Building "Star Bases"

[sandman662 (OP)]

Is it possible (and feasible) to build Star Bases in non-home systems?  I mean, I want to build a "base" in a system without any planets and/or asteroids.  Is that possible?  What would be a typical design?  How would you get it to the system?

Thanks for any input!

[Shadow]

A "star base" would be a very large, engine-less warship transported via tugs, I guess.

As for its design, well, it could have both beam weapons and missile launchers, house small spacecraft and mount very powerful sensors. Though as far as static detection's concerned, I believe it's cheaper and more effective to just drop some deep space tracking stations on some random asteroid/moon.

However, I don't think it'd be particularly practical, since it would be huge and huge military vessels are specially expensive. You're better off having a mobile fleet. Besides, as a military ship, the star base would also suffer from maintenance decay, so that's yet another disadvantage. As far as static platforms are concerned, I prefer to use small-ish ones to defend jump points, but that's about it. PDCs are more economical for colony defense, I believe.

[sandman662 (OP)]

Ok, thanks.  I didn't think that they would be practical, hence the post.  I am just trying to learn how to put supplies in a forward position to help keep my survey ships in supply and try to put up early warning stations.

What could "drop some deep space tracking stations"?  Are they "loadable" in transports, or do they have to be towed with tractor beams?  Can a tractor beam pull a ship through a jump gate?

Sorry for the question bombardment.

[MoonDragon]

I mean, I want to build a "base" in a system without any planets and/or asteroids.  Is that possible?

No can do.

[Chainfire]

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What could "drop some deep space tracking stations"?  Are they "loadable" in transports, or do they have to be towed with tractor beams?
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Deep Space Tracking stations are planet created installations which have extremely long sensor range, they can be shipped much like other installations and take 5 cargo holds worth of space.  Just declare an asteroid a colony and plop one of those sensors down on it to get a scout in system

[Journier]

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What could "drop some deep space tracking stations"?  Are they "loadable" in transports, or do they have to be towed with tractor beams?
......

Deep Space Tracking stations are planet created installations which have extremely long sensor range, they can be shipped much like other installations and take 5 cargo holds worth of space.  Just declare an asteroid a colony and plop one of those sensors down on it to get a scout in system

That doesnt include an active sensor on planet does it? Its just thermal/EM right?

I coulda sworn it didnt give Active sensor on planet with that but im not sure.

[Shadow]

......
What could "drop some deep space tracking stations"?  Are they "loadable" in transports, or do they have to be towed with tractor beams?
......

Deep Space Tracking stations are planet created installations which have extremely long sensor range, they can be shipped much like other installations and take 5 cargo holds worth of space.  Just declare an asteroid a colony and plop one of those sensors down on it to get a scout in system

That doesnt include an active sensor on planet does it? Its just thermal/EM right?

I coulda sworn it didnt give Active sensor on planet with that but im not sure.

I'm fairly certain it's the whole package.

[sloanjh]

Deep Space Tracking stations are planet created installations which have extremely long sensor range, they can be shipped much like other installations and take 5 cargo holds worth of space.  Just declare an asteroid a colony and plop one of those sensors down on it to get a scout in system

That doesnt include an active sensor on planet does it? Its just thermal/EM right?

I coulda sworn it didnt give Active sensor on planet with that but im not sure.

I'm fairly certain it's the whole package.

No, Deep Space Tracking stations are passive only - no actives.  The issue is that they aren't all that long ranged compared to the size of a system (although I'm pretty sure they're a lot better than building an equivalent PDC with normal thermal/EM sensors) and you usually don't have a convenient rock sitting near a JP that you want to observe.  They're mainly useful as early warning stations telling you that someone's sneaking up on one of your populations, or (in an unpopulated system) telling you that someone's doing a probe and/or geosurvey.

John