What's the best way to defend a starbase?

Starbases never defend before a ship, regardless of
which would be the stronger defender.

Starbases do repair, but slowly, very very slowly.

Best way to defend a starbase (asside from sticking a bunch of +DEF modules on it) is to stick a bunch of high Def ships (pref battlehammers) on it. If you use +ATT ships, pray you have sensors and then attack the ships as they get close

I have stopped building defense modules for a long time as I don't think they are worth the constructors. They also take a loooong time to repair after taking damage which then makes them vulnerable to followup strikes.

I usually plonk at least one of my newest model ships on SBs. Ships can repair faster, ships can be redeployed and ships can pop out to attack targets of opportunity.

I generally stick the military upgrades on to help the defending ship(s). At least battle stations 1-3 and maybe stationary turrut, mini fighters, dread drones if it's a hot spot. For some out of the way stations I'll put a couple defense modules on, just so some battle cruiser can't take it down.

If you actually got a lot of resource military upgrades
the max defense for a starbase will actually crush
any attacker but an excalibur.

Hundreds of dreadnoughts have just slaughtered themselves
upon the defenses of some of my starbases.

Seen some even take several overlords, but there tends
to be a limit to that

Excaliburs now, you actually need to attack those
with an overlord(or 2), or your own excaliburs.

Yes, the top defense modules are very good but I find the early and mid ones to be weak. I guess its your preference on a more static or mobile defense.

If a SB is important, I always park whatever my strongest defender is on it. When I've got the surplus planets to build with, I have found the later defense modules can make them nearly indestructible on their own but a ship is still more efficient and easier to defend them.

I only build up strategicly important starbases, like
military resources on the front lines etc. Its not
like I improve all of my dozens of starbases, after all
by the time you need to defend against overlords
and excaliburs, I can build enough constructors in a
single turn to fully rebuild several starbases(on
large+ maps)

My problem is I overbuild constructors so I run out
of things to do with em, end up building defenses

A single overlord might be better then full defenses.

And yea, the earlier defenses are weak.

I'm purely an ambush predator when it comes to starbase defense. Get Eyes of the Universe, have ships in key spots for recon, then have small rapid attack squadrons at key points on the map. Bad guys get too close, then interceptors move in for the kill. No one gets in my space without me knowing about it. I find defense for most of the game (except very beginning and very end) sorely lacking. So, think like a fighter pilot. The only acceptable defense is one that sets up a kill or gets you out of there. Otherwise, attack, attack, attack.

I also prefer Gerakken's approach. The only defensive ship I like to build is the battle axe in the early game to prevent having people declare war on me (or to repell their futile attacks if they absolutely insist upon doing so). In the late game I would rather have attack oriented ships so I can use them for my own assaults. When they're not commited to taking over planets, they can park near starbases and preemptively strike any incoming craft. Works every time.

-Drake

~SDC~

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The best way to defend a starbase is to get a excalibur class ship and wipe out the enemys entire fleet, so they wont have anything to hurt your starbase with .
Remember to join the Outcasts by going to their metaverse site.
- Agamemnon123
Emperor of Outcasts Empire