Monitoring Stations (and Explorer ships)

[jayman]

I've been playing the DWUR mod in 'sandbox' mode with a 2000 star 15x15 irregular galaxy (a few games now, none to the end!) to get a feel for the game before playing a scenario or with victory conditions.

Question: How do other people use monitoring stations? Or do you not bother with them? I gave them a go in my first few games but was frustrated that they didn't upgrade - or took ages to do so - when I got ultra-long range sensors, despite being told to. They can also be easily destroyed.

I tried using small ships with LRS as picket-ships as they can move, but one ship can't slow down a fleet and larger ships can be better deployed in other roles rather than as picket-ships. Just a note, explorer ships with LRS can find abandoned ships/bases not on on their main line of travel. As long as you have a decent amount of fuel/reactors on them that is as LRS really eat the power.*

Now I just use starbases with LRS (NOT starports) in systems I can't colonize (no decent-quality planets) as 'monitoring stations' as they DO upgrade. There's also the added benefit of having decent weapons and fighters on them (maybe also with one or two small warships in front-line systems) so they can blunt an assault, or even stop it, and give my fleets time to get there before the enemy gets anywhere near the main systems. As an added benefit they also serve as refueling points.


* For explorers with LRS (up to 800 size) I tend to put at least 50 or 60 fuel tanks on them as well as enough reactors to give full hyperspeed for the engine-type and enough 'impulse' engines to give a decent cruise speed in systems. More then 800-sized explorers is a little bit of overkill unless you have an anomaly you want to check-out on the other side of a large galaxy.

[GalacticMariner]

Sometimes I will put them on a station when there is a particular area I want to keep a close eye on. Late game I sometimes put one on each starport.

Usually I put one on a few explorers when I am searching for the last remnants of a pirate faction that I want to eradicate.