Skipping over systems

[eastwind]

If you are expanding your empire along a chain of planets, and you want one two away, but the one in between is worthless (say, the only resources are 2 energy), and you are not in a big hurry to grab the far system before someone else does, does it make sense to skip over the worthless system or to take it to keep your empire contiguous?

The starbase you do want ends up costing the same either way - double.
But you pay a small system size penalty forever for taking the useless system.
But you can pass trade through it
And you don't have to worry about an AI empire using it to leapfrog into your territory
And later in the game you might find there's a barren planet in there that's terraformable

So I tend to take the intermediate systems, but are there factors I'm not considering?

[MP]

That the AI will do the same if you get too close to it - they'll consider skipping a system to deny you the next one. Especially if it has a habitable planet.

And they LOVE claiming any holes in your territory.

[Sero]

The AI only jumps single systems, that means if you want to head them off you need to grab two systems to cut them off.
So if you want both systems you have to build outposts in both systems at the same time which means you have to pay the increased costs anyway.

[Tiasmoon]

It only makes sense to skip systems if you need to grab a system in a hurry.

[Jarlaf]

Yeah, Unless I need to 'steal' a system from an opponent, I'll claim the intermediate trash system, It's effect on overall empire will be pretty negligible as long as you only do it a few times and to me its worth the cost to prevent later annoyances like a foreign empire claiming it, border gore, and having control of pirate suppression if trade routes run through it.

[Bermag]

Originally posted by Sero:

The AI only jumps single systems, that means if you want to head them off you need to grab two systems to cut them off.
So if you want both systems you have to build outposts in both systems at the same time which means you have to pay the increased costs anyway.

Not sure that is true anymore. Maybe they still avoid doing it but have seen AI claim territoreis several jumps into my territory

[Sero]

Originally posted by Bermag:

Originally posted by Sero:

The AI only jumps single systems, that means if you want to head them off you need to grab two systems to cut them off.
So if you want both systems you have to build outposts in both systems at the same time which means you have to pay the increased costs anyway.

Not sure that is true anymore. Maybe they still avoid doing it but have seen AI claim territoreis several jumps into my territory

There might be wormholes or gates that get those systems closer but I am not sure enough about my initial statement to fight you over it.

[Tiasmoon]

Dont remember seeing anything like that in my last few games and I tend to leave gaps in my empire beyond reach of the +1 jump.