From: leonard@mimsy.umd.edu (Leonard Dickens)
Newsgroups: rec.games.netrek
Subject: Re: Netrek 358: Starbase Theory & Concept
Date: 11 Jan 93 07:47:32 GMT
Organization: Deep Thirteen, Gizmonics Institute

Exodus writes:
>  The more I play netrek, the more come to believe
>that the starbase's usefulness is vastly overrated.
>In my estimate, the only effective use of a base in
>a clue (or INL) game is to protect armies in the core
>or defend in an LPS.

Analysis, old son.  Bases go warp 2, but have awesome firepower.  And
they can carry 25 armies, of course.  What does this make them suited
for?  Point defense.  Pure and simple.  A base that thinks it can
protect more than one planet is fooling itself, except possibly
Rom/Dra or Earth/Alt.  A base can scoop armies from perhaps four
planets, maximum.

Combine this with a concept of extension: a base is overextended at
any point where the enemy can ogg it.

Together, you can see that a base has variable utility depending on
the skill of the base pilot, the clue level of the game, and the
terrain.  The lower the clue, the further forward is the line at which
the base becomes overextended.  Since the frontline is definitely a
space that begs for control, a base is permanently useful as long as
the frontline remains within its zone of extension.  In particular,
weak planets (either yours or the enemy's) at the frontline are the
right place to be.

Note that in some games, for instance against Side Salad, the base is
ALWAYS overextended; SS could ogg a base anywhere, IMO.  On the other
hand, in some pickup games the line of overextension is almost at the
enemy core.  A base can have a lot of fun in such games if you dig the
explosion bitmaps.

Another type of point that often needs defense is an agri.  Especially
in a game with lots of enemy scouts, having a designated planet guard
is often a good idea.  You effectively write off all your other
planet's armies to the scouts, but in so doing free up other ships
that would have been preventing their bombing or guarding pops until
takers came.  Also, the nearer the agri is to the front, the more
utility you gain by having it permanently defended.  Two agris close
together are great base terrain, no matter where the front is.

The final type of "point" that a base can defend is the easiest for
the base: armies.  Having armies on a base is pretty much self
explanatory; I don't think anyone would dispute the utility of using
the base to defend armies, if there are sufficiently many.

However, in both cases above there must be sufficiently FEW friendly
armies.  Often in an enemy LPS, they will cease bombing your planets;
therefore guarding pop is meaningless and the base should just go to
the front.


>They are usually a big waste of
>time in trying to maintain any sort of space control
>on the front lines.  Bases (even Baltons & Wrecks) don't
>stand more than a couple front line oggs (from clue)
>before having to fall back. This, in turn, usually
>ties up a good number of ships trying to defend it.

All too true.

So what should a base do, whose only utility lies in controlling space
beyond its zone of extension?  

The "correct" solution is to sacrifice yourself for your team; move up
anyway, and when the ogg comes, fight long and hard to stay alive.
Don't distress unless all of your team has clue; just suck it up and
die like a man.  (Or woman for those few differently sexed bases.)

The second best solution is to turn in the base.  This one is great
for team players who don't want to screw up their ratio.  If there is
a chance that you will need the base in the next thirty (? I think)
minutes, then this is actually the best solution.

The suboptimal solution, for base loving scum like myself, is fight
like hell for your worthless life as far up as you can manage.
Distress as needed; suck off your clueless teammate to defend you, and
have fun.  Having fun is ultimately the name of the game.  I don't
recommend this option for INL play, however.


>I know even in pick up games when I'm
>playing with Balton or Wreck, I always find myself
>wishing they were in a ship....

Touched, I am.  If it is your opinion that I am hurting the team,
please do tell me.  I may very well select option two and turn the
sucker in.  

However, remember that I am here to have fun, no other reason, and
part of that fun for me is the killing joy of the triple speed phasers
and the SMACK! of the huge base plasmas.  If I refuse to get out of
the base, then YOU must suck it up and deal.  Sorry, in advance, to
all those who would so wish.  Reason I am so vehement here is that I
had the interesting experience of a teammate tonight convinced I
should turn the sucker in, but I wanted to base.  So he took to
tractoring me off my home planet between enemy oggs, leading directly
to my demise.  I subsequently quit and joined the other team.  This is
my threat to those would destroy my fun: if you fuck over my base, I
will leave your team.  Your choice is simple: Wreck base or the next
person on the queue.  Judge wisely, and keep in mind that if I really
want to play netrek, then you may very well see me on the enemy team
in ten minutes.

-Leonard						Get that Bert?