Headquarters

[Khevor]

I just have a simple question: what purpose does the headquarters have that can't be done by any other station you could build? I realize there's Boso Ta and Dal Busta there but really, they could be put anywhere. The Player HQ in X3 was cool and had a purpose but after having built the bloody thing in X4 many many times across many playthroughs, I'm finding I don't want to bother with that entire storyline because of how pointless it is (and I wouldn't bother with it if it weren't the launching point of several other questlines). So is there a purpose to the HQ or is one planned in the future (not counting Ventures)?

[Gregorovitch]

Apart from providing you with a cool and large starter station it's main purposes are:

* research lab
* quest hub/conference room
* item storage (you can have scouts collect loot and deliver it to your store)

[blackphoenixx]

No HQ means no research. No research means no ship mods, no terraforming, no getting blueprints from scanning instead of paying exorbitant sums of money.
Also no place to store your illegal items.

And "that entire storyline" isn't really all that long anyway. Though if it bothers you that much you can start with it already done after having done it once, either with the Accomplished Scientist start or a custom gamestart.

[Wraith]

HQ is my personal and only mobile shipyard

Don’t put production modules on it and leave those for dedicated stations instead have ton of storage and enough resources for multiple jumps and you have yourself a shipyard that can sell to whoever you like on the go and once it low on resources jump back to the dedicated refuel spot

[MOK]

Originally posted by Wraith:

HQ is my personal and only mobile shipyard

Don’t put production modules on it and leave those for dedicated stations instead have ton of storage and enough resources for multiple jumps and you have yourself a shipyard that can sell to whoever you like on the go and once it low on resources jump back to the dedicated refuel spot

I never thought of that, thanks for this tip.
But to the OP, yeah, the functionality you're already aware of(plus it's mobile capacity) is basically the extent of it. It is otherwise ignoreable. It definitely doesn't need to be your HQ.
That's what I did for most of my game, till I decided to use it for some ice refining in it's spawn location.

[Pathogenic]

The HQ is required for terraforming

[SpaceToast]

It also cant die so your invincible
you win

[Khevor]

So essentially everyone is saying the same thing: the hq is basically a comically large connector part with the only redeeming qualities being the research (which is a tacked on room like the bar or conference room) and storage (which can also be done on any player owned station).

That said, I do like Wraith's mobile shipyard idea and I may adopt that myself. I'm just disappointed that the HQ is so... what's the word... underwhelming, perhaps.

[blackphoenixx]

The storage people are talking about is storage of inventory items, not trade wares. You can only do that in the HQ afaik.

[Khevor]

It never occurred to me to try and store inventory items. I've transferred them between ships but I never tried to store them on a station. I just assumed they were character-only items. Well at least that's something.

[yes]

the scientist start has you start with the hq

[Daddy Shark]

It does have one huge advantage that makes it unique in that it's the only station that can move. And when she moves she comes in with a bang.

I have mine ringed by a bajillion plasma and flak turrets set in defense modules all the way around the perimeter of the plot. It also has about 2000 defense drones. I just warp that puppy right into enemy territory and use the telefrag shockwave to blow up their shipyards and defense stations. Then they naturally throw every ship they have at it, which are all promptly vaporized once they get within the station's defense range.

[Khevor]

Originally posted by Daddy Shark:

It does have one huge advantage that makes it unique in that it's the only station that can move. And when she moves she comes in with a bang.

I have mine ringed by a bajillion plasma and flak turrets set in defense modules all the way around the perimeter of the plot. It also has about 2000 defense drones. I just warp that puppy right into enemy territory and use the telefrag shockwave to blow up their shipyards and defense stations. Then they naturally throw every ship they have at it, which are all promptly vaporized once they get within the station's defense range.

Ok, *that* is awesome. Between the mobile shipyard idea and this, I may be gaining a new appreciation for the HQ.