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Do you only need one per system or is it better to have a few per system?

One per system.

You only need one, the only reason to have more would be for defense or the additional happiness they provide to the population on each planet.

Ok thanks all

I tend to build one per colony myself (I like the bonuses they bestow, plus the heavy defenses), but that's just me. It's probably not necessary to do it that way, but I'm just anal like that. [:'(]

This is a good topic. What size space port do you usually build? I usually build a large space port in every new system, and then if there are further colonies in that system, they get small ports. Does anyone one use medium space ports? Is my strategy very smart? Would it it be better to build a defensive base near my extra colonies?

Personally, I've created a "population support" base, which is the same as a port, just minus labs, plants and space yards
So it contains recreation, medical, a couple of cargos and landing bays, basic defensive abilities

I then build them at any colony that won't have a space port, which saves me alot of money since they are 1/4 of the price of a small port, but still having the same bonuses to the population

As for space ports, 1 large per system, and 1 small on any other colony in a system of enough importance to require extra construction slots

Same here, I call it "Colony Outpost". Basic defense, scanners, recreation, medbay. Keeps a planet happy and pirates away.

I wouldn't even build 1 per system at first, maybe 1 every 2nd or third. Early game the cost of the Space port far outweighs its benefits (and you'll almost certainly go into the red on money).

I build at least a small spaceport in every new system. When a colony gets over 1 billion population I built it a medium spaceport regardless of whether there is another one in system. If a colony ever rises above 10 billion it gets a large.

ORIGINAL: BigWolf

Personally, I've created a "population support" base, which is the same as a port, just minus labs, plants and space yards
So it contains recreation, medical, a couple of cargos and landing bays, basic defensive abilities

I then build them at any colony that won't have a space port, which saves me alot of money since they are 1/4 of the price of a small port, but still having the same bonuses to the population

As for space ports, 1 large per system, and 1 small on any other colony in a system of enough importance to require extra construction slots

I tried this, and I must be missing something, because the planet I built my outpost for is not claiming that it receives the benefits of the base. Any thoughts?

we are talking system right, so if I have multiple colonies in one system the one port located on a differnt colony will still benefit my other colonies? sorry I am a little confused by the responses to origonal ?
 
Let me give you an example, I am playing with an easy help, the starting system is generous and I have several colonies and several mines... does one spaceport serve the entire system, or just a smaller area or just the one colony?
thanks

My understanding is ports only benefit the colony it's above, which is why some of us build a smaller and cheaper population support to give the bonuses to other colonies, but without bankrupting us

Think of this way, a large space port costs around 6000 credits to maintain and a small port costs around 2000 IIRC
In comparison, my own Population support is around 450, a major drop in costs
Of course, I do modify the port designs to loose some of the extra stuff I feel isn't needed for them, so for me ports are a little cheaper

Might be good if it had a lower benefit to other colonies in the same system as well

I tend to build one small space port per system, and build a large port only at systems of strategic value. I also tended to build research labs at extra colonies in a given system, but I like this pop support idea and might play around with that instead.

In my eyes, with a pop support base, the only reason to build a space port (or at least with my own designs) is for the extra ship building capabilities, and a commerce centre
Of course, with AI designs, you do have the research part as well, but I strip those out in favour for dedicated all-in-one research centres

I don't see the need to have a big yard everywhere, they're just needed to build ships and you don't usually build dozens at a given time .. So I have a few big yards, and several smaller for small ships and civilian builds. I also prefer to have specialized bases, so yards are armed but don't need research, so you can pack more construction bays than the default designs .

There is also a 2nd advantage to the "Pop Support" route
You can use constructors to build them, as they're just starbases, which I tend to have around a size of 110, you can even build them while you wait for the colony ship to turn up

Of course, not yet checked if colonizing also gets rid of pre-built starbases in the same way as mining stations

Just been able to test it out with constructors, and I highly recommend that route for anyone using pop support

The base does indeed stay intact after colonization, plus...

I had a race between a new colony and a constructor to see who would build first
The constructor was able to gather the resources, goto the planet and build the pop support before the planet was 70% completed

So, it's build before the colonists arrive, in less time, and you can use the colony to build something else instead if you so wish


So, the biggest question comes, are the bonuses even being applied?  Because the happiness box doesn't show anything, even for planets with Space Ports

I tried out the pop support starbases you suggested and also noticed that the medical and recreational bonus doesnt seem to get applied to the colony

Works fine from space ports though, although the ai doesnt seem to include the modules by default on small or medium ports

I've posted in the tech support forum about this, so hopefully we can get an official answer as if it's suppose to work on just Space Ports or any type of base as suggest in Galactopedia

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