Economic Starbases

from Stardock Forums
In what seemed like a good idea, I turned my home planet into my economic capital, created all freighters from there and maxed out trade. (I play a custom race specializing in trade.) I researched all remaining trade-related bonuses and built all suitable trade goods, galactic achievements, etc. I then built 4 economic starbases in the same sector, enhanced them with every appropriate upgrade, and waited for the cash to roll in. It didn't happen. The summary and details pages show NOTHING for my home planet recognizing an economic bonus from the starbases, which should be turning the planet into a cash cow -- right? It ain't. What's going on?
3,156 views 4 replies
Reply #1 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
The term 'economic starbase' is a bit misleading. Econ starbases give planets in their area of influence bonuses to production and research - not a straight $$ bonus. You can put up to three trade-enhancing modules on an econ starbase, but it only provides a trade bonus to freighters in their area of influence - once a freighter leaves that area, the bonus is gone. Plus, a bonus to the piddly amount you get from trade in the latest versions of the game is negligible, anyway. So it's not surprising that you see no direct economic benefit. You're getting some extra production and research points, but that's all.

Reply #2 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Actually, I've piled up some obscene trade cash with the Korx. Early on, I sent nearly all my freighters to the Arcean homeworld via a single planet of my own. What results is an extremely lucrative line of freighters, even over a short distance. Multiplied by economic starbases and protected via an alliance with the Arceans, it was accounting for a huge portion of my income.

Granted, the universe I was playing in didn't have much in the way of planets to build a tax base off of, but it was still a very tiny route. You can certainly make some big dollars with trade, especially if it's set up early.
Sins of a Solar Empire II
Reply #3 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Guess I could use this thread for a small sidestep. If you want to have multiple starbases around a planet, what is the order of sequence? In order words do you add 1 upgrade to full and than another or is it better to first plant all starbases and susequently add modules?
Reply #4 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
In terms of logistics costs, it's usually better to build one starbase at a time, and research up logistics when the costs of building a new base get prohibitive.