Note: Problems with trade protection and range appear fixed in the 2.2.2 release. Happy trading!
So I'm seeing a lot of confusion on the part of players when it comes to trade and starbases. Many are reporting that they use something like lvl 2 starbases with 2 protection modules (PM) and 2 trade modules (TM). Or worse, lvl 3+ starbases with 3PM+3TM.
This is wrong. This is very, very wrong.
This quick and handy three-part guide will show you why this is wrong (and you should feel bad, man, for doing it) and how to maximize trade and protection.
1. Maximizing Trade
To reiterate, each starbase collects in-system trade, while every trade hub module (TM) extends the trade collection range by 1. That means a fully upgraded starbase can collect out to six systems beyond itself without having to worry about piracy. This is the reason why many guides and the devs suggest that this layout be used on your home system. The fact that this may be wrong, depending on your situation, is something I'll explore in part 3.
Regardless of where your trade starbases are, if you are going to have trade hub modules on a starbase and don't need it to do double duty, you should always have the maximum number of them on a starbase and position your tradebase so as to maximize collection range and affect. This is not only because the most effective use a of a starbase is to specialize (and has been from their introduction), but also because you will then have the maximum distance for pirate-free collection.
2. Maximizing Protection
Each starbase provides innate protection to a system, and even a no module lvl 1 starbase will stop piracy from even forming.
Protection, unlike trade, works with 2 numbers: protection range and amount. Range is dictated by the number of gun/missile/hangar modules you use, while protection amount depends on both the number and the type, with hangar modules being twice as effective as the other two. So a 6 hangar module lvl 3 starbase can cover six systems beyond itself at maximum protection, whereas a lvl 3 starbase with 3PM/3TM can collect out to 3 and can protect out to 3, but only at a maximum of 3PM.
Note on patrolling: because starbases provide complete pirate protection, you can maximize your patrols by patrolling the systems between starbases if they don't have any PM on them, or just the systems left unprotected. At that, it's best to divide up your fleet into multiple smaller fleets that can handle the max level of piracy, a tactic which is especially useful early in the game.
3. Maximizing Layout
Which brings us to layout. Because it's more efficient to go with only one type of module, it's best to use a spoke and node layout. Similar to a web, this layout usually leads with a 6TM home starbase, followed by a 6PM starbase at up to 7 systems out. This in turn is followed by 6TM starbases within 7 systems. And repeat, just remembering that you can leave your TM starbases at the end of the spokes.
Allow me to demonstrate in this very well-produced infographic I have slaved on for most of the day, the best infographic you will see all week:
I propose, however, an alternative, one which I have employed to great success in a life-seeded game. Specifically, it's to use a PM starbase at the center, and then use TM starbases at the ends. This lets us collect from the surrounding TM starbases while covering all the incoming paths, and gives us more flexibility overall because we can cover a greater amount without having to worry about piracy.
Like a skittering arachnid, but not the big friendly blue kind, in the center of a bunch of strings or string-like substances that lets it see, or at least feel, every little utterance within its structure, the name eludes me, and respond to it:
Hope this helps and happy trading!
So I'm seeing a lot of confusion on the part of players when it comes to trade and starbases. Many are reporting that they use something like lvl 2 starbases with 2 protection modules (PM) and 2 trade modules (TM). Or worse, lvl 3+ starbases with 3PM+3TM.
This is wrong. This is very, very wrong.
This quick and handy three-part guide will show you why this is wrong (and you should feel bad, man, for doing it) and how to maximize trade and protection.
1. Maximizing Trade
To reiterate, each starbase collects in-system trade, while every trade hub module (TM) extends the trade collection range by 1. That means a fully upgraded starbase can collect out to six systems beyond itself without having to worry about piracy. This is the reason why many guides and the devs suggest that this layout be used on your home system. The fact that this may be wrong, depending on your situation, is something I'll explore in part 3.
Regardless of where your trade starbases are, if you are going to have trade hub modules on a starbase and don't need it to do double duty, you should always have the maximum number of them on a starbase and position your tradebase so as to maximize collection range and affect. This is not only because the most effective use a of a starbase is to specialize (and has been from their introduction), but also because you will then have the maximum distance for pirate-free collection.
2. Maximizing Protection
Each starbase provides innate protection to a system, and even a no module lvl 1 starbase will stop piracy from even forming.
Protection, unlike trade, works with 2 numbers: protection range and amount. Range is dictated by the number of gun/missile/hangar modules you use, while protection amount depends on both the number and the type, with hangar modules being twice as effective as the other two. So a 6 hangar module lvl 3 starbase can cover six systems beyond itself at maximum protection, whereas a lvl 3 starbase with 3PM/3TM can collect out to 3 and can protect out to 3, but only at a maximum of 3PM.
Note on patrolling: because starbases provide complete pirate protection, you can maximize your patrols by patrolling the systems between starbases if they don't have any PM on them, or just the systems left unprotected. At that, it's best to divide up your fleet into multiple smaller fleets that can handle the max level of piracy, a tactic which is especially useful early in the game.
3. Maximizing Layout
Which brings us to layout. Because it's more efficient to go with only one type of module, it's best to use a spoke and node layout. Similar to a web, this layout usually leads with a 6TM home starbase, followed by a 6PM starbase at up to 7 systems out. This in turn is followed by 6TM starbases within 7 systems. And repeat, just remembering that you can leave your TM starbases at the end of the spokes.
Allow me to demonstrate in this very well-produced infographic I have slaved on for most of the day, the best infographic you will see all week:
Code:
TM++++++PM+++++TM++++++I propose, however, an alternative, one which I have employed to great success in a life-seeded game. Specifically, it's to use a PM starbase at the center, and then use TM starbases at the ends. This lets us collect from the surrounding TM starbases while covering all the incoming paths, and gives us more flexibility overall because we can cover a greater amount without having to worry about piracy.
Like a skittering arachnid, but not the big friendly blue kind, in the center of a bunch of strings or string-like substances that lets it see, or at least feel, every little utterance within its structure, the name eludes me, and respond to it:
Code:
PM++++++TM++++++PM++++++TM++++++Hope this helps and happy trading!
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