I propose to introduce the ability to strengthen the defense of systems.

[homenkovs]

To give the ability to increase the strength of the station by investing resources there in the same way as we invest them in fleets. Why are we limited to the maximum station tier, a very small number of modules and a limited number of platforms?

We can introduce technologies to increase the number of platforms and new types of platforms. Increase the number of modules, etc.

We can also introduce the ability to build orbital fortresses in the orbits of planets like orbital rings.

All this will make it possible to fully play from the defense. The player can decide how to spend his resources and will not face the limit of the strength of the system's defense and the need to build a fleet to increase the security of the system.

I know that theoretically it is possible to introduce three military leaders to the council and also theoretically gain perks for them to strengthen platforms and due to this greatly strengthen the defense. But this is still limited, unlike fleets, and also difficult to implement due to the randomness of receiving perks by leaders.

 

[Foxosaur]

I like the idea of this. If you go on a conquest game, maybe thats not of interest to people but once I have my borders, I'm ok with not taking more unless someone deserves it, so in many ways I ensure they become as tough as they can be, ready for the Crisis or war in heaven. Not that its ever enough for a Crisis but I like to think it's a slight deterrent.

 

[Ishyro]

The only way I can see this working (gameplay wise) is by making defense platform cost naval cap.
They should be more cost efficient, just like they are with upkeep and alloys, since they can't move.

There are also 2 issues with platforms: rebuilding them is a pain, and the fight ends immediatly if the starbase is down, even if there are still platforms fighting.

 

[StragaSevera]

Yep, I like the idea that platforms use naval cap, but you can build (almost) any amount of them in the system.

 

[--Yigito123--]

In ancient times, there used to be three sizes of defense platforms, and the ones we currently have are the Small version. Pretty sure they're even still in the files and just commented out (Though with how much the game changed reimplementing them probably wouldn't be as simple as just de-commenting the original code), and the special defense platforms that Fallen Empires use are modified versions of the original Large defense platform. Not really relevant, just felt like remembering.

The problem with defense is, well, how do you make it fun and interesting? If you have enough defenses in a system to defeat the enemy navy, the enemy is just not going to attack that system. If every worthwhile system you have had enough defenses to defeat their navy (Which, especially late game with Jump Drives and such, is what you'll need to be able to do to make a pure defense platform "navy" viable)... what then? People probably have this grand vision of an unassailable fortress repelling attack after attack, but realistically any player or a decent AI whose calculations aren't being cheesed is just not going to attack your mega fortresses of doom. And turning it around, how do you make interacting with another empire with this setup fun or interesting?

I agree there is room to do a lot more with defensive play right now (and a lot of QoL additions could be considered), but I don't think giving empires the ability to build up defenses to such a degree that they don't need a navy would be healthy for the game. Defense platforms and star bases should remain in the roles of "deterrent against small fleets" and "strategic point and force multiplier between large fleets" that they have now. They should just get additions and changes to perform those roles better.

 

[FiddleSticks96]

I would love to see starbases in general expanded upon. Not something as simple as adding more guns to them, but more depth to their uses. A starbases doesn't have to be a fortress. It could be the center of trade in your empire. Buildings and Modules that add system wide economic buffs are already a thing, you just need to make more kinds and make them more impactful. I would also be interested in a starbases megastructure (limited to one per empire like many other megastructures). How will you design it? Will it be a super fortress? The economic jewel of your empire? A mega habitat? There are a myriad of possibilities.

I will add that it is actually not all that difficult to make viable static defenses in Stellaris, though you have to invest heavily. The best setup for platforms early game is one L kinetic gun and one L laser, then in the late game you switch the kinetic gun to kinetic artillery and the laser to 2 G neutron launchers. Make sure to build the +50% range building on the starbase. Grab the Unyielding tradition and Eternal Vigilance perk and load up on those platforms and even invading fleets with 2x the starbase's fleet strength will be evaporated before they fire a single shot. My most eggregious example was in the Terminal Egress system after terraforming three nanite worlds after defeating the Gray Tempest. I put Orbital Rings on the planets and kitted them for defense. Those combined with the starbase were able to repel multiple invading AE fleets simultaneously.

 

[Thiend]

My changes to defenses would be very simple.

1. Can assign commanders to starbases, remove the army commander class because nobody needs it and give them a starbase commanding/destroying starbases specialist class.
2. Starbases get at least a fifth upgrade tier, it massively increases damage output and durability, is optionally capped (being that it's equivalent to T5 ships, Titans). Optionally a sixth tier because citadels aren't equal to battleships as it is, and that should DEFINITELY have a cap. Upgrades to defenses such as Unyielding and Eternal Vigilance should probably either add cap or improve whatever their cap scales off (IE if it's one for each five starbase cap, maybe they reduce it to one per four, one per three with both).
3. Starbase designer.

 

[FiddleSticks96]

3. Starbase designer.

Yes. We used to be able to do this. The biggest problem with starbases currently is that they are mostly loaded with M weapons. Even their defense modules don't have an L weapon attachment. Add the auto-desinger's inability to make coherent designs and you have base starbase's that are worthless in a fight. I am just happy we can still design our own defense platforms.