Unequal Mining Stations

[Pavane]

I was looking at my mining stations to see what weapons and defences they had. They are pretty basic with a combat value of 24, 2300 hull, 0 shields, 0 armour, and one red laser (Mk I).

I recently scooped an AI enemy system by using border creep and I discovered the mining stations in that system were much better than mine. It has a combat value of 35, 2300 hull, 105 shields (small hyper-shields), 5% armour (small durasteel armour), and small marauder missile launcher (Mk V). Looking around at other neighbour's mining stations, I see stations with even greater combat values.

I just built a new mining station to see if research has made my stations any better, but they are still the base 24 strength ones. The Ship Designer does not allow you to redesign mining stations, and I haven't found any technology that would improve them (just military stations).

Why are some mining stations better than others, and how do you get them?

 

[General Retreat]

The AI uses the auto upgrade option by default which dumps new tech on everything, including utility stations. Players don't tend to tick that option because auto generated ships are frankly crap. Generated mining stations don't cost more though so why not?

https://forum.paradoxplaza.com/foru...e-designs-upgrade-the-mining-stations.951796/

Not sure if it's WAD and you're probably not going to swing a fight with your mining stations' pea shooters, but freebies are freebies.

 

[ISitOnGnomes]

In your ship designer screen there is a box you can check called "auto-design ships" or something like that. Click it and it will create a bunch of pre-made ship designs you will need to delete, but it will also upgrade your stations and frontier outposts.

 

[Pavane]

Thanks for the link and explanations. I wouldn't mind auto-generate designs for non-military stations, but a single tick box that applies to every ship type is too much.