bhogan

I've read the manual but for the life of me can't understand the purpose of a military starbase? Can someone explain what a military starbase can do other than add support to a fleet that is in it's range? I would have thought if an enemy vessel that I was at war with would enter into it's zone it would attack with the weapons it has at its disposal? But I have never had a military starbase do anything? Does it need to be attacked to defend? And if so why would I