Sorry about that Kurt - I jumped to the message from the digest that is e-mail out, and I didn't notice that I wasn't logged in under a username.....
No problem, it's just a little disconcerting to be talking to "Guest".
You are correct, there are some advantages. The Empire will gain defense in depth as well. Typically, though, my preferred style of play involves minimal fixed defenses and a large fleet. While fleet units are more expensive to maintain, they are mobile and can mount an attack, which defenses cannot. All the defenses in the world aren't going to do anything for you if the enemy is rampaging through systems A to E, if the defenses are in system X.
Having said that, defenses aren't a total waste. What that will mean, though, is that the Empire's fleet size will be frozen at its current size for some time, which will tend to reduce its willingness to become involved in external ventures. A smaller relative fleet may also be perceived as a weakness by others as well.
Kurt
Agreed. But my point was that the defenses aren't a total waste, as they can be used to support the active fleet - even when the fleet is (quite) a few systems away.....
Oh, I agree, they aren't a "total" waste, but diverting so much of the Empire's productive capacity to defenses that might or might not be useful is going to be a problem.
Hmmm...I've been pretty haphazard about how I allocate resources every turn, even for the "primary" races like the Empire and the ASR. The default primary focus is on the fleet, and I tend only to invest in defenses if I happen to notice that they are weak someplace, or if they fit into an overall plan I've developed.
I once played an ISF campaign, a long time ago, where I had fixed percentages for various resources allocations, based on the race's attitudes and goals. For instance, the Empire might have the following spending spending percentages (for after-maintenance and research funds):
Fleet: 40%
Fortifications: 25%
Exploration: 10%
Colonization: 25%
Or whatever, with similar percentages imposed on shipyard usages. Using a scheme like this might impose a little more consistency in spending priorities, and produce results a little more consistent with racial personalities.
I'll have to think about this.
Kurt
