Do I want a station in earth orbit?

[Frodo]

There is nothing to mine. But I guess there must be some benefit from it.
I have made a base on the moon and just got my mining operation built as well as one solar plant.
I have just send a rocket to build my first Mars base. But I have nothing in orbit around earth. Should I?

I've been pushing the global research in social projects. Trying to unify North america. should be able to pick greater nations next. So other research have suffered due to me pushing social research.

Can I just take over the ISS maybe, its controlled by another faction. What orbit is best to build a earth orbit station?

[Toblm]

Interface orbits are handy for the bonuses that research building provide, not to mention hospitals and hotels.

I've yet to find a use for the other earth orbits. Building fleets at earth is generally not a good idea due to agent shenanigans.

[VDmitry]

many modules provide bonuses while placed at interface Earth orbit, research facilities as an example

[ulzgoroth]

You want Earth interface orbit stations for the powerful lab bonuses only they can grant.

A place to refuel fleets helps too.

[DWI_Suriil]

Yes.
3 main reasons

1)Fleet building. You need a point where you can spam build ships to defend earth later on.
2)Some mid game important tech building that boost earth , like Nanofactories with 30% max bonus to Eco investements.
3)You have Hospitals that trade boost for money , only can be build on earth -lune orbits.
Or on other planets if you have 50 000+ pop :D Thats possible on mercury.

I will tell you more - you want 2-3 Ring (tier 3) stations on Earth orbit.
Also you weant them well defended , at least 4 , better 5 layered defences.

[corisai]

Originally posted by T.MauvaisLoveStory:

1)Fleet building. You need a point where you can spam build ships to defend earth later on.

I would say for new players it's much better to do in Lagrange points :)

Originally posted by T.MauvaisLoveStory:

I will tell you more - you want 2-3 Ring (tier 3) stations on Earth orbit.
Also you weant them well defended , at least 4 , better 5 layered defences.

Waste for research stations - T2 station could fit 5x T2 science modules (and you don't want more).
And so many LD is absolute waste, especially for Earth. You're going to defend Terra for the Emperor, right?

[DWI_Suriil]

CADIA STANDS!

[Ixal]

Remember though every T2 station in earth orbit can easily be hijacked unless defended.
T1s are mostly safe

[ಠ_ಠ Exil]

Originally posted by T.MauvaisLoveStory:

1)Fleet building. You need a point where you can spam build ships to defend earth later on

No, you want a refueling station. Ship building should be done at Lagrange points as Earth orbit stations are susceptible to being flipped away from your control by other councilors.

[VDmitry]

I have like 12 stations on Earth orbits and none was hijacked

up to year 2037 the only hijacked station was on Luna orbit

[Toblm]

Originally posted by VDmitry:

I have like 12 stations on Earth orbits and none was hijacked

up to year 2037 the only hijacked station was on Luna orbit

Sounds like your AI is slacking.

[ulzgoroth]

I think some of the fear of station jacking is based on older versions where it was easier.

Though I wouldn't suggest ignoring the risk.

[krwr12]

yes

[Ixal]

Originally posted by VDmitry:

I have like 12 stations on Earth orbits and none was hijacked

up to year 2037 the only hijacked station was on Luna orbit

Which tier? T1 station are pretty immune to hijack (not totally though). T2 and up though can be stolen easily.

[corisai]

Originally posted by Ixal:

T2 and up though can be stolen easily.

After previous patch? No, max T2 station with big crew & marines is veeery hard to flip. T3 is basically "nah, I will pass" even for human player.

Except - you'd forget to max your loyality & using Loyality monitors

[Batailleuse]

Originally posted by Ixal:

Remember though every T2 station in earth orbit can easily be hijacked unless defended.
T1s are mostly safe

actually difficulty scale with Marines presents as well. and as long as you have high MC points, agents rarely ever switch your stations.

in my game i have over 10 stations in orbit, and only lost 1 when i went over MC for a few months. and i'm in 2036 now.

so to be on the safe side when you build them, add at least 1 Layer defense, and 1 marines barrack, i like marines barrack anyways because you get passive special action resources (+5 at t1) so you can always do spec ops missions maxed out to make sure you achieve your goals.

at T2 add a Farm.

then you can field it to the brim with labs, just don't put skunk works in there. or everyone will steal your techs.

but i would say

Life good early, gives the +1 bonus when you try to persuade. up to +9, makes missions both much easier, and achieve better population switch to your cause. so makes early game super easy to switch countries to your side.

Material science, good for the military development bonus points, keeps your armies ahead everyone with this.

Social/Xeno/Info also decent, you get a TONS of social projects, and its also the cheapest to run, 1 power + 3 labs. so easy to stack. Xeno for obvious alien detection reasons, but Xeno techs aren't too many except Faction special projects, Information good, as the Information techs are all pretty powerful, and required to unlock some of the better stuff.

Military lab .. is 'meh" i would say, the passive bonus for armies on the globe doesn't feel worth it, when material labs let you scale that number faster than military labs.
Energy labs also not worth it i feel, you don't really need economy in this game lol, takes way too long for a country to progress it's GDP to get points. you're usually better off making all your place into low inequality, and stable area, and just make them pump Funds/space progress.

and your bigger countries (EU/Russia/China/USA) are better left with at least 50%+ in military anyways.

for EU/USA its something like 50% armies, 10% funding, 20% welfare/knowledge, and you make smaller countries pop you an army before absorbing them.

you keep 1-2 countries (regardless of which bigger nation you pick) just pumping you Boost early up to +20-30 before absorbing then switching them to Space coms. and you only absorb when they are filled with coms. and switch production to another country.