Miner vs monster

[zoommooz11]

Discovered the special resource korrabin spice, where the slug monsters appear periodically. Because I cannot colonize the planet yet, I built a custom mining base, with a few long range weapons, with the hope of killing the monster and not having to keep rebuilding the base. However, because it is a private sector base I cannot set the attack stance for it, so in comes the monster, and by the time the base starts attacking (stance: engage when attacked no doubt) the monster destroys the base.

So my question is, can I make the base attack the monster at range, before its attacked?

Thanks

Edit. Oh and BTW, how 'scenic' are wonders and ruins. Other places have a scenery value, but I cannot find one for these.

[Nanaki]

Nope. It is a bug unforutnately.

[Ingtar]

You can, however, use the starbase template to design a defensive base small enough to place alongside it. This might seem expensive, but it is cheaper than multiple mining stations.

[zoommooz11]

ORIGINAL: Ingtar

You can, however, use the starbase template to design a defensive base small enough to place alongside it. This might seem expensive, but it is cheaper than multiple mining stations.

I don't think this would work, as the problem stems from the inability to change the stance. All bases are auto controlled/private, which means no attack unless first attacked as far as I can tell. I have only had the game for about a week (and am really enjoying it) but I would have thought that after three odd expansions, and a host of patches, this type of thing would have been brought up/fixed before now, because it seems like quite an obvious bug.

[Ingtar]

A starbase is a state base and can be changed to "all weapons". It should draw fire first, if nothing else.

[ehsumrell1]

ORIGINAL: zoommooz11

Discovered the special resource korrabin spice, where the slug monsters appear periodically. Because I cannot colonize the planet yet, I built a custom mining base, with a few long range weapons, with the hope of killing the monster and not having to keep rebuilding the base. However, because it is a private sector base I cannot set the attack stance for it, so in comes the monster, and by the time the base starts attacking (stance: engage when attacked no doubt) the monster destroys the base.

So my question is, can I make the base attack the monster at range, before its attacked?

Thanks

Yes zoommooz11, you can. It's handled in how the Base is designed and what weapons it carries.
One of the first things I do in a game is redesign the Mining and Gas-Mining Stations and arm them.
I've always made certain that my Mining Stations have at least two Rail Gun (or Heavy Rail Gun if
researched) or Beam Weapons in the design for just such situations so they can fire immediately when attacked.
Yes, the desert planets with the Luxury Korrabian Spice resource will regularly spawn a powerful Sand Slug (Elliot's homage to "Dune" I suspect!). Since the Slug spawns in orbit, any Base, Station or Vessel in orbit will be attacked in that order. So any long range weapons will not work against it. So make certain that your mining bases have a few short-range weapons in the design to defend against this (helps for Kaltors as well).
Attack stance will not matter in this case. Although, I suggest leaving long range weapons
in the design as well, in case an Ardilus monster appears in the system. Hope this helps! [:)]

Original: Nanaki
Nope. It is a bug unforutnately.

Respectfully speaking, if a game logic or reasoning is not fully understood, it doesn't automatically
make it a bug. In this case, Elliot has just made it a 'surprise' challenge in the game. Until you can
colonize it, the periodically appearing Sand Slug makes it a challenge to mine it.

[Nanaki]

ORIGINAL: ehsumrell1
Respectfully speaking, if a game logic or reasoning is not fully understood, it doesn't automatically
make it a bug. In this case, Elliot has just made it a 'surprise' challenge in the game. Until you can
colonize it, the periodically appearing Sand Slug makes it a challenge to mine it.

You misunderstand me. The bug is not the sand slug, the bug is private stations not attacking space monsters until after the space monsters start eating them. I am guessing private stations are programmed to not shoot unless they are directly attacked, but by the time a space monster directly attacks them it is too late.

[johanwanderer]

Another option is to build a few fighter bays into your station, and launch all fighters. The fighters are agressive, and will try to kill the creatures for you.

[ehsumrell1]

ORIGINAL: Nanaki

You misunderstand me. The bug is not the sand slug, the bug is private stations not attacking space monsters until after the space monsters start eating them. I am guessing private stations are programmed to not shoot unless they are directly attacked, but by the time a space monster directly attacks them it is too late.

My apologies Nanaki if I misunderstood you. But in my opinion, it's more in the design of the station.

I always redesign my Mining and Gas-mining Stations for two reasons. One, just as the OP has stated, if
I run into a Super Luxury planet (especially one I can't colonize within a reasonable time that's outside
my sphere of influence) I have a Station that can defend itself from a Sand Slug (if a Korrabian Spice planet)
or a lone pirate raider or two. Two, once I have a Station there, no other faction can build one
there without colonizing the planet or destroying (O hell to the no [:-] ) my Mining Station.

So if the station design has at least a few short range weapons, it should be enough to destroy the
recurring Sand Slug each time it appears. Yes it will take damage from the "first strike" of the Slug,
but it should survive to mine another day. Since the Korrabian Spice Sand Slug is generated directly
in orbit, it basically is "on top of" any Base/Station in orbit at that planet and attacks first.

[zoommooz11]

Thanks for the responses guys. So what I really need is more close range firepower so that after the first bite, it will hopefully be the last bite as well. My base has pulse lasers and torpedoes. Does this mean that only the lasers fire at close range? If the torpedoes have a max range of 460, I assume that it does not have a minimum range (there is none that i can see).

[Nanaki]

Yes it will take damage from the "first strike" of the Slug,
but it should survive to mine another day.

Note that space monsters pierce both armor and shields and do direct damage to components. Not exactly a viable long-term solution unless you get self-repair components researched.

[fruitgnome]

I mean all weapons fire at every range under their max. Use weapons with high fire rate like rail guns. Another thing is as bigger the base is as longer the monsters need to destroy it.

[Aeson]

Note that space monsters pierce both armor and shields and do direct damage to components.

As far as I can tell, space monsters interact with armor in the same manner that most weapons do: they must destroy all armor components before they can begin to damage the other components carried by the ship. I have never seen a space monster damage a non-armor component before all the armor carried by the ship has been destroyed, nor do I see any reason to believe that space monsters, which predate the existence of graviton beams and the armor bypass mechanic, should have the ability to ignore the presence of armor.

[zoommooz11]

ORIGINAL: Aeson

Note that space monsters pierce both armor and shields and do direct damage to components.

As far as I can tell, space monsters interact with armor in the same manner that most weapons do: they must destroy all armor components before they can begin to damage the other components carried by the ship. I have never seen a space monster damage a non-armor component before all the armor carried by the ship has been destroyed, nor do I see any reason to believe that space monsters, which predate the existence of graviton beams and the armor bypass mechanic, should have the ability to ignore the presence of armor.

From my own observations, (and I am getting to see this a lot) monsters damage components from the very first attack (I redesigned my mining base to have a lot of armor, it made no difference), so it seems they ignore both shields and armor.

Edit: Sorry, upon further investigation, armor does play its part. When checking the damaged components, the armor is taking all the initial damage, so although the station is taking damage, none of the key components are getting hit.