prefer my main line Def Bases as big and powerful, and costly...

Half to a third a Defense Base's Shields, Guns, Fighters for defenses. Med/Rec/Commerce facilities. Long Range Scanner.
No Labs, no yards, some basic docking and cargo facilities.
Size is about 110-120 systems to build, and costs ~8K - 10K.

[Tehlongone]

3) mining/luxury extractors will work - gotta ensure I'm getting all that chromium! Is such a thing possible?

Does extractors work on a colonized planet? I thought it was either or.

[Canute0]

No they don't the colony is mining not the base. Thats why mining base disappear when someone colonize that planet.

[Fenrisfil]

I simply make a custom "starbase". Always under 200 in size and with recreation and medical facilities a few shields and weapons but not much else. It does the trick and doesn't take too long to be built even at a brand new colony. I don't like using defensive bases for those colonies as I reserve those for places requiring a good amount of defence and generally don't like to put medical and recreation facilities on def bases.

I do still use the normal Space Stations, but I don't need to build as many small ones since I started doing this.

EDIT: I heard putting mining stuff on a base around a colonised planet doesn't work. Not tried it myself.

[Shogouki]

I prefer having defensive bases at every one of my colonies. I usually make them with a good number of docking ports and construction yards as well so they can quickly repair and refuel a fleet.

I did learn the hard way that you shouldn't make lots of spaceports though. The resources your empire accumulates will get spread out between them and with too many you'll not have enough resources at any one to do much with.

[Arakash]

ORIGINAL: Shogouki

I prefer having defensive bases at every one of my colonies. I usually make them with a good number of docking ports and construction yards as well so they can quickly repair and refuel a fleet.

I did learn the hard way that you shouldn't make lots of spaceports though. The resources your empire accumulates will get spread out between them and with too many you'll not have enough resources at any one to do much with.

I basically crashed my economy doing this in a much older version of the game. I didnt think it was such a big danger anymore, as it really hasn't happened as badly since.

I also tend to put defensive bases on all my colonies, but recent advice on the forum seems to suggest that putting starports everywhere is now the way to go, but ill leave that to other people to explain if they want to.

[Bingeling]

What is needed to crash your economy, depends on the power of your economy... It is as easy as that. Game settings and race choice should influence what you can afford a lot.

[elanaagain]

very very helpful thread... than you so much. I have been building too many star bases... and suffering. The merchant fleet (private ships) is based on the number of colonies, and not starbases,yes?

[Fenrisfil]

If you put construction yards on a defensive base won't the game treat it the same as a space station (and send loads of resources) or is it based on base class rather than resource types (as many things seem to be for ship classes)?

A trick I've just started using in my latest game is to create the mini starbase (a custom starbase with minimal stuff on it, essentially just to give recreational and medical boosts to the planet) and then give the base to an allied empire. So now they pay for it's maintenance (and never upgrade to anything that will threaten the planet as they have no generic starbase designs) while my colony gets the bonuses.

[CyclopsSlayer]

ORIGINAL: Fenrisfil
A trick I've just started using in my latest game is to create the mini starbase (a custom starbase with minimal stuff on it, essentially just to give recreational and medical boosts to the planet) and then give the base to an allied empire. So now they pay for it's maintenance (and never upgrade to anything that will threaten the planet as they have no generic starbase designs) while my colony gets the bonuses.

Cute! Might be a bug or oversight, but clever none the less.