Matrix Games Forums

Hi,
Can anyone explain what the monitoring station does. I cant find a reference in either the manual or the on line resource?
Tony

Large sensor base.

They allow you to see other Empires ships in space.

They give warning of incoming enemy attacks, but not Pirate raids.

I will have to take your word for it, that there not documented.

However they are really just a scanner/long range scanner with necessary support components.

So a galactopedia search on LR Scanner will tell you what a monitoring station is for. Plus take a look at the tech tree component descriptions.

I dont build them myself I just retrofit scanners onto my spaceport design where I need them. Small bases are fragile afterall.

From the pedia

"
Monitoring Stations are bases that include long range scanner components for monitoring a wide area.

They can be used to spy on other empires systems, or to give you better visibility of enemy movements towards your territory.

These bases can be built anywhere you like: at your colonies, at unclaimed planets or moons, at asteroids, at gas clouds, or even on their own in deep space.

"

I said I would take the guys word for it....[8|]

It's located under Ships and Bases in the galactopedia.

How strange!

Maybe I should have replied to Tony instead of you but no harm was intended, just wanted to show that the info is there.
I remember also finding the pedia hard to navigate in the begining but now I don't do it ingame anymore, I just go to the help subfolder in the game folder and use the Windows search.

ORIGINAL: Data

Maybe I should have replied to Tony instead of you but no harm was intended, just wanted to show that the info is there.
I remember also finding the pedia hard to navigate in the begining but now I don't do it ingame anymore, I just go to the help subfolder in the game folder and use the Windows search.

What is said was ...

Dear none manual and galactopedia non reader (The original poster)

I believe you when you say you could not find the information but I think it is there somewhere

I dont have time or the abililty to run the game and check if this is a genuine problem or just a Noob problem

So here's a general explanation of a monitoring station...

Later on...

After relocating to my desktop, and reading Dear Data's post I also found the information under the galactopedia in the ships and bases section.

I found it strange how it could not be found.

I also found it strange why he would post it in a forum for sharing your interesting strategies and tips

So I rolled my eyes at his mistake. RTM.

Thanks for all the comments? I do avidly read both the manual and galactopedia I just didn't see the minor comment in the manual. Tony

Further more tony, I have used monitoring stations for offensive purposes. For instance, i got into an early war with an empire close by in my recent game and to find out what kind of fleet/troops he had defensively i built a few monitoring stations (2) close to some colonies i intended to hit so as to see what size fleet and troops would be necessary to take the colony. It worked well for me but the mistake i made was not designing them with sufficient defence's or leaving small fleet to protect it with, needless to say i lost them pretty soon into the war but they helped in making my initial attacks work.

Anybody care to advise me on another way to do this without building monitoring stations? Would it jus be better and cheaper to send a scout in?

Send explorer/gunships to scout for troop strengths, send them to the star and they can see everything in the system

Explorer/gunships with long range scanners arranged around your enemy will see everything

Spy's on deep cover missions will give you slightly more intel, but the loss of a good spy can hurt.

ORIGINAL: cookie monster

Send explorer/gunships to scout for troop strengths, send them to the star and they can see everything in the system

Explorer/gunships with long range scanners arranged around your enemy will see everything

Spy's on deep cover missions will give you slightly more intel, but the loss of a good spy can hurt.

Ahh you see i figured that would be the case.

So when are monitoring stations actually a viable option? If i jus design exploration/gunships to gather intel on enemies/potential enemies/pirates then that would eliminate any need for a MS right? Obviously its cheaper to use a exploration/gunship design and of course their mobile too. So when would it be a good time to build a MS?

ORIGINAL: James1234

ORIGINAL: cookie monster

Send explorer/gunships to scout for troop strengths, send them to the star and they can see everything in the system

Explorer/gunships with long range scanners arranged around your enemy will see everything

Spy's on deep cover missions will give you slightly more intel, but the loss of a good spy can hurt.

Ahh you see i figured that would be the case.

So when are monitoring stations actually a viable option? If i jus design exploration/gunships to gather intel on enemies/potential enemies/pirates then that would eliminate any need for a MS right? Obviously its cheaper to use a exploration/gunship design and of course their mobile too. So when would it be a good time to build a MS?

IMO, I wouldn't bother. Resources are precious and the mobility offered by an Explorer/Gunship/Scout far outweighs their fueling requirements. They refuel from Resupply Ships anyway.

I build Long Range Scanners on each sytems Space Port, the SP is there for the Medical/Leisure facilities populations happiness bonus.

This all makes a standard Monitoring Station redundant.

I have yet to find a scenario where they are useful.

No fuel therefore no weapons, resources required to build, Construction Ship tied up when built outside of a colony. Not always in ideal location (Long Term). Cannot be upgraded outside of colony builds. When scrapped all components are lost (No recycle ability ingame).

I think that's enough. LOL!

Haha thanks... well it seems a change of strategy is in order then

Go forth and change away...climbing the learning curve as it is [:)]